Writers, educationists, and student organisations have opposed and condemned the Karnataka government’s plan to develop government schools at the rural level in association with private schools under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative.
Writers such as K. Marulasiddappa, G. Ramakrishna, and 14 others have written an open letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah demanding that instead of handing over government schools to private school managements, the government should provide resources and empower them.
“It is reported that Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has said that private schools will adopt government schools. This is shocking. For the aspirations of democracy to be alive, the public education system should be strengthened and the quality of government schools should be improved,” they said in the letter.
“When we look at the developments of the education sector in the last 30 years, private institutions participate in public-private partnership initially by providing basic facilities and improving the quality of learning, but gradually turn it into a profitable business. Later, government schools are handed over to these private institutions,” they said.
Niranjanaradhya V.P., developmental educationist, said, “Education is a fundamental right, the State has the constitutional obligation to provide the fundamental right to all children. Instead, the State is pushing them on the doorstep of private schools with a begging bowl. Being a Minister, running private schools is a conflict of interest. Therefore, the Chief Minister should intervene and advise the Minister to drop this unconstitutional plan.”
All-India Democratic Students Organisation also condemned the government’s move and said: “The condition of government schools in the State has become deplorable due to the impact of rains last month. Schools need financial aid for renovation and not charity by corporate companies.”
