AIDSO holds parents’ meeting in Bengaluru on impact of KPS Magnet school scheme

The All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO), Bengaluru district committee, organised a parents’ meeting in Lohith Nagara, Nelamangala, to discuss the implications of the KPS Magnet School Scheme and the proposed closure of around 40,000 government schools in Karnataka.

The meeting brought together parents, local residents, and education activists who expressed concern over the future of public education in rural and semi-urban areas.

Addressing the gathering, Kalyan Kumar, district secretary of AIDSO Bengaluru, said the policy of closing government schools under the pretext of low enrolment ignores the structural problems faced by public education.

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He pointed out that thousands of teaching posts remain vacant and that teachers are often diverted to non-academic duties such as surveys and administrative work. “Parents are being blamed for low enrolment while governments fail to provide teachers, infrastructure, and basic facilities,” he said.

AIDSO flags safety, transport gaps in KPS Scheme

Kumar also raised questions about the Rs 2,000 crore loan taken from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for implementing the KPS scheme.

He said the terms and conditions of the loan have not been made public and warned that shifting students to distant ‘magnet schools’ raises serious safety concerns, especially for younger children. He added that assurances of free transportation remain largely on paper.

The discussion also recalled the legacy of social reformer Savitribai Phule and her struggle for accessible education. Kumar said protecting public education requires collective and organised efforts from parents and communities.

The meeting was presided over by Prakruthi, a member of the AIDSO Bengaluru district secretariat. It concluded with the formation of the Lohith Nagar save public education committee, which will continue discussions and awareness efforts on the KPS Magnet School scheme in the coming days.