AIDSO protests against closure of 4,200 Karnataka government schools

NEW DELHI: The All India Democratic Students' Organisation (AIDSO) held a state-level protest convention opposing the closure of 4,200 government schools in Karnataka. AIDSO speakers at the protest event condemned governments for implementing anti-education policies. AIDSO has even called for a nationwide movement to protect public education.

AIDSO general secretary, Shibashish Praharaj criticised the commercialisation and privatisation of education. He further blamed policies introduced in 1986 for increasing education costs. AIDSO has urged the Karnataka government to prioritize education funding and ensure timely scholarship disbursement. The AIDSO claimed that the Backward Classes and Minority Department has not released scholarships for engineering, medical, UG, and PG students for the past three years.

Criticism of privatisation in education

Praharaj stated that governments treat education as a commodity, depriving children of farmers, workers, and the poor of their right to learn. The AIDSO said, “Education policy introduced by the Congress government in 1986 opened flood gates for commercialization and privatization of education. All subsequent governments in power have continued this trend.”

School closures in 2022 and student protests

AIDSO Karnataka vice president Chandrakala highlighted the protests in 2022 when the BJP government attempted to close 13,800 government schools. As per AIDSO, Over 36 lakh students signed petitions to oppose the move, leading to a statewide movement to ‘save government schools’.

‘Government’s failure to address low enrollment issues’

AIDSO vice president further states that despite past protests, the Congress government is now planning to shut down 4,200 Karnataka schools. Chandrakala pointed out that the government has failed to address the root causes of declining enrollment, such as the lack of teachers, poor infrastructure, and inadequate facilities.

Infrastructure and teacher shortages in government schools

AIDSO states that Karnataka has about 6,000 single-teacher schools, 3,500 schools without usable toilets, and 59,000 vacant teaching positions. The AIDSO vice president questioned how government schools could survive without basic facilities and proper staffing.

AIDSO opposes school closure decision

AIDSO called upon the government to strengthen public schools instead of shutting them down. The AIDSO said "The government must take responsibility for strengthening government schools by providing basic infrastructure. To remind the government to save our government schools, and to fulfill our historical responsibility, students across the state must take the lead in building grassroot movement."