Samakalvi Iyakkam, a movement promoting and advocating child rights, launched a campaign ‘Namma Ooru Namma Palli’.
“Through the campaign, we want to encourage people to be aware of reclaiming government and government-aided schools in their localities. Many among these schools face the threat of being shut down due to lack of funds or dwindling number of students,” said Chella Selvakumar.
Launching the campaign, Justice Hariparanthaman, retired Judge, Madras High Court, also released a five-point charter in which they urged the government not to close or merge any government or government-aided schools. “It is the duty of the government to ensure that the schools have good infrastructure. We urge the district administrations as well as Education Department officials to focus on increasing the strength in these institutions,” the charter read.
The Samakalvi Iyakkam further said, in their charter, that steps should be taken to ensure that schools across the State are strengthened with better infrastructure to benefit the students. “The names of the schools which have been shut down in the last 10 years should be made available and efforts should be taken to reopen and enrol more students in those areas,” they said.