Teachers stage protest to oppose privatisation of education, demand strengthening of govt schools
TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Updated: Feb 20, 2019, 23:30 IST
NEW DELHI: Teachers, non-teaching employees and students from different central universities and states gathered in Delhi on Tuesday for a protest march demanding strengthening of government schools, reversal of policies promoting "privatisation of education" among others.
The 'Save Education, Save Nation' march from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar, organised under the banner of the Joint Forum for Movement on Education (JFME), protested against the failure of Union government to bring about a coherent national education policy.
The march culminated in a rally that was addressed by eminent educationists and others. Among the political leaders who joined the protest and addressed the rally included CPM leaders Brinda Karat and Nilotpal Basu, senior AAP leader Dilip Pandey, CPI leaders D Raja and Binoy Viswan and Udit Raj of All India SC/ ST Parisangh.
The forum submitted a comprehensive memorandum to PMO with a list of 26 demands, which included bringing back the 200-point roster, extending the Right to Education cover to higher education up to the PG level, strengthening government schools, full and assured public-funding of education at a minimum 10 per cent of GDP.
“The Government should withdraw recent policies of replacement of grants to public funded institutions for infrastructural needs by loans through HEFA, Categorisation of Universities and Graded Autonomy. They should Implement Reservation Policy for SC/ST/OBC/PWD scrupulously to ensure that Constitutionally-mandated percentages of Reservation are met in admissions and appointments at all levels by bringing Ordinance on 200 point in University/ Colleges,” said the statement from the forum.
They also demanded abolishing NEET and other centralized tests, which they claimed denied the concurrent role of the states in education and undermine the federal structure of Constitution.
The protesters wanted the government to give preference to government school students in public-funded institutions of higher education and public sector jobs.
The JFME said it will continue to mobilise wider public opinion through its campaign. The Tuesday protest was a joint initiative of the AIFUCTO, DUTA and FEDCUTA. National-level Secondary School Teachers’ Association and all-India students’ organisations like SFI, AISF, AIDSO, AISA and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) also participated in the rally.
The 'Save Education, Save Nation' march from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar, organised under the banner of the Joint Forum for Movement on Education (JFME), protested against the failure of Union government to bring about a coherent national education policy.
The march culminated in a rally that was addressed by eminent educationists and others. Among the political leaders who joined the protest and addressed the rally included CPM leaders Brinda Karat and Nilotpal Basu, senior AAP leader Dilip Pandey, CPI leaders D Raja and Binoy Viswan and Udit Raj of All India SC/ ST Parisangh.
The forum submitted a comprehensive memorandum to PMO with a list of 26 demands, which included bringing back the 200-point roster, extending the Right to Education cover to higher education up to the PG level, strengthening government schools, full and assured public-funding of education at a minimum 10 per cent of GDP.
“The Government should withdraw recent policies of replacement of grants to public funded institutions for infrastructural needs by loans through HEFA, Categorisation of Universities and Graded Autonomy. They should Implement Reservation Policy for SC/ST/OBC/PWD scrupulously to ensure that Constitutionally-mandated percentages of Reservation are met in admissions and appointments at all levels by bringing Ordinance on 200 point in University/ Colleges,” said the statement from the forum.
They also demanded abolishing NEET and other centralized tests, which they claimed denied the concurrent role of the states in education and undermine the federal structure of Constitution.
The protesters wanted the government to give preference to government school students in public-funded institutions of higher education and public sector jobs.
The JFME said it will continue to mobilise wider public opinion through its campaign. The Tuesday protest was a joint initiative of the AIFUCTO, DUTA and FEDCUTA. National-level Secondary School Teachers’ Association and all-India students’ organisations like SFI, AISF, AIDSO, AISA and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) also participated in the rally.
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