Karnataka government’s move to merge government schools with Magnet Schools opposed

All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) connected Friday (November 21) staged a dharna successful beforehand of the Old Deputy Commissioner’s bureau successful Mysuru opposing the State government’s reported determination to merge a ample fig of authorities schools with Karnataka Public Schools (KPS), which person been designated arsenic Magnet Schools.

AIDSO State Treasurer Subhash Bettadakoppa said nether the banner of “quality education” and “model schools”, the government’s reported determination volition yet destruct the nationalist acquisition strategy established done the struggles for escaped and cosmopolitan education. He alleged that the merger of schools is simply a pretext to “privatise” acquisition and contradict entree to the mediocre and marginalised.

He claimed that Karnataka presently has 49,600 authorities schools, portion determination are lone 5,900 gram panchayats crossed the State. “As per the government’s reported plan, Magnet Schools volition beryllium established lone astatine the gram panchayat level, which means that lone these 5,900 institutions, including PU colleges, volition remain. In Mysuru district, the authorities has already announced the conversion of Kanakagiri High School, Maharaja High School, People’s Park High School, Gousianagar High School, Udburu High School, and Hootagalli High School into Magnet Schools,” helium said successful a property connection here.

AIDSO District Secretary Nithin said the authorities claims that schools with a spot of little than 50 students located wrong a radius of 1 to 5 kilometres of Magnet Schools volition beryllium merged, and proscription volition beryllium arranged for students. However, helium pointed retired that successful galore villages, adjacent existing autobus services are inadequate, forcing students to locomotion agelong distances. With schools relocated six to 7 kilometres away, mediocre students volition beryllium pushed retired of education, helium argued.

In the statement, helium criticised the authorities for reportedly borrowing ₹2,500 crore from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the task and readying an further ₹10,000 crore loan, each portion reportedly closing authorities schools to allegedly “serve the interests of backstage and firm acquisition lobbies”.

He called upon students, teachers, parents, and the nationalist to articulation hands to safeguard authorities schools from closure and motorboat a statewide question against immoderate specified move.