Mysuru/Madikeri: Members of the All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) staged a protest near the old DC’s office in Mysuru on Friday to oppose the state govt’s plan to close more than 40,000 govt schools under the Karnataka Public Schools (KPS)–magnet schools scheme. AIDSO state treasurer Subhash Bettadakoppa said it was a deceptive move, which the govt was projecting as quality education. He argued that the scheme amounted to an attempt to dismantle the public education system established through the struggles of social reformers who fought for free and universal education. He alleged that the measure was a pretext to privatise education and deny access to the poor and marginalised.Bettadakoppa noted that Karnataka had 49,600 govt schools but only 5,900 gram panchayats. Under the govt’s plan, Magnet Schools would be established only at the gram panchayat level, leaving just these 5,900 institutions, including pre-university colleges. In Mysuru district, the govt announced that Kanakagiri High School, Maharaja High School, People’s Park High School, Gouziya Nagar High School, Udburu High School and Hootagalli High School would be converted into magnet schools.AIDSO district secretary Nithin said the govt claimed that schools with fewer than 50 students located within a 1-5 km radius of a Magnet School would be merged and transport would be arranged for students. He noted that in many villages even existing bus services were inadequate, forcing students to walk long distances, and warned that with schools relocated 6-7 km away thousands of poor students would be pushed out of education. Students protest closure in KodaguAIDSO protested in front of the DC’s office in Madikeri, opposing the closure of several govt schools in Kodagu. A memorandum in this regard was submitted to the Kodagu DC, Venkat Raja.“The state govt is planning to start 700 Karnataka Public Schools. In this background, schools within a radius of 3 to 5 km will be merged. Several schools have been identified for this merger,” the students stated. As a result of this process, 40,000 schools—including degree colleges—are likely to be closed, they stated.The protesters expressed dissatisfaction that the govt, which should improve the quality, has formulated a policy that might result in increased school dropouts. “Government schools should be provided basic facilities. Necessary teachers should be appointed. And the school management should not be outsourced,” they demanded.All India Save Education Committee member Rajashekar, the organisation’s state secretary Subhash Bettadakuppa, district co-convener BR Swathi, Anjali, and others were present at the protest.
