Bengaluru: All India Democratic Students Organization (AIDSO) held a state-level protest convention here on Tuesday, opposing the Karnataka government's proposal to merge schools on the 'Hub and Spoke Model School' basis, which may lead to a closure of over 4,000 government schools due to low enrollment.
The speakers at the convention condemned the continued neglect of the government towards the deplorable condition of government schools and the commercialisation of public education. Shibashish Praharaj, General Secretary of the Central Council of AIDSO, criticised the successive governments, stating, "Every ruling party, past and present, has implemented anti-education and anti-people policies. The Congress-led education policy of 1986 paved the way for privatisation, and every government since has followed the same trajectory, turning education into a commodity."
He further emphasised, "Education is a fundamental right, not a privilege for the wealthy. The children of farmers, workers, and the poor—the backbone of our nation—are being deprived of education. A nationwide movement is needed to protect and strengthen public education."
Chandrakala, Vice President of AIDSO Karnataka, recalled the resistance against a similar issue two years ago, stating, "When the BJP government attempted to shut down 13,800 government schools, students mobilised, collecting over 36 lakh signatures in protest. Now, the Congress government is proposing to close down 4,200 schools under the "Hub and Spoke Model School" scheme, instead of addressing the root causes of low enrollment of children."
Highlighting the pitiful condition of government schools, she noted, "There are 6,000 single-teacher schools, over 3,500 schools lack usable toilets, and 59,000 teaching positions remain vacant. How can we expect these schools to survive without proper infrastructure and staff? The government must take responsibility and strengthen public education paving the way for the poor to educate their children instead of shutting down schools."
Chandrakala called for a mass movement, urging students to take the lead: "We must remind the government of its duty to protect public education. This is our responsibility. The fight to save government schools must be taken to every corner of the state."
The convention witnessed participation from key AIDSO leaders, including Central Council President Sourav Ghosh, State President Ashwini K.S., State Secretary Ajay Kamath, Vice Presidents Abhaya Diwakar and Apoorva, State Treasurer Subhash, Office Secretary Mahantesh, and State Secretariat members Kalyan and Vinay Chandra. Activists and organisers from across Karnataka joined the protest, reaffirming their commitment to safeguarding public education.
