The All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) staged a protest in front of the Block Education Office in H.D. Kote on Monday, urging the State government to safeguard and develop government schools, particularly in tribal settlements (haadis).
Leading the protest, AIDSO State treasurer Subhash Bettadakoppa accused the government of systematically undermining public education in favour of privatisation. He alleged that more than 6,200 government schools across the State are being reportedly marked for closure under the pretext of ‘low enrolment’, even as 473 private schools have been approved in the current academic year alone.
“This is a conspiracy to weaken the government education system,” alleged Mr. Bettadakoppa in a statement here.
He further criticised the State’s approach to infrastructure development in tribal areas, claiming that permissions for school buildings are routinely denied, while licenses for bars and restaurants are granted without delay. “In D.B. Kuppe Gram Panchayat alone, four bars have been sanctioned, yet not a single new government school has been permitted,” he claimed.
The AIDSO members, who visited government schools in tribal villages including Aane Mala, Goluru, and Balle, claimed that the conditions were alarming. According to their observations, most schools are operating with only two teachers, including the headmaster. The buildings are in a dilapidated state, and basic amenities such as drinking water and proper sanitation are lacking, the statement noted.
Despite these issues, the State’s Primary and Secondary Education Minister recently attributed the decline in enrolment to parents’ growing preference for ‘English-medium and private institutions.’
Mr. Bettadakoppa criticised this stance, stating, “Instead of shifting the blame on parents, the government must take responsibility and invest in improving public school infrastructure.”
The AIDSO argued that government schools remain the primary educational resource for children of daily wage workers, agricultural labourers, and other economically disadvantaged communities. “Shutting down these institutions would be an injustice to the underprivileged,” the organisation said.
Published – June 02, 2025 06:09 pm IST
