Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Feb 24: Heads, teachers and staff of private, unaided schools put together a united face at the protest organized in the city on Tuesday February 23, which is considered as the biggest post-covid protest rally. Over 20,000 people participated in the procession which went from Sangolli Rayanna railway station to Freedom Park.

Associated Management of English Medium Schools in Karnataka (KAMS), The Karnataka Unaided Schools Managements Association (KUSMA) etc participated in the protest. The protesters expressed anger at the decision of the government to affect fee cut while failing to accede to their various demands, not helping them during the trying Covid times, and not announcing food kits or special grants for them.

During his visit to the dais at around 2 am to receive the memorandum from private schools, education minister, S Suresh Kumar, raised the topic of a student who was sent back for non-payment of fee committing suicide, some private school heads objected. The minister, disturbed by the development, was about to leave by just saying that discussions about all problems would be held. He said thereafter that during several meetings with school organizations and parents, no consensus could be arrived and hence the government had to intervene and take a decision on fee concession. He said that 30 percent fee cut is only for the current year, but said he is ready to hold a meeting again to discuss the issue as the private schools are unhappy about the cut. He said he is aware that private school teachers have suffered a lot.

MLC Puttanna, accused the principal sectetary in the department of primary and secondary education of dealing through middlemen to implement unscientific orders and thereby harassing private schools. He said that private schools too are contributing to the teachers welfare fund but the government helps only the government school teachers. He urged the government to arrange for life insurance for private school staff through the education welfare fund.

Important demands of private schools: 1. Withdrawal of unscientific 30 percent fee cut order, 2. Withdrawal of the provision relating to providing certificates from fire department and PWD for renewal of recognition for schools which started functioning before 2017, 3. Corruption and harassment by officials in the block education and deputy director of public instruction office to be stopped, 4. Insurance facility to be extended to private school teachers and staff, 5. Release of RTE fee for 2020 immediately, 6. Classes from first to fifth standards to begin functioning, 6. Promotion to next class should be through registration, attendance and examinations.