AIDSO stages protest against merger of rural schools

AIDSO members led a rally in Belagavi on Tuesday in protest against the State government’s plans to merge rural schools to establish Karnataka Public Schools.

They gathered at the Rani Channamma Circle and sat in dharna for some time. They raised slogans against the State government. They also marched to the Deputy Commissioner’s office and submitted a memorandum.

They demanded that the State government withdraw the Government Order to merge and close government schools and drop the idea of setting up schools under the magnet schools scheme. “We demand that not a single government school be closed,” they said.

Leaders also condemned the decision of the police who denied permission to hold a protest in front of the Suvarna Soudha.

“The Police Department earlier gave permission but it was abruptly cancelled. We believe, however, that everyone has the right to protest against injustice and we are holding the protest today,” they said.

They said that apart from students from colleges, several school students and parents from various villages have gathered for the protest as they felt their rights are being taken away.

“We strongly opposes the State government’s move to close rural schools in the name of merger,” said the memorandum.

“An order has already been issued to merge six primary schools with 77, 82, 31, 100, 20 and 80 students within a 6-km radius under the Karnataka Public School in Honganur, Channapatna taluk of Ramanagara. This is a clear example of school closure. Moreover, the government’s actions regarding magnet schools clearly mention the closure of government schools,” it said.

“The circular issued by the Department of School Education on October 15, 2025, clearly mentions that ‘small government schools within a radius of 1 to 5 km will be smoothly merged with these proposed Karnataka Public Schools’ (magnet schools). The people are worried that thousands of schools will be closed if all these government directives are implemented. As a result of the merger, schools for communities in villages will move beyond to the neighbouring village. This will make it difficult for poor and rural children to access schools in the nearest neighbourhood. And, due to increased travel distance and insecurity, the number of school dropouts, especially among girls, will increase,” it said.

The Minister concerned has proposed to use buildings of schools that will be closed under the pretext of merger for other work of organizations and has said that he will introduce a Bill in this regard during the Belagavi Winter Session. The Minister has in an interview revealed that government school buildings will be given to self-help groups, they said.

In addition, the protesters complained that the government’s move to allow advertising on school walls to raise revenue for government schools will usher in complete privatization.

Their other demands include an assurance from the government that no government school will be used for any commercial purpose, including advertising, and that efforts will be made to strengthen every government school with necessary teachers, infrastructure, learning material and democratic functioning.

The Deputy Director of Public Instruction visited the protest site and received a petition.

AIDSO State secretary Ajay Kamath, vice-president Abhaya Diwakar, State treasurer Subhash Bettada Koppa, office secretary Mahantesh, Indal Nagar Public Education Save Committee president Ramu, secretary Tara Kulkarni, Sindolli Village Panchayat president Satish Shapurkar, SDMC president Mahalingaraya Shapurkar, Basarikatte Village Public Education Save Committee president Basavarai Kondasakoppa, secretaries Krishna Kondasakoppa, Raju Patil and Kedari Hastekar, along with women, guardians and village elders from various villages participated in the protest.