Protest against ‘KPS Magnet Schools’ in Davangere district

Scores of students, parents and people from different walks of life took part in a taluk-level ‘Save Public Education Convention’ held under the aegis of All-India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) in Channagiri of Davangere district on Thursday to protest against the State government’s proposed move to close government schools under the KPS Magnet School scheme.

In the convention held at Lohia Bhavan in Channagiri, State vice-president of AIDSO Abhaya Divakar alleged that all service sectors were being privatised and taken away from common people. The government schools in partnership with private companies were run under the name of PPP (Public-Private Partnership), he said.

He said that loan to the tune of ₹2,500 crore had been taken from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), under which the official order stated that KPS Magnet schools would be established under the ADB loan scheme.

He urged the State government to immediately cancel the ‘KPS Magnet School’ scheme and issue an official order stating that the government schools would not be closed.

National Leader of the All India Mahila Samskrutik Sanghatan Aparna B.R. said that education for every child was possible only through government schools, as envisioned by all the great personalities of the country.

President of the Save Public Education Committee of Lingadahalli village Chandrahasa said that it was a shameful act for the government to be ready to close government schools but not liquor shops that destroy lakhs of families.

The Public Education Protection Committee president Gurushantappa said that politicians who run private schools across the State were attempting to close the government schools for their own profit.

The convention was presided over by District president Pooja Nandihalli, while District organiser H.D. Gangadhar delivered the introductory remarks.

It was resolved in the convention that on March 5, members of the committees from all taluks of the district, along with scores of others would assemble in Davangere for a massive district-level protest. The committee office-bearers Ajjayya, Mantaraghatta Belurappa, Honnappa, activists Basavapura Ranganath, Kubendra Swamy, Nataraj and parents from 30 villages took part in the protest.