Protest staged in Dharwad against likely merger of govt. schools

Stating that the State government has threatened the existence of over 25,000 government schools with its proposal to merge adjoining schools under Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) Magnet School Scheme, students, along with members of All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO), staged a protest in Dharwad on Friday.

Congregating at Vivekanand Circle in Dharwad, the students registered their protest by staging a demonstration and said that the government’s move will result in closing down of several thousand government schools.

Addressing the protestors, AIDSO district secretary Shashikala Meti said that as per the Government Order, 800 schools have been identified as magnet schools.

“This will mean that schools with less than 50 admissions located within 1 km to 5 km radius of Karnataka Public Schools will be merged with the latter, which means that those schools will be closed,” she said.

She pointed out the Government Order on merger of seven primary schools in Honganur of Channapattana taluk with the proposed a KPS magnet school in Honganur and expressed anger over closing down of schools with over 110 students, in the name of merger.

Ms. Shashikala Meti clarified that AIDSO is not opposed to opening KPS magnet schools but only to closing down of government schools in the name of merger.

Already, students in scores of villages have been forced to stage protests because of lack of proper bus facility and such being the case, students residing in far-off villages will be deprived of education, she said.

District president of AIDSO Sindhu Koudi, vice-president Chandru and other office-bearers, including Sphoorti, Siddu, Ravi, and others led the protest.