Campaign for govt schools gathers momentum

An ongoing campaign for saving government schools gained momentum on Saturday with hundreds of activists converging at the Freedom Park, warning the administration against closing down state-run schools.

Anil Shetty, the lead campaigner, called upon the government to strengthen the education system and desist from closing down schools just because there are fewer students in them. “We have learnt the government has decided to close down about 14,000 state-run schools across Karnataka citing low enrolments. The government should scientifically merge schools instead of closing them down,” he said.

Shetty said the government had invited them to discuss the demands and welcomed Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s announcement of introducing English in government schools.

At least two lakh people have supported the campaign by giving a missed call to a designated phone number.

Prakash Anchan, an education rights activist, has adopted a school at Doddalakadu in Bantwal taluk, Dakshina Kannada, which had just 30 students. After he took over, the quality and infrastructure of the school have improved and there are now over 500 students.