Protest over ‘privatisation’ of schools in West Bengal

Leading teachers’ bodies - All Bengal Teachers’ Association (ABTA), and All Bengal Primary Teachers Association (ABPTA) - took to the streets in Kolkata on Saturday to oppose a “draft policy” of the West Bengal government that intends to explore a public-private partnership (PPP) model in the state's school education system. While the Left-affiliated students’ wing has also protested about the same, the state education minister has clarified that no such decision has been taken by the government.

An officially unacknowledged ‘development’, that got reported in a section of the media, and also got attention on social media, has hinted that the state government school education department intends to operate schools in the public-private partnership model. This is expected to help in utilising the government's unused resources. Administrative sources hinted that the idea may have been just at a preliminary level. State education minister Bratya Basu, however, has clarified that no such decision has been taken, as of now. Such an important decision involves the chief minister, and there has been no discussion with the CM over this, he said.

Meanwhile, in Kolkata, teachers' bodies protested against this ‘proposed policy’. “We have been able to convince the government to have the schools opened. Now, the government is trying to hand over education to the corporates. Our fight is to protect schools. We feel that in private hands teachers’ appointments, and students’ fees will be affected. Teachers’ job security will also be affected,” Sukumar Pain, general secretary, ABTA, said.

Mohandas Pandit, general secretary, ABPTA, said that a PPP model is a ‘frightening’ one, and it means that the schools properties built with public initiatives, at times with contributions, may go to private developers. The Students’ Federation of India state secretary, Srijan Bhattacharya said that the move (if made) will be to withdraw government responsibilities from school education in the state.

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