AIDSO submits 50 lakh signatures urging Karnataka government to preserve, strengthen government schools

BENGALURU: The All India Democratic Students Organization (AIDSO) on Thursday concluded its 50-lakh signature campaign at Freedom Park, demanding the preservation of government schools. The signatures collected from across Karnataka were handed over to Primary Education Department Director Anita Nazare, along with a memorandum listing shortages of teachers and infrastructure. The government is favouring private schools and offloading its burden by closing government schools. This is ruining the future of children from poor families, shared A Murigeppa, former V-C of Hampi Kannada University. He stressed that if government schools are closed on the pretext of low enrollment, it will be impossible for the children of ordinary people, who struggle to even afford one meal a day, to attend private schools. The government schools should not be closed, regardless of the number of students. Instead, the governments primary duty should be to resolve the lack of teachers and basic infrastructure that government schools face and thereby increase enrollment, he added. AIDSO Central Council secretary Shibashish Praharaj said governments have been commercialising education since Independence and stressed the need for students to unite against lack of facilities. Anita received the 50 lakh signatures from across the state. A memorandum was also submitted, urging the government to address teacher shortage and the lack of basic infrastructure.