: Asserting that a fraction of minority educational institutions were prioritising profit making over service, P.J. Kurien, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, said that their focus should instead be on building model institutions that provide secular and value-based education.
Speaking at the valedictory function of the golden jubilee celebrations of All India Association for Christian Higher Education (AIACHE) here on Tuesday, Mr. Kurien said that the minority status and associated privileges accorded to institutions should not be used by them as a tool to maximise profits.
“I am not blaming all the institutions. Many are doing exemplary work.
“However, a fraction of them, including Christian institutions, have turned from a service-oriented approach to commercial approach,” he said.
He said that the majority Christian institutions had a moral right to fight against this trend as they were the pioneers in providing quality and inclusive education to all sections of the society.
Justice (Retd) P. Sathasivam, Governor of Kerala, the chief guest of the function, lauded the Christian minority institutions for their endeavour to provide education to varied sections of the society, including Dalits and other oppressed sections.
“It was the spread of institutions run by the Christian missionaries that provided opportunities for more people to get themselves educated. For many sections of the society, it was this education that liberated them from evils like untouchability,” the Governor said.
