Activists and educationists on Thursday said they were against further deepening of the current multi-layered schooling system in the country.
Under this system, there are schools catering to various sections of society. The Union HRD ministry has proposed the setting up of model schools under this system, through public-private partnership (PPP) models.
However, activists and educationists at a meeting on Thursday said this system needed to be done away with and called for a State-funded common schooling system and proper implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
The meeting was organised by the Human Rights Advocacy and Research Foundation (HRF) and RTE Forum Tamil Nadu.
V. Vasanthi Devi, former vice-chancellor, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University said universal education was achievable only through a common schooling system and that the PPP model would eventually lead to the model schools going into private hands.
Ossie Fernandes, director, HRF, said they had passed resolutions demanding that the PPP model be abolished, the Supreme Court verdict on exemption of minority institutions from some provisions of the RTE be reviewed by a full bench of the SC, the RTE Act be strictly implemented in unaided schools and schools be monitored by an independent body.
and conversion of government schools into English-medium ones in the State be stopped.
“A common statement will be signed by the delegates and handed over to the State and Central government in a few days,” he said.
Educationist S.S. Rajagopal, Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary, State Platform for Common School System, Prof. Arunan, honorary president, Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association and S. Arumainathan, State president, TN Federation of Students’ Parents Welfare Association were among those who participated in the consultation.
