Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader Thol. Thirumavalavan joined hands with the Progressive Students Federation on Wednesday at Valluvar Kottam to protest the draft new education policy (NEP) released by the Union Human Resource Development Ministry. The VCK leader said, “They want to create one country, one language and one education policy. It will be against the interests of the people.”
Mr. Thirumavalavan accused the BJP government of making an attempt to nullify ‘reservations’ by privatising education. “The proposed new educational policy tries to ‘saffronise and privatise’ education,” he said.
Stating that his party is not agitating against the policy because it was proposed by the Modi government, he said that such a policy impinges on the rights of States to design their own policy. “The States must have the right to plan the education policy. Such a policy that privileges corporates will only make sure that education is out of reach for poor people. The government must guarantee education to its people. It is the government’s duty,” he said.
Education activist Prince Gajendrababu said the policy asks an 11-year-old child to choose whether he/she wants to pursue science/mathematics or acquire skills for work. “A child is too young to decide at that age. It also effectively puts a full stop to a child’s ambition as he/she cannot pursue science/mathematics at a later stage,” he said.
