Ansari expresses concern over poor State funding for education

Vice President inaugurates Phase-IV of Vidyadhanam project for students.

Vice President Hamid Ansari presenting the educational award instituted by Prof. K.V. Thomas Vidyadhanam Trust in Kochi on Wednesday. Governor P. Sathasivam and Forest Minister K. Raju are present. Photo: H. Vibhu

Vice President Hamid Ansari has expressed concern over the decline in State funding in key social sector programmes, including education.

Inaugurating the fourth phase of the Vidyadhanam project, piloted by Prof. K.V. Thomas Vidyadhanam Trust, here on Wednesday, Dr. Ansari said: “The money allocated for key Centrally-sponsored social schemes — Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, and National Health Mission — had declined by around 8 per cent, 6 per cent and 3 per cent respectively over the last two years.”

Besides enhancing government investments in education, the funding levels of other social welfare schemes, especially those operating in the rural sector, need to be maintained to ensure that the falling income of parents does not impact the educational prospects of children, he said.

Mr. Ansari pointed out that public services like school education are the key to nurturing participatory growth. “Financing of education in India remains inadequate. The total public expenditure for education, at less than 3.5 per cent of the GDP, is currently well below the 6 per cent commitment made in various national policies,” he said.

Lauding the achievements of Kerala, Mr. Ansari said the spread of education in the State had led to the enhancement of individual freedom and capacity to assert one’s rights for better health care. It has also created a better climate for gender equality, besides leading to faster reduction in poverty, he said.

The Vice President added that the achievements of Kerala in education and other socio-economic fronts were deeply rooted in the State’s intellectual history that unleashed progressive forces against backwardness. “The contribution of Sree Narayana Guru, Nair Service Society, Muslim Educational Society and the Church to the expansion of educational facilities in the State also helped in inculcating and sustaining the spread of education as a social movement,” he said.

Governor P. Sathasivam, K.V. Thomas, MP, Forest Minister K. Raju, S. Sarma, MLA, Mayor Soumini Jain, State Bank of India Chief General Manager S. Venkataraman, and BPCL Executive Director Prasad K. Panicker were present.

Under the Vidyadhanam project, Rs.2,500 each is deposited in the bank accounts of 948 students of government and aided schools who score A Plus in SSLC and Plus Two courses in the Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency.