Skip to main content

More than 5,200 Gujarat schools to be closed down, merged, says govt document

RTE Forum, Gujarat, releasing fact-sheet on education
By A Representative
A Gujarat government document has revealed that it is planning to close down 5,223 schools in the name of school merger. The document, dated July 20, 201 was released by the Right to Education (RTE) Forum, Gujarat. It shows that the worst-affected districts because of this merger are those which are populated by marginalized communities – especially tribals, Dalits and minorities, said RTE Forum’s Gujarat convener Mujahid Nafees.
Thus, the highest number of schools to be “merged” has been identified in Banaskantha district of North Gujarat, 456, followed by the predominantly tribal district of Dahod (381). Other districts where a very high number of schools will be “merged” are Panchmahals (338), Kheda (312), Mahisagar (307), Aravalli (281), Chhotaudepur (253), Anand (239), Sabarkantha (205), and so on.
Calling the policy of “merging” or closing down schools as suggesting “anti-people intention of the government”, Nafees told media that this is happening at a time when, facts show, in the age group 14-17, Gujarat’s 71% girls are enrolled at the secondary and higher secondary level, which is worse than 20 out of 22 major states for which official data have been made available.
Meanwhile, Nafees said, there has been an increase in crimes against children. Thus, in 2012, there were 1,327 cases, which increased to 3,637 in 2016. As against his, the conviction rate in cases was only 12% in 2016, which is much lower than the national average of 31%. Further, he added, in Gujarat, 38.5% of children under 5 years of age are malnourished.
Stating that in a situation, the Right to Education law is failing to be properly implemented in Gujarat, Nafees said, the RTE Forum demands that the state government should insist upon the Government of India to increase the central share 6% of the total GDP on education.
The media conference was organized following a one-day consultation in Ahmedabad to strengthen the education movement in Gujarat for the public education system as part of the Global Week of Action Against Inequality, Nafees said.
Education rights activists from Kutch, Morbi, Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Mehsana, Gandhinagar, Kheda, Panchmahal, Anand, Ahmedabad, Valsad, and Dahod districts participated in the consultation. The discussion centred around the process of social inclusion from the point of view of Dalits, Adivasis, minorities, women and disabled. A fact-sheet on education, prepared by the national RTE Forum, was released on the occasion.
Meanwhile, the RTE Forum, said Nafees, will be launching a campaign for the rights of children in the state and for their social inclusion starting with January 30. 

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING

Kamal Mitra Chenoy, scholar and student activist who never stopped being both

By Harsh Thakor*  Professor Kamal Mitra Chenoy, who taught comparative politics and the Indian Constitution at the School of International Studies (SIS), Jawaharlal Nehru University, died on October 11. He was 75. A political scientist and public intellectual, he was known for his work on international relations, peace and conflict resolution, human rights and democratic values, and for his solidarity with students.
Post a Comment
»

New UPF study strengthens case for statutory controls on junk food advertising

Counterview News   A randomized controlled trial published in the journal Nature Metabolism has found that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) trigger metabolic and neural responses distinct from minimally processed foods—even when the two meals are nutritionally identical. The study provides direct experimental evidence that food processing itself influences health through mechanisms beyond calories and macronutrients alone.
Post a Comment
»

New report reveals deep crisis in RTI's transparency watchdogs as citizens demand accountability

By A Representative    As India marks 21 years of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, a new report by the civil rights to group Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS) has exposed a severe crisis in the functioning of Information Commissions (ICs), the final appellate authorities mandated to safeguard people's fundamental right to information.
Post a Comment
»