Picture used for representational purpose only

TRICHY: Right to education forum, Tamil Nadu has called for an integrated effort to make common school system a non-negotiable part of the manifesto of political parties in the upcoming general election.

Seeking the government to take policy decision on not allowing anymore private schools from 2019-20, the forum also stressed on effective implementation of right to education (RTE) Act.

Speaking at the state-level consultation on protection and prevention of closures of government (public) schools organised in Trichy by right to education forum, Tamil Nadu, development educationist Niranjan Aradhya V P said that the successive governments are keen on privatizing education.

Batting for state funded common school education, he said that funding for school education has significantly reduced by the government and private sector is encouraged.

“Funding to education was hardly a part of the interim budget of the Union government on Friday,” he said.

Ambarish Rai, right to education forum's national convenor, said that there are attempts to dilute RTE Act and added that less than 12% of schools are following RTE norms in the country and establishing school management committees in every private school is a norm under RTE Act, which is not being formed in most of the schools.

Asking the government to introduce a common school system, which is a tool to bring all type of people together, he also sought to include classes up to XII under the RTE Act.

Enrolment of students has come down in the government schools in Tamil Nadu, said K Murthy, state convenor of right to education forum, Tamil Nadu. Citing poor enrolment the state government is planning to close over 1,000 government schools in the name of merger. Teachers working in these schools will compensate for the teachers’ requirement in Kindergarten schools, he said.

