The BJP government of Karnataka had to face backlash over a circular issued by the Department of School Education & Literacy to collect a donation from the parents of each student studying in government schools.
The order dated October 19 allows the school development and monitoring committee (SDMC) to collect a minimum donation of Rs 100 every month from parents to develop the infrastructure of schools and also to address the shortcomings of payments to guest teachers.
According to an education official, although government schools receive donations from donors, this initiative is in line with the ‘My School Our Contributions’ campaign wherein all kinds of people, including parents, should participate in developing the school.
“This is completely a voluntary service and parents who wish to donate can do so to the respective SDMCs. The money goes to the account of the school’s SDMCs which will then be used for development purposes,” said the official.
The order also states a list of primary purposes for which these donations would be used. Some of them include, drinking water facilities, toilet and sanitation, electricity bill, midday meals, honorarium to guest teachers, e-learning centres, libraries, school playgrounds and decorations among others.
“The BJP government has now targeted poor students of government schools. After looting 40% commission from government coffers, they now want to loot from the parents, too,” Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said, demanding withdrawal of the circular.
“Our government gave milk, cooked meals, uniforms, shoes, Vidyasiri & hostel facilities to the students. This BJP government took all these back one by one & now wants to take (parents’) money also,” he said.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party also slammed the BJP government. “Since the treasury has dried up because of the 40% commission racket, the education department has reached the stage of collecting Rs 100 per month from the parents of school children,” AAP Bengaluru president Mohan Dasari said. “The government had earlier issued a circular asking schools to collect donations from donors to buy shoes and socks. With the latest move, it is clear that the government has gone bankrupt due to rampant corruption,” he added.
Academician V P Niranjanaradhya said the circular violated fundamental rights. “The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child talks about the right of the child to education, and with a view to achieving this right progressively and on the basis of equal opportunity, the states shall make primary education compulsory and available free to all,” he said.The Karnataka School Development and Monitoring Committees Coordination Committee meanwhile has written to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai demanding withdrawal of the circular.
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