Mangalore, July 17: Even though the bundh of unaided schools entered a second day on Tuesday in different parts of the state, the call given by Karnataka Unaided School Management Association (Kusma) failed to evoke any response in twin coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.
The Kusma had declared that it would shut down schools from July 16 to 22 protesting against the confusion in the Right to Education Act.
However, Deputy Director Public Instruction (DDPI) Moses Jayashekar said that all the schools in Dakshina Kannada district functioned on Monday.
The Associations of unaided and private schools in Dakshina Kannada district also have not responded to the protest call given by Kusma on Right to Education Act rules.
Dakshina Kannada and Udupi District English Medium Schools Association President Mohammad Beary, said that his also association is not supporting the Kusma.
“We welcomed the RTE Act and our protest will amount to contempt of court. The RTE Act has reserved 25 per cent seats for children from backward classes and weaker section of the society in private schools. Most of the minority status schools give preference to minority students during the admission process. At the same time, the government reimburses the fee of the students enrolled in private schools. In such a situation what is the point in making hue and cry over the Act.”
“We are only opposed to the income limit of 3.5 lakh. The income limits is that of upper middle class. The RTE Act speaks of 25 per cent reservation for poor and backward classes. What is the point for having such an income limit?” he asked.
“Closing down the schools is not an answer. Closure of schools will be a burden on the teachers, to cover the syllabus within a stipulated time.”
Dakshina Kannada and Udupi District English Medium Schools Association General Secretary and Karnataka State Private Schools Management Association Director Ravindra Shetty said “the income limit should be reduced to Rs one lakh. We are neither supporting nor opposing the call for the closure of schools. As many as 405 schools in DK and Udupi are registered with the Association.”
Dakshina Kannada District Unaided Schools Association president K M K Manjanady said the Association has not supported the protest call of KUSMA. All the schools coming under the Association functioned as usual.
In Udupi district too almost all the schools remained open. DDPI Nagendra Madhyastha said that the department has no information about any school being closed down owing to the protest call by Karnataka Unaided School Managements Association.
Udupi District Education Officer Ashok Kamath said that the functioning of unaided schools is not affected by the protest call.
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