Leaders of student organizations affiliated to the Left parties on Tuesday staged protests at various places as part of the statewide bandh against the policies being implemented in the education sector by the state government and gave arrests.
The student leaders demanded immediate steps to repeal certain components of the National Education Policy (NEP), arguing that they are detrimental to the interests of students and teachers.
State Secretary of Student Federation of India A. Ashok, State President of Progressive Democratic Student Union A. Ravichandra and others led the protest at the BSRK Municipal Corporation School. He was arrested and transferred to Machavaram police station.
He said that even after 40 days of opening of the school, all the children have not got the text books. Stating that the falling educational standards under the YSRCP rule is a serious cause for concern, he said the proposed merger of classes III to V in primary schools with high schools and implementation of GOs 84, 85, 117 and 128 would result in huge losses. for the interests of teachers and students.
They also wanted the government to increase the mess fee and cosmetic allowance for college students living in hostels and immediately release funds under schemes such as Jaganna Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena.
He alleged that the purpose of the Amma Vodi scheme was defeated as the government provided financial assistance of ₹13,000 per year to children in corporate schools, who could pay an annual fee of ₹3 lakh.
The student leaders demanded effective measures to prevent gross violation of rule book by private and corporate educational institutions and immediate steps to fill up large number of vacant teacher posts in government schools.
He said that the state government should drop the policies that were being introduced as part of reforms in the education sector and focus on concrete measures that can contribute to the healthy development of school education.