Focus on education, infra rather than asking us to meditate: Students org to govt

According to UDISE report, nearly 2,500 schools do not have separate toilets for girl students

NT correspondent

Bengaluru: All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) has said that instead of asking students to meditate in schools, the government should focus on the quality of education and infrastructural development.

The ‘Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2021-22’ report has unraveled many shocking realities of Karnataka’s school system. As per the report, among the 76,450 schools in the state, as many as 1,001 schools, including 943 government, 10 aided, and 48 private schools, do not have separate toilets for girl students.

Among the 75,919 girls’ schools, a total of 1,570 have non-functional toilets and there are no toilets at all in 328 schools. Among 74,925 schools, 2,628 schools don’t have separate toilets for boys and in a total of 3,522 schools, toilets are non-functional. Also, there is no electricity in 714 schools and 220 schools don’t have drinking water facilities. 8,153 schools don’t have hand wash facility.

Around 22,616 schools don’t have ramps for children with special needs. And as many as 12,442 schools did not conduct medical check-ups in the last academic year. AIDSO State Secretary Ajay Kamath, reacting to the report said, “This is the reality of school infrastructure in government, aided and private schools of the State. It is highly condemnable that the government is so oblivious to the pathetic condition of the schools which hold the future of the country in their grasp. The situation of government schools is even worse.”

According to the state government’s data, there is a shortage of 35stateeachers in State government schools, and 4,767 are single-teacher schools. There are 10 such single-teacher schools in Chamarajanagar and 30 in Raichur. Also, 1,60,000 children have moved from private schools to government schools this year.

“When there are so many possibilities and responsibilities before the government to develop and meet the basic requirements, instead of taking any action in this regard, it seems like the government has decided to push forth its agenda by saying that students should meditate for ten minutes to improve concentration, physical and mental health,” added Kamath. AIDSO has demanded that the Gover nment should take active measures to fulfill pressing necessities and stop imposing its agenda.