Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (PS/CN)
 
Mangalore, Aug 27: "Karnataka is one of the states which has failed to implement the Right to Education Act which was enacted in April 2009 with the objective of providing free and compulsory education to every child in society. Moreover, there is need for collective opposition to the cancellation of 25 percent reservation for poor students in private schools," opined Philip Mathew, director, South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM).
 
He was speaking at the awareness programme organized at SDM College hall on Friday August 26.

"Already 60 petitions are pending in the Supreme Court urging cancellation of such reservation. This is against the interest of society and children of poor people will be cheated of an education," Mathew said and called for a people’s movement to create awareness on the issue.
 
"In a few ‘prestigious’ educational institutions only academically brilliant students are given admission which is again violation of the Right to Education Act. All these issues will be brought to the notice of the government," he said.
 
In the debate session held with the audience, the parents grabbed attention by raising issues like punishment for acquiring less marks, upper floor class rooms allotted to LKG and UKG students, and a preference for English medium education among others.
 
Responding to the issues, Mathew said that complaints about these should be lodged with the local DDPI. During the discussion, people said that there is a need for the government to consider employing expert English teachers in government schools. Also, the government should not use school teachers for other government activities.
 
Human rights activist R Manohar was present.