Thaindian News

Kolkata, Sep 5 (IANS) The central government’s proposed reforms in education will lead to the closure of state-run schools, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) said Saturday, demanding a nationwide debate on the proposed changes in the country’s education system.
“Kapil Sibal seems very active after getting the human resource development ministry in this (second United Progressive Alliance-UPA) government. But more than improving the standards of education, his activities are more targeted at privatising and commercialising education,” the CPI-M’s Bengali mouthpiece Ganashakti said in an editorial Saturday.

The daily said education was not “child’s play”.

“Overhauling of the education system cannot be the sole preserve of a minister. Only educationists intrinsically attached to the system can give their expert advice. It is desirable that any change in the system be preceded by a nationwide debate and discussion,” the paper said.

Calling for a consensus before any steps are initiated, the CPI-M said it was not that the central government was trying to pass an education act without any prior thought.

“They are going ahead after much calculation. But more than safeguarding the interests of the students and education, the (central government’s) thoughts are targeted more at benefiting private capital.”

Claiming that the central government has chosen the education sector to open new investment and profit-making avenues for capitalism “which is going through a crisis”, it said if the new measures were implemented then higher education will be out of the reach of the poorer sections of the population.

“The centre’s move to pass a new Act will result in the closure of many government schools and the private educational institutions will fill in the blanks,” the paper said.