Teachers opposing schools management by RDPR

Dharwad: The Dharwad District Teachers' Association has expressed its dissatisfaction with a recent circular issued by the Commissioner of the Education Department, which mandates that many school activities in rural areas will now be supervised by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department (RDPR), excluding student admissions and teacher recruitment.

The circular instructs that school administration in rural areas is to be delegated to the RDPR, and teachers across the state have raised objections regarding certain aspects of this transition. In the 2023-2024 budget, the management of twenty-six programs under the School Education Department has been transferred to the RDPR and decentralized.

Ashoka Sajjana, State President of the Karnataka Government Rural Primary School Teachers' Association, expressed concern over the centralization of these activities at higher administrative levels. He pointed out that School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMCs) already function as constitutional bodies overseeing government schools in the state under the democratic system of parent councils. Additionally, numerous officials and entities are tasked with monitoring and assessing educational activities at various levels.

Sajjana argued that there is no need to transfer these responsibilities to the RDPR department. Instead, he suggested that the Panchayat should take responsibility for physical facilities, such as drinking water, security fencing, electricity, playgrounds, classrooms, and the appointment of guest teachers, to ensure that schools have the necessary infrastructure. However, there is a fear among teachers that political interference may increase as the Rural Development Department gains access to school premises.

In response, teachers have written to several government authorities, including the Legislative Council Chairman, Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Ministers, Legislative Council members, Education Minister, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister, and former Chief Minister Jagdish Shettar. They have requested the government to reconsider this change and maintain the educational independence of schools.

The teachers' union has also called for the withdrawal of this circular, emphasizing that if the government does not address their concerns, they are prepared for an intense struggle to protect the integrity of the educational system.