Tirupati: Student organisations flay government's education policies

Tirupati: Several educational institutions remained closed on Tuesday following the bandh call given by students' organisations affiliated to Left parties.

The leaders of SFI, AISF and PDSO held protests at Balaji Colony circle and SV University administrative building in which students from several schools, colleges and universities took part. Speaking on the occasion, district secretaries of SFI, AISF and PDSO N Madhav, Bandi Chapalathi and R Asha respectively said that with the merger of classes 3, 4 and 5 in the nearby high schools, several students were forced to discontinue their studies mid-way.

This will lead to complete closure of primary schools in villages and the dropout rate will further go up. The government's decisions have become detrimental to the interests of poor students. Though the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has announced that Rs 15,000 under Amma Vodi will be given to all students, after coming to power it was being given to only one child in a family.

While there are 84 lakh children eligible for the scheme, citing various reasons, the government has made only 44.48 lakh children eligible. They also demanded to bring down the prices of student bus passes which were increased.

They also pressed for DSC notification to fill 25,000 vacant teacher posts in the state. Common PG entrance examinations are to be cancelled as they have been questioning the autonomy of universities. The textbooks, notebooks and uniform dresses are to be supplied to all students in government schools.

They also said that the agreement with Byju's has to be cancelled and the government itself should provide tabs free of cost to the students. SFI district president Akbar, AISF district president Uday, Ravi, Prasanna, Chinna, Sundar, Sirisha and Muni Lakshmi were also present.