Ongole: ‘Withdraw textbooks promoting untrue events as history’

Ongole (Prakasam district) : The speakers at the State-level session on ‘Today’s education- Alternate Method’ held in Ongole on Friday observed that the BJP at the Centre and YSRCP in the State have betrayed education sector. They opined that Kerala model education system, which is said to be providing quality and free education, is inspirational to the nation.

The CPI (M) organised State-level session at Dr BR Ambedkar Bhavan in Ongole, in which PDF MLC KS Lakshmana Rao, former MLC Vithapu Balasubrahmanyam participated as chief guests. CPI(M) leader Kankanala Anjaneyulu presided over.

Speaking at the programme, Lakshmana Rao said that the universities, which should be home for intellectuals, have become party offices under YSRCP rule, and they were neglected by not allocating any funds. But, he said, private institutions deemed to be universities are making their pockets fat as the government lost control of them. He said that the students in the State are at the suffering end, as they are not receiving Vidya Deevena and Vasati Deevena funds in time, and the teaching and non-teaching staff are unavailable in almost all government institutions.

Balasubrahmanyam observed that merger of Classes 3, 4 and 5 into high schools, four-year degrees and reduction in grants to universities as part of the New Education Policy 2020 affected students badly. He stated that schoolteachers are teaching from the textbooks received from the Central government, which are promoting untrue events as history. He said that the decisions of the government have impacted adversely on the admissions in degree and distanced the poor from education. He demanded the establishment of one government degree college in each assembly constituency, at least. CPI(M) State executive committee member Y Venkateswarlu demanded an alternate education system in the State. He said that the Kerala model is the need of the hour, as the State government has closed aided institutions, cancelled fee reimbursement for PG studies, ruined the universities, and encouraged business in education by opening gates to private universities.

Former principal of Mangamma Degree College AV Pullarao, retired Deputy Collector Peraiah and others also spoke on the occasion.

The participants in the meeting passed the resolutions proposed by CPM leader GV Kondareddy. The resolutions include demand for the cancellation of NEP 2020, and the merger of Classes 3, 4 and 5 into the high schools, offering free education to all from KG to PG, protecting the autonomous stature of the universities, sanctioning funds and recruiting staff in the vacancies, introduction of new courses as per the demand, control private and corporate institutions, restart aided institutions, increase mess charges and appoint tutors for the hostel students, cancel GO 77 and offer fees reimbursement to PG courses, and sanction funds immediately for the Andhra Kesari University and construct the required buildings. They also passed a resolution to implement the Kerala model education system in the state and country.