Centre rapped over education policy

Bhubaneswar: All India University Employees' Confederation (AIUEC) on Monday accused the Union Government of trying to reorient education policy which, it claimed, would kill public-funded education and encourage private sector to take over.

"AIUEC condemns the move by the Union Government. It is hell-bent on reorienting education policy which is meant to cause slow-death of public-funded education and instead encouraging and facilitating private sector to take over education in India," AIUEC said.

The AIUEC is opposed to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for the establishment of a Mega Trade Agreement on services, including educational services,

under the General Agreement in Trade in Services (GATS), said Bhabani Hota, President of AIUEC and former MP. If brought under the WTO/GATS mandate,

education in general and higher education in particular would be a tradable service only and no longer a "public good", he said.