Order to collect ‘donation’ from Karnataka government school students draws flak

According to an education official, although government schools receive donations from donors, this initiative is in line with the ‘My School Our Contributions’ campaign wherein all kinds of people, including parents, should participate in developing the school. “This is completely a voluntary service and parents who wish to donate can do so to the respective SDMCs. The money goes to the account of the school’s SDMCs which will then be used for development purposes,” said the official.

The order also states a list of primary purposes for which these donations would be used. Some of them include, drinking water facilities, toilet and sanitation, electricity bill, midday meals, honorarium to guest teachers, e- learning centres, libraries, school playgrounds and decorations among others.

The Karnataka unit of the All India Democratic Students Organization condemned the government’s order and called for a state wide agitation and demanded the withdrawal of the order. Ajay Kamath, state secretary said, “The state government has very blatantly shirked from its basic responsibility of providing funding for education and has placed the burden of funding on the shoulders of parents. Business of the government of receiving donations in government schools has been authorised through a circular. That is, any fee other than the school fee, no matter how much they ask for, the parents are bound to pay. This decision is shocking and condemnable.”

He added, “Crores of money are paid in the form of direct and indirect taxes every day to the government. Instead of using this, the government is robbing the parents. AIDSO calls upon the students to raise a state-wide struggle against this anti-education move of the government, if the order is not withdrawn.”