Udupi: ZP Newly-Elected President Mamata Shetty Alleges RTE Likely to Close Down Kannada Medium Scho
By Snehalatha, Udupi
Bellevision Media network
Udupi, 17 Feb 2013: Right to Education (RTE) Act has the implication of closing Kannada medium school, alleged ZP newly-elected vice president Mamata Shetty.
Mamata raised her concern over the issue during ZP general body meeting held here on Saturday February 16 in the presence of MLA Raghupati Bhat. She explained her view effectively citing a few instances.
RTE has been extended to English medium schools from Class I to LKG, while nursery is not allowed in Kannada medium schools. The poor students in rural villages’ are dependant on Kannada medium schools. If these students were forced to join private English medium schools; the Kannada medium schools had to be closed, said Mamata. She also urged ZP to write a letter to state government opposing the shutting down of Kannada medium schools owing to RTE.
MLA Raghupati said that RTE aims at improving quality of education in private English medium schools. A few landlords who own 10 – 20 acres of disused farmlands able to get BPL cards, and their children get free education under RTE, while in reality the daily wage earner was issued with APL card instead of rightful BPL card, thereby deprived of free education. His children are studying in Kannada medium schools.
Despite the revelation by MLA Raghupati Bhat no one supported him.