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Kodandaram cries foul as budgetary allocation for education sector reduces
Speaking at a seminar on “TS Education system – issues and prospects,” JAC chairman, Prof Kodandaram said that the reduction in the annual budgetary allocation to education would decrease the education quality in government institutions.
Addressing a seminar on “TS Education system – issues and prospects,” organised by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Wednesday, Chairman Prof Kodandaram lamented the reduction in the annual budgetary allocation saying that a decrease in the budget to the education sector would lead to fall in education quality in government institutions.
The professor pointed out that the annual budgetary allocation to the education was reduced to 8.5% this year compared to 13 & 17% during the tenure of the previous governments.
“Budgetary support is the key to strengthen the sector and reducing it will impact the kinds of facilities being provided to the students that will subsequently affect the whole education system and development of the State,” he said.
The JAC advocated the implementation of the recommendations of the Kothari Education Commission, 1964. Prof Kodandaram holds the view that privatisation of education was destroying the education system in the State and hence stressed the need for framing a policy to stop privatisation. He also expressed doubts regarding the online seat allotment system which is gaining popularity in many educational institutions while stressing the need for transparency in government practices.
Prof Haragopal pointed out that decreased budgetary allocations would deprive the degree students who were banking on a free mid-day meal from this academic year. He blamed insufficient flow of money into the education system for destroying the government educational institutes and their subsequent closure.
He also found fault with the recruitment of vice chancellors for the universities through the Public Service Commission. Eminent intellectuals and policymakers were in attendance at the seminar. Renowned academician Prof Rama Melkote, Prof Chakradhar and Prof Laxmi Narayan along with representatives from the school, degree, engineering, medical and polytechnic institute associations, were present.
A variety of topics were covered by the speakers including need for free KG to PG education, reasons behind the poor functioning of the government schools and the solution to the problem, impact on the educational objectives due to lack of staff and infrastructure, privatisation of education, need for English medium instruction schools, need for improving pedagogy skills in teachers, and scope of improvement in educational system by linking Anganwadis to the school education department for providing pre-primary teaching etc.