Close to 5000 students mobilised along with their respective faculties in Chepauk at Chennai to condemn the new draft education policy by Ministry of Human Resources Development.
The students from various colleges and schools across Tamil Nadu gathered under one spirit to oppose MHRD draft education policy and demanded the withdrawal of anti-people initiatives being proposed by the ministry. They claimed that the new education policy shall only communalise, commercialise and centralise education.
Ashish, a student who participated in the protest said,''the draft policy completely negates education to the backward community.They trying to bring caste based discrimination within the education policy. So we are here to oppose these facts'
Protesters allege that certain clause in the draft education policy are extremely derogatory and has to be immediately removed. Prince Gajendra Babu, an educationist explained that the draft policy states,'' historically disadvantaged and economically backward and first generation learners exhibit lower learning outcome. This is mentioned in Chapter 2 of 'Challenges in education sector'. The draft policy states that children above 15 shall be treated as adults''.
He stressed that the atrocious part is that the draft policy carries clause which state that 'working children' can attend open schools and there is no need for a formal school education which would indirectly encourage child labor against UN convention of child rights.
Thirumavalavan, leader of pro - dalit party, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal said,''this policy is totally against the downtrodden people and to the rural people. The government is only trying to implement 'manu' code through this draft educational policy. The government should constitute a committee of educationists from all over the nation or else this will be only against the people's interest. RSS has an hidden agenda which they are trying to implement''.
The draft policy, allegedly state that no more funds shall be allocated for establishing new higher educational institutions and existing educational institutions can increase their seating capacity by mobilizing funds which would also indirectly mean that students will have to pay tauntingly high tuition fee.
Protesters have decided to create a detailed response explaining the reason for demanding the withdrawal of the Policy Initiatives and presenting it to both the State government and the Center.