Sruthis death: Reds want private schools to go

Why should a six-year-old child travel many kilometers by bus to reach her school? Are there no schools in the vicinity? Against the background of the tragic death of Sruthi near Tambaram last week, these are among the pointed queries raised by the Revolutionary Students Youth Front (RYSF).

An ultra left outfit, RYSF, is campaigning for neighbourhood school system and nationalisation of private educational institutions and the organisation has intensified its drive in the wake the death of the child.

While trying to answer the relevant question of the need for a child to commute long distance to school, the RSYF, through posters, handbills and write-ups argues that it is the attitude of the government which is pushing the parents to the ‘profiteering jaws’ of private schools.

“If the government can run four liqour stores in a street, why it cannot run four schools? In many State-run schools the infrastructure is so lacking, pushing parents to private schools,” says a propaganda material.

Arguing that profiteering elements have occupied all service sectors including school and higher education, RSYF says that it is happening with the ‘blessings’ of Central and State governments in the guise of policy. “What is the solution to the vexed issue,” asks a handbill circulated among passengers of a suburban train.

“Only by capturing power from the ground level through the Naxalbari route and by setting up a new democratic government could we hope to do away with privatisatIon of education which is a part of the re-colonisation ideology. To help achieve this, join forces with RSYF,” the handbill pleads with the people.

Recently, the RYSF staged a protest in front of the Directorate of Public Instruction in Nungambakkam when they were not allowed to meet top education officials to give a memorandum seeking free and compulsory education by nationalising the private schools and colleges.