Over 94,000 schools closed down across the country over the past decade: AIDSO State president

Over 94,000 government schools have been closed down across the country in the last decade due to a lack of public infrastructure funding, according to Ashwini K.S., student activist and AIDSO State president. She spoke at a district-level student camp in Dharwad, which was part of the 200th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule.

Ms. Ashwini argued that rural schools are crucial in providing educational support to poor families and protested against the State government's attempt to shut down around 40,000 schools through the KPS Magnet scheme. She emphasized that Jyotiba Phule believed education should be universal and reach everyone, regardless of their social or economic status.

However, the current government's actions contradict this vision, she said. Ms. Ashwini highlighted that despite over 1.4 crore graduates every year, there are only about eight lakh jobs created at various levels, while the private sector generates around ten lakh jobs. She expressed concern that the ruling classes are afraid of the growing number of educated unemployed youth and are trying to curtail higher education.

The AIDSO president called for students to build a fight against injustice and safeguard public education, drawing inspiration from revolutionary figures like Bhagat Singh and Nethaji Subhas Chandra Bose.