Page 18 - EW August 2021

Education News

children. that “the situation in the state of West
“The number of children who have Bengal is a manifestation of ruler,
dropped out of the school system in instead of rule of law,” Banerjee has
Karnataka is massive — much more dismissed the commission’s report as
than official figures. The correct fig- biased and exaggerated. She blames
ure can be ascertained only if a door- cadres of the CPM (Communist Party
to-door survey is conducted. The of India-Marxist) which ruled West
only way to stem this rising drop-out Bengal uninterruptedly for 34 years
tide is to reopen schools — especially (1977-2011), for establishing a tradi-
primaries — immediately. For under- tion of violence after every election.
privileged children, schools — espe- Be that as it may, buoyed by the
cially government schools — are the massive mandate awarded to TMC
safest places during the pandemic. by the West Bengal electorate despite
Already too much damage has been the BJP having repeatedly deployed
caused to children’s education by the its election-winning heavyweights —
world’s longest schools lockdown. prime minister Narendra Modi and
The government needs to reopen Union home minister Amit Shah — to
schools right now,” says Dr. V.P. campaign rallies in the state, Banerjee
Niranjanaradhya, senior fellow has set about implementing the TMC’s
and programme head, Universalisa- poll promises.
tion of Equitable Quality Education These include duare ration, to
Programme at the National Law deliver food rations to people’s door-
School of India University, Benga- steps; lokkhir bhandar, which pro- stand guarantee. Henceforth, students
luru. vides Rs.6,000 per year as support need not run from pillar to post for
The urgency that informed aca- payment to SC/ST households; and education loans. I hope this loan will
demics exhibit to restart on-campus duare tran, as relief payments to vic- help students fulfil their dreams,” Ba-
schooling is not shared by politi- tims of cyclone Yaas which hit West nerjee told reporters at a virtual press
cians and bureaucrats. According to Bengal in May. Moreover, post-elec- conference.
informed sources in the education tion surveys indicate that the TMC 3.0 Under the students’ credit card
ministry, Karnataka’s schools are government’s initiatives in education scheme, the loan amount can be uti-
unlikely to be allowed to reopen — especially a May 10 announcement lised for undergraduate, postgraduate,
anytime soon for fear of an imminent to establish English-medium schools doctoral and post-doctoral study in
third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. in 341 admin blocks statewide, and India or abroad. It can also be availed
Reshma Ravishanker (Bengaluru) a June 21 announcement to appoint for paying the fees of tutorial insti-
32,000 teachers in upper primary and tutes preparing students for competi-
WEST BENGAL primary schools by March next year — tive exams, hostel fees, books, study
Brisk start have resonated with the electorate. On material, computers and laptops with
loanees given a 15 years’ time window
June 26, Banerjee announced estab-
lishment of six new medical colleges in to repay the loan at a subsidised in-
otwithstanding a large shadow Hooghly, Howrah, North 24 parganas, terest rate of 4 percent with the state
cast by the National Human East Midnapore, Jahjargram and Jal- government paying the remaining
NRights Commission (NHRC) paiguri districts, subject to clearance interest to banks directly. According
which after probing incidents of post- by the National Medical Commission to government sources, annual ex-
poll violence following re-election for (NMC). penditure for the scheme is budgeted
a third term of the ruling Trinamool Moreover on June 30, Banerjee at Rs.5,000 crore. A senior official of
Congress (TMC) in May, has recom- announced the launch of India’s first the state government’s finance minis-
mended a Central Bureau of Investiga- credit card for students with an upper try reveals that 26,600 applications
tion (CBI) probe to the Calcutta high limit of Rs.10 lakh to fulfil one of her for the credit card including 9,700
court, chief minister Mamata Baner- key pre-election promises. The card from women students were received
jee remains unfazed. Even though the empowers any student — from class by July 13.
seven-member NHRC, constituted fol- X to up to 40 years of age — who has Political pundits in West Bengal
lowing a high court order of June 18, lived in Bengal for ten years, to get believe that after her decisive three-
has slammed the newly-elected TMC a loan for higher studies in India or in-a-row victory in this summer’s as-
government for sounding “a death abroad. “No guarantor is needed for sembly election, Banerjee is all set to
knell” for democracy and remarked this loan. The state government will play a major role in national politics.

18 EDUCATIONWORLD AUGUST 2021