New policy aimed at handing over education to corporate sector, say students, teachers

Patiala, February 14

Students of Punjabi University, along with members of schoolteacher unions, have raised concerns over the New Education Policy (NEP). They said the policy was aimed at handing over education in the hands of corporate sector. They formed the Patiala Chapter of ‘Kul Hind Sikhya Adhikar Manch’ and said they would hold protests against the NEP on February 21— the International Mother Language Day.

Representatives of the Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF), Government Teachers’ Union, Punjab Radical Students’ Union, Students’ Federation of India, Democratic Students’ Organisation and others gathered at Punjabi University campus and said the Central Government had passed the New Education Policy without consideration of state governments. “The aim of the New Education Policy is to deprive the working class, labourers and farmers in the country of their right to education and handing it over to the corporate sector. The policy is aimed at implementing privatisation and saffronisation in the field of education,” they said.

The leaders said, “The Kul Hind Sikhya Adhikar Manch had organised a convention in Ludhiana to hold protests against the NEP. We decided to hold conventions throughout the state.”