Opposing the government’s decision to entrust the supervision of the Deputy Directors of Pre-University Education (DDPUs) to the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of zilla panchayats at the district level and to press for other demands, government PU college principals, lecturers, and non-teaching staff staged a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Friday.
Thousands of government PU college principals and lecturers across the State also boycotted classes and participated in the protest.
In his inaugural speech, retired Supreme Court judge V. Gopala Gowda said, “Amalgamation of departments through circulars is illegal. The government should take the democratic struggles, including the struggles of the intellectual community seriously.” He urged the government to withdraw the circular on entrusting supervision.
Writer Banjagere Jayaprakash said, “Since the Siddaramaiah-led government has already formed a committee to formulate a State Education Policy (SEP), officials of the department should stop implementing the elements that were part of the National Education Policy and act according to the policies of the current government.”
“It is an unscientific and illogical decision to conduct three annual examinations for PU students. The government has not consulted any stakeholders before implementing it. The government should constitute an ‘Education Council’ comprising representatives of teachers’ organisations, academicians, intellectuals, and parent organisations,” demanded Ninge Gowda A.H., president of the Karnataka State Pre-University Colleges Lecturers’ Association.
