BENGALURU: The Opposition Congress on Friday accused the state government of failing to come up with a clear road map for reopening of schools and helping children, especially government schoolchildren in rural areas, who are finding it difficult to continue education.At a press conference in Bengaluru, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Working President Saleem Ahmed and former Minister and MLA Priyank Kharge said, as per the Public Instruction Department only 62.5 percent of the 80 lakh students in the state have smartphones or laptops and only 53.75 percent have access to the internet. “These students are not unable to get online education but the state government is not making any efforts to help these students,” they said.
Kharge said most of the students in rural areas do not have any facilities for online education and in Vijayapura, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Ballari, Dharwad and other districts, over 13,500 students have discontinued their education and majority of them are girls.
The Congress leaders said as per the Union Human Resources Department report, three out of four schools do not have computers and in 72.74 percent schools, computers are not in working condition. Highlighting the importance of mid-day meals provided to government schoolchildren, the Congress leaders said it had helped to get children to school and also reduce the burden on parents, but now that the schools are closed, many are working as child labourers.
They said due to the pandemic, over 40,000 teachers in private schools are facing the threat of losing their jobs. “Though students are paying full fees, many private schools have decided to cut teachers’ salaries by 35 percent to 50 percent. Nearly two lakh teachers who are not getting their salaries have sought a special package from the government,” they added. They urged the government to take measures to help students and teachers.