Government to blame for High School drop-outs

The Lok Satta Party said today that the number of school dropouts in Andhra Pradesh has gone up because of Government’s attempts to withdraw from the field and encourage the private sector.

“The Government is guilty of criminal negligence”, charged Lok Satta Party’s Organizational Affairs Convener B. Ramamohana Rao and Working Committee member Laxman Balaji referring to the increase in the percentage of dropouts from 5.42 to 6.88. Pointing out that education played a key role in eradicating poverty and discrimination based on caste and religion, they demanded that education be made the center point of politics.

The Lok Satta leaders recalled that the Government had been engaged in shutting down schools in the public sector and encouraged private schools and turned education into a lucrative business proposition. Even common and middle class people are forced to send their children to private schools as the state of affairs in Government schools is miserable. Accentuating the problem, the Government was watered down the midday meal scheme which acted as a magnate for children from poor and downtrodden classes. The Comptroller and Auditor General pointed out that Andhra Pradesh failed to utilize the funds allocated for the scheme.

The Lok Satta leaders wanted the Government to ensure classes took place in one campus and the midday meal scheme is effectively implemented.