Convention Against NEP and For a Pro-People Education Policy for Tamil Nadu
A Student-Youth convention was organized by RYA and AISA at Madurai, Tamil Nadu, on 31st March 2023, the day of martyrdom day of Comrade Chandu. The convention was a culmination of a weeklong campaign from 23rd March, the martyrdom day of Comrade Bhagat Singh.
The student – youth convention passed resolutions against the National Education Policy of the Modi led BJP government and called it a policy designed to develop the younger generation as a slaves of the corporates. By creating a vast army of unemployed youth, the government is only attempting to create foot soldiers for its saffron army.
The convention also passed resolutions against imposition of Hindi and against disproportionate support for the development of Sanskrit, a dead language. The latest attempt by Modi government is not just imposition of Hindi on non-Hindi speaking people but the real intention is to impose Sanskrit on all linguistic groups, including the Hindi-speaking people.
The Tamil Nadu government has formed a committee to formulate its own exclusive education policy for the state that appears to be mainly targeting imposition of Hindi by the union government while following the footsteps of the same Modi government on the question of pro-corporate education policies.
The convention demanded that the education policy of the state should provide free education to all, upto higher studies. The convention demanded that the state education policy should be formulated to develop an education system that is scientific, pro-people, equitable and against obscurantism. The education policy should be oriented towards building a vast network of public education system that is affordable to the most downtrodden sections of the society. The convention also demanded a growth that can facilitate higher growth in employment and not a job-less growth.
Comrade Shankar, former president of AISA, called upon students to march to the assembly for a pro-people, scientific and free education system in the state. He also suggested an extensive campaign to enroll the support of progressive academicians and intellectuals for a pro-people education policy in the state against a pro-corporate one.
The convention was presided by Comrade Dhanavel, the General Secretary of RYA of Tamil Nadu and Com. Bala Amudhan, State Convener of AISA. The convention was addressed by Dr. Sivakumar, a senior and struggling leader of the government college teachers’ movement in Tamil Nadu, Professor Murali of ‘Save Tamil Nadu Higher Education Movement’ and Com. Lekha, National Social Media Coordinator of AISA. RYA state president M. Sundarrajan, and CPIML district secretary Mathivanan addressed the gathering along with CPIML state secretary Asaithambi.
