A day after the state government stressed on the need for private investment in the education sector, Opposition parties in West Bengal on Monday hit out at the Trinamool Congress-led government and alleged that it was trying to 'propagate privatisation' of educational institutions.
The state government on Saturday published its 'State Education Policy, 2023' where the education department emphasised on increasing private investment in the education sector.
The policy document stated: 'Given the present financial constraints of the government, it is untenable that the new policy can be wholly implemented with support from the government. It is necessary to explore the possibilities of private funding.'
According to the document, private enterprises could support public educational institutions either by way of grants or funding scientific research. 'There are two broad ways in which private funds can supplement public resources in the education sector. First, grants from corporate houses, philanthropic institutions or individuals can enhance the financial capacity of the education sector…,' it stated.
The other types of funding are based on mutual benefits. The most common examples are corporate fundings of scientific research which may lead to technological improvement of the donor in the long run. Apart from funding of scientific research, mutually beneficial projects can be conceived by formulating teaching programmes which may produce human capital directly usable in different industries. Examples can range from hospitality management to computer applications,' the added.
The BJP criticised the policy and stated that the government was trying to 'increase its income'. BJP leader Samik Bhattacharya said, 'This government only aims to increase its income…People have no faith in state-run universities and schools. So, they are going to private institutions. Only the Governor is trying to save those institutions and for this reason, ruling party leaders are attacking him.'
The Students' Federation of India (SFI) state secretary Srijan Bhattacharya said, 'The state education policy is a straight copy of the National Education Policy 2020. The state government is propagating privatisation as much as the central government. The government says it does not have money, then how does it increase the salary of ministers?' The SFI is the student wing of the CPI(M).
The Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, TMC's students' wing, welcomed the move. TMCP state president Trinankur Bhattacharya said, 'If the state government is welcoming private investment for the development of the education sector, then we have no problem with it. But the control of the sector should be with the state government.'
Credit: The Indian Express
