The merger of council schools in Uttar Pradesh is being carried out in the name of education reform. The opposition considers it a political move against the poor. SP is protesting through 'PDA' Pathshalas.
UP News: Politics has heated up in Uttar Pradesh recently regarding the merger of council schools. SP, BSP, and other opposition parties have termed this decision a conspiracy to distance poor and backward-class children from education. On the other hand, the Yogi Adityanath government is calling it a part of improving the education system. Meanwhile, SP has adopted a special strategy by starting special Pathshalas for the support of the 'PDA' i.e., backward, Dalit, and minority communities.
Why Politics on School Merger?
The issue of education has always been a part of electoral discussions in Uttar Pradesh. Approximately 1.92 crore students study in about 1.32 lakh schools in the state. There are about 4.34 lakh teachers, 1.4 lakh Shiksha Mitras (para-teachers), and 25 thousand instructors. According to the norms, there should be one teacher for every 30 to 35 students in primary schools. However, more than 59 thousand posts of teachers are still vacant.
The government has recently decided that schools with less than 50 students will be merged. It has also been said that schools located more than one kilometer apart will not be merged. The government says that this will lead to better utilization of resources and improvement in the quality of education. But the opposition considers this decision a step towards limiting access to education for poor and backward-class children.
SP's 'PDA' Pathshalas and Opposition
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has described this school merger decision as against the 'PDA' i.e., backward, Dalit, and minority classes. He has made it a part of the election strategy and has started 'PDA' Pathshalas in rural areas. In these Pathshalas, while imparting basic literacy to the children, the names of SP leaders are being taught like 'A' for Akhilesh, 'D' for Dimple, and 'M' for Mulayam. The aim is to strengthen support for SP in the PDA community.
Through this strategy, SP is trying to gain electoral benefits in the upcoming assembly and panchayat elections. SP believes that the merger of schools will reduce access to education in villages, which will affect poor and backward-class children.
Yogi Government's Reaction
The BJP government led by Yogi Adityanath, understanding this strategy of SP, has given a b response. The government has presented the merger decision as an improvement to the education system and has clarified the rationale behind it several times. Chief Minister Yogi has clearly said that this step was necessary to improve the quality of education and for better utilization of resources. He has also sharply attacked the 'PDA' Pathshalas.
Subhaspa chief and Panchayati Raj Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar said that for SP, 'A' means 'Anarchy', 'B' means 'Corruption', 'C' means 'Thief', and 'D' means 'Brokerage'. He accused the SP government of constantly doing caste-based politics and not doing any work in the name of development.
Current Situation and Challenges of Education
The education sector in Uttar Pradesh is constantly facing challenges. The teacher-student ratio is not correct and teacher posts are vacant in government schools. Despite this, the government says that the merger of schools will lead to better management of educational resources. The government also claims that the operation of Bal Vatika (pre-schools) will continue in the schools being closed so that the education of young children is not disrupted. However, the opposition is calling it a step towards reducing access to education.
