SCHOOL ON THE STREET PROTEST

SCHOOL ON THE STREET PROTEST

4-OCT-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA----------------------CPI(ML), AISA, and RYA announced a movement against the dilapidated state of the Indira A. Primary School in Srinagar—located in the Ara Mufassil police station area—during a press conference held at the CPI(ML) district office in Shritola, Ara.

Addressing the press conference, CPI(ML) Central Committee member Raju Yadav stated that the wretched condition of government schools reflects not merely the negligence of the Education Department but also exposes the government's actual priorities regarding the education system. The Srinagar school issue concerns the future of the children; the school's roof collapsed, and while it is fortunate that no major tragedy occurred—with only a cook sustaining a leg injury—the district administration has yet to take any initiative. This situation cannot be left to administrative apathy. On one hand, the government makes grand claims about educational reform, while on the other, schools in rural areas are deprived of basic amenities. He emphasized that it is the government's responsibility to ensure fundamental facilities such as proper buildings, teachers, toilets, drinking water, and a safe environment in schools. By holding a ‘School on the Street’ protest on October 5th, a message will be sent to the government and administration that the issue of education for poor and rural children can no longer be ignored.

AISA District President Vikas Kumar stated that the condition of the Indira A. Primary School in Srinagar reveals the true state of the government education system. The government must stop playing politics with statistics and announcements and instead address the dilapidated condition of schools. He added that AISA would continue to raise fundamental issues regarding education under the ‘Fix Schools – Improve Education’ campaign. He further noted that Sanjay Tiger, the MLA from Ara and Bihar’s Higher Education Minister, would also have to answer for this situation. The ‘School on the Street’ program scheduled for October 5th is a crucial part of this ongoing struggle.

Shivprakash Ranjan, a CPI(ML) State Committee member and former MLA from Agiaon, stated that children have a right to better and safer education; however, the lack of essential facilities at the Srinagar school is a matter of serious concern. He urged the administration to resolve the school's issues immediately, warning that the agitation would otherwise be expanded.

AISA District Secretary Jaishankar Prasad remarked that the 'Right to Education' would only be meaningful if children from rural and impoverished backgrounds also have access to an environment offering quality and dignified education. Students and youth will unite to raise their voices against the dilapidated state of the Srinagar school. He added that the ‘School on the Street’ event on October 5th aims to expose the ground reality of the education system to the government. If the government fails to act in time, the movement will be extended from the panchayat level to the district level.

RYA District President Vishal Kumar noted that while voices have been raised locally regarding the school's problems for a long time, responsible officials have failed to take any serious initiative. He described the October 5th program as a campaign to build public pressure concerning children's education and basic school infrastructure. He called upon the government and administration to take immediate cognizance of the situation and resolve the school's issues.

RYA District Secretary Niranjan Kesari stated that the education system has completely failed under the Samrat Chaudhary-led government; the school was built only four or five years ago, yet its roof is already collapsing. He pointed out that thousands of government schools are shutting down under this administration, even as the government puts up a charade of providing better education.

Several individuals attended the press conference, including CPI(ML) State Committee members Vijay Ojha, Qyamuddin Ansari, and Sangeeta Singh; AISA leaders Roshan Kushwaha, Neetu Kumari, Varsha Kumari, Akhilesh Gupta, Sahil Arora, Dhanoj Yadav, Shivakant Kumar, and Govinda Kumar; among others.