School reform guarantees neglect core academic learning: AIDSO

Dharwad: The state govt's recent announcement of eight "guarantees" to transform public education within three years has come under scrutiny, with the All India Democratic Students' Organisation (AIDSO), Dharwad district unit, raising a series of pointed questions.As per the first guarantee, the govt has promised adequate teacher appointments—one teacher per class up to Class 5 and subject teachers from Class 6 onwards. However, AIDSO questioned when the nearly 97,680 new teachers required for 19,536 primary schools will actually be recruited.The second guarantee assures both Kannada and English medium instruction in all schools. The organisation asked whether separate sections and trained English-medium teachers will be available to implement this effectively.Under the third guarantee, transport facilities are promised for students. AIDSO pointed out that many villages still lack proper govt bus connectivity, and questioned how the scheme would be implemented.The fourth guarantee proposes introducing computers from lower classes and AI-based learning from middle school. The organisation criticised this move, saying why digital tools are prioritised when basic literacy itself remains a challenge.The fifth assurance includes appointing specialised teachers for music, arts, and physical education. AIDSO noted that over 4,000 such posts have remained vacant since 2008.The sixth guarantee promises to relieve teachers from non-teaching duties. However, the organisation highlighted the absence of adequate support staff in many schools. The seventh focuses on improving education quality through monitoring committees. AIDSO argued that quality cannot improve without addressing shortages in staff and infrastructure.Finally, the eighth guarantee proposes vocational training from Class 6. The organisation questioned whether this would divert students, particularly from rural backgrounds, away from core academic learning.AIDSO alleged that these guarantees are limited largely to select model schools and accused the govt of neglecting the broader public education system, raising concerns over its commitment to equitable development.