PALAKKAD: Two young elected representatives from Palakkad district, M B Rajesh MP and V T Balram MLA, enrolled their children in government schools and became role models by practising what they preached.
Both the politicians also accompanied their wards to the respective schools and thereby took the sting away from the oft repeated criticism that politicians pay only lip service to improve the public education system while at the same time admit their wards to private English medium schools.
M B Rajesh MP enrolled his younger daughter Priyadatha at the Government Lower Primary School at East Yakkara here in class I. His elder daughter Niranjana has also been enrolled in class VIII at the Government Moyans Higher Secondary School here.
Rajesh said in his Facebook post though he could have admitted his daughters in the Kendriya Vidyalaya under the MP quota he did not do so. Moreover, since there was no Malayalam in Kendriya Vidyalayas, he preferred government schools.
Rajesh said as an MP he had given many recommendation letters to parents to admit their wards in private schools. This year he had received 800 applications for admissions to the Kendriya Vidyalaya in which there was a 10-seat quota for MPs. “Those who did not get admission and were angry with me will forgive me on hearing the news of enrolment of my children in government schools,” he said.
Rajesh said his action stemmed from his belief in the quality of education in government schools and his confidence the efforts of the government to renovate the school with modern amenities will succeed and make a difference.
Rajesh said from his student days he had agitated for the protection of the public education system. He had to face the ire of the police and was jailed. “It was in these circumstances I decided to enrol my children in government schools,” he said.
Rajesh said in the column which required the candidate to mention his caste, he had written nil. V T Balram enrolled his son Adwaith Manav at the Arikaad Government Lower Primary School in the class I.
Balram in his Facebook post said an action plan has been drafted to uplift the standard of education in all the public schools in the Thrithala assembly constituency. The local area development fund of the MLA will be used to improve the standard of education of the primary schools in the constituency. Three schools will be taken up this academic year. The other schools will be taken up in subsequent years, he said.
T V Rajesh sets an example
Kannur: Setting an example, T V Rajesh MLA has admitted his son to an aided school. His son Adhel joined her sister at St Mary’s Lower Primary School, Vilayancode, on Thursday. “I inaugurated a colourful ‘Pravesanolsavam’ by lighting the lamp at Vilayancode St Mary’s Lower Primary School in my village. It was in this school I did my schooling. I am a PTA member now. My daughter is already studying here and her brother has joined her,” Rajesh said. He added that 185 students have enrolled in the first standard in the school this year. “This shows the Pinarayi government’s campaign to protect general education is yielding results,” he said.