RANCHI: Former Congress chief and Jharkhand finance minister Rameshwar Oraon has sparked controversy with a remark in which he said private schools have contributed more in the field of education than government schools.
The All India Primary Teacher’s Association has demanded Oraon’s resignation over such an irresponsible and one-sided statement. The primary school teacher’s body also announced that they will come to school wearing black badges on their arms on Tuesday in protest of the statement.
Oraon, while speaking at the function in Ranchi on Saturday had said that teachers of government schools do not pay attention to teaching students and are better indulged in other activities such as Thekedari (working as contractors). “I believe that contribution of private schools in the field of education in this country has been more than that of government schools and it appears that it will remain the same in future as well,” said Oraon on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the state BJP unit has asked JMM to clear its stand on the remark of the finance minister. Targeting the government, state BJP president Deepak Prakash said that a senior minister making such remarks makes it clear that the government is running away from its responsibility. “The government's task is to bring improvement in the education system, but it appears that the JMM-Congress government is running away from its responsibility by leveling such allegations,” he said.
Education is a state subject and it is the responsibility of the state government to fill vacant posts of teachers and provide the necessary infrastructure to schools and ensure quality education, he added.
The BJP leader further said that Oraon on the one hand was adamant of relaxing rules to release grants for Urdu schools while on the other hand is cursing teachers of the government schools.
The president of All Jharkhand Primary Teachers Association, Vijendra Choubey announced that the teachers of primary and middle schools of the state will put black badge on September 14 protesting the irresponsible remark. “Oraon should immediately be sacked from the post of minister as he has spoken against his own system,” said Chaoubey. President of Jharkhand Parents Association, Ajay Rai, also criticized the statement asking Oraon to stop salaries of the teachers and utilize the fund to ensure that every child goes to private schools for education.