KOCHI: Members of the Cusat Teachers Organisation (CUSATTO) on Sunday flayed the state government’s policy of encouraging private and foreign universities in Kerala by slowly stopping the funding for infrastructure developments in state universities, and also decried alleged attempts to single out teachers for the November 25 stampede at the varsity that left four dead.
The members, who were in Kochi for the CUSATTO annual conference, said the government’s move to allow foreign and private universities showed it was gradually withdrawing from public education.
“This is evident in the way in which the government is showing reluctance in providing teachers the benefits they deserve, and not granting timely scholarships-fellowships to students,” said CUSATTO general secretary Harigovind at the event.
Cusat senate member and Congress MLA Roji M John said the government’s attitude of looking down on the migration of students abroad and ignoring universities that were the centres of higher education in public education sector would have serious consequences. The members also decried attempts to hold only the teachers responsible for the stampede that took place at the Cusat open auditorium ahead of a musical concert organised as part of the Dhishna 2023 Tech Fest.