Educational institutions must be free of caste outfits, says academician at Tirunelveli

SPCSS urges School Education Dept. to create avenues for students to learn social justice & equality in friendly environment. Caste outfits should be treated like drugs, prohibited on campuses. Govt. should frame rules, teachers & parents should support. Private schools should shape children as responsible citizens. Seminar in Tirunelveli discussed topics, participants took pledge & resolutions adopted.

Keeping in mind the need to protect students from caste and communal outfits existing on campuses, the School Education Department should find avenues that help students learn the nuances of social justice and equality in a friendly environment, according to State Platform for Common School System (SPCSS) general secretary Prince Gajendra Babu.

Speaking at a day-long seminar organised by SPCSS in Tirunelveli on Sunday, he said like drugs, which were kept away and prohibited on campuses, caste outfits should also be given similar treatment. In order to achieve the goal, the government should frame rules, which shall be implemented by teachers with the support of parents and other stakeholders.

He suggested that some caste outfit leaders used children to achieve their goals and hidden agenda. This should not be permitted at any cost.

When many parents were under the impression that their wards went to school and studied, it was not so in reality. The recent happenings on school campuses in southern districts, especially in Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, Kanniyakumari and Virudhunagar, had shocked parents, he said.

The government alone would not be able to do it as it was a challenge to society as a whole. When many parents dreamt of their children becoming scientists and entrepreneurs, those from southern districts too would have a similar wish. Hence, schools, particularly teachers, had a Herculean task and responsibility in guiding the children in the right direction.

Taking a dig at private schools, Mr Babu said teachers were more trained to achieve centum, while students failed to understand society. This attitude should change and private schools should play a pro-active role in shaping their children as responsible citizens.

The seminar was addressed by faculty members K. Ravikumar, A. Karunakaran and other speakers on various topics. The participants took a pledge and resolutions were adopted at the meet.