More than 94,000 schools closed across the country in the last decade: AIDSO state president

More than 94,000 government schools have been closed across the country in the last decade due to depletion of public infrastructure funds. We have to fight against it, Ashwini KS, student activist and AIDSO state president, said in Dharwad on Sunday.

She addressed the AIDSO district level student camp at KPES School, Dharwad, organized as part of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule’s 200th birth anniversary celebrations.

“Even in Karnataka, the state government was trying to close around 40,000 government schools under the KPS Magnet scheme. But AIDSO protested against it. We argued that such rural schools provide vital educational support to poor families. Due to our protest, the state government was forced to withdraw the move after protests,” said Ms. Ashwini.

She spoke on ‘Role of Students in Social Change’ and the life and contribution of Jyotib Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule.

“Phule spoke of teaching against social evils like caste-based discrimination and keeping lower castes from education. He strongly believed that education should be universal and reach everyone, regardless of their social or economic status. Unfortunately, governments today are acting against his vision. They seem to be taking education away from poor students,” she said.

“Even three months into the academic year, the state government has failed to distribute basic necessities like shoes and socks to students. The school buildings are in a bad condition. Just three days ago, eight students were injured after a school roof collapsed in Bagalkot district. This is not an isolated incident. There are such reports from Kalaburagi, Raichur and Kodagu districts that have claimed several lives,” she said.

She complained that neither the Union Government nor the State Government were allocating sufficient funds for education. “More than 1.4 million students graduate in the country every year, but they have no real jobs. Governments at various levels create only about 8 million jobs, while the private sector only creates about 10 million jobs. What should the graduates do?” she said.

“Our ruling classes are worried about the growing number of educated unemployed youth. They therefore want to curtail higher education and reduce it to mere preparation for menial and clerical jobs. There are reports that around 40% of the country’s national income is concentrated in the hands of a few rich individuals, while over 4,000 children die of hunger every day,” said a student activist.

“The ruling classes are systematically weakening the moral backbone of students and youth so that they do not raise their voice against injustice. Students must take up the fight against injustice on the example of great revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh and Nethaji Subhas Chandra Bose. They must come forward to fight against the commercialization of education and protect public education,” she said.

The camp included group discussions, cultural programs, film screenings and games for students.

Published – 06 Sep 2026 23:31 IST