Pathetic state of education: School students protest braving rains, demand teachers

Fourteen of them were ready to go on an indefinite fast, the rest shouted slogans even as the rain poured down and made them wet and shiver. On Wednesday, students of 14 Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) schools of Wayanad district gathered outside the district collectorate to protest. Their demand was simple: appoint teachers.

 Though hundreds of students from RMSA schools had gathered for an indefinite strike, and only after the district Collector assured them immediate appointment of teachers did they disperse.

Fourteen students were planning to go on an indefinite hunger strike if the meeting between officials and parents was a failure. But after the meeting, the dictrict Collector accepted all the demands made by the young protestors.

 Students also informed media that this was just a beginning and if their demands were not met soon they will go for a bigger protest.

 The RMSA schools project was set up with an objective to enhance quality education to the marginalised sections.

 Recently Kerala has been witnessing few other similar strikes, which throws light in to the poor condition of state education.

 It was on August 19 that a 11th standard student Shahal K from Malappuram district went on an indefinite hunger strike in front of his school demanding appointment of teachers and better basic facilities at school.

 He called off his three day hunger strike after the district collector promised to sort out all problems at the school.

 In yet another incident on September 23, two students from Mamelkandam Government School in Kothamangalam of Ernakulam district, one from Class 9 and the other from Class 8 --  had begun a hunger strike in front of the Kothamangalam education office.

 They called off their hunger strike the next day when the Kothamangalam education officer went and showed them a copy of the government order appointing permanent teachers