Jammu: Senior CPI(M) leader and MLA Kulgam today urged the government to liberate education from consumerism and commodification. He was speaking in the Legislative Assembly on demands for grants.
He referred to the new national education policy, stating that free universal education had been available in J&K long ago. He alleged that under the new education policy, efforts were being made to distort history, which is not a positive sign.
Referring to the privatization of education, Tarigami expressed great concern over the heavy fees charged by private schools. He said that poor parents are unable to afford these fees and urged the state government to reorient the education system in J&K so that the poor also have the opportunity to receive quality education.
He said that controversies were being created about kings, while history does not belong to kings; rather, it belongs to the people. He urged the education minister to initiate reforms that promote scientific temper among students. Education, Tarigami said, must be saved from the market economy.
Regarding healthcare, Tarigami referred to SKIMS, Srinagar, and said that this institute provides good healthcare facilities to the poor. He stressed that its autonomy should not be made controversial, as PGI Chandigarh is also an autonomous institute of premium quality. Tarigami urged the government to equip all government hospitals and medical colleges with the necessary facilities and staff so that patients from J&K are not forced to go outside the state for treatment, as is happening at present.
Tarigami urged the education minister to consider raising the status of Degree College Anantnag to the level of a deemed university. He also demanded an increase in salaries and assured incentives for ASHA workers. Referring to the plight of daily wagers, he said that if the UT of Ladakh has been paying higher minimum wages to different categories of workers, Jammu and Kashmir should do the same. Tarigami also demanded an increase in the monthly pension for physically challenged persons.
