Hubballi
Villagers in Budarasingi of Hubballi taluk staged a protest against the proposed closure of the government Kannada Higher Primary School under the KPS scheme.
Parents students youth and villagers joined the protest under the leadership of AIDSO demanding that the school should not be merged with another institution at Adaragunchi. Speakers said closure would affect children from poor families. They warned that long travel distances would force many students to drop out of school.
Save Public Education District Committee vice president Sharanabasava Gonawara addressed the protesters and criticized the KPS Magnet scheme. He said closing village schools in the name of consolidation would harm rural children and violate the right to education. He recalled reformers like Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule who fought for education for poor communities. He said shutting schools within a five kilometre radius forces rural children to drop out. This, he said, is unacceptable and against the interests of labouring families.
The protest saw participation from mothers parents students and villagers who raised slogans against the closure of the school and demanded immediate withdrawal of the proposal. They said the school is essential for children in Budarasingi village as it provides accessible education close to their homes. Speakers warned that merging the school under the KPS scheme would increase dropout rates and burden poor families with transport difficulties. They insisted that education should be strengthened in villages instead of shutting down local schools. Participants urged the government to reconsider the decision and ensure that every rural child gets equal access to nearby schooling facilities without being forced to travel long distances daily.
