A State-level seminar on "Taking away preschool children from Anganwadi Centres to nursery, playschool or school: Why? for whom and on whose interest?" by the Anganwadi Employees’ Union Sanjukta Morcha led by Nikhila Odisha Anganwadi Karmi Sangha affiliated to AITUC here.It was presided over by convenor of Anganwadi Employees’ Union Sanjukta Morcha and AITUC State deputy general secretary Bijay Jena. Former Utkal University Vice-Chancellor Dr Binayak Ratha inaugurated it and expressed deep concern over lack of farsightedness in the Draft National Education Policy. Former Additional Director Higher Education Prof Amiya Mohanty presented the base paper.
Former Women and Child Development Minister and MLA Prafulla Samal expressed deep concern on Central Government’s hurried move to frame the policy without taking care of views of stakeholders of education.
He said it is more directed at ensuring profit to corporate houses, which have made education a business. He suggested the Union Government and the National Education Policy framing committee allow a nationwide debate on the issue.
All India Anganwadi Workers’ Federation president Usha Sahani condemned the draft policy, which, she said, is intended to impose a burden on preschool children.
Prof Golak Bihari Nath said the Anganwadi Workers need to put pressure on the Central Government for adequate changes in the policy.
AITUC national secretary Ram Krushna Panda, AITUC State general secretary Dr Souribandhu Kar, CITU State president Lambodar Nayak, NFITU State secretary Yudhisthir Maharana, Nikhila Odisha Anganwadi Karmi Sangha general secretary Harapriya Swain, Western Odisha Anganwadi Karmi O' Sahayika Sangha central conveyor Prasant Padhy also spoke.
A resolution was adopted with demands like Anganwadi Centres be given primary school status with adequate infrastructure, Anganwadi Workers and mini workers be made primary teachers and helpers be made junior teachers of primary schools and salary be provided at par with the teachers.
It was also decided to launch a month-long campaign from October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti) to November 14 (Nehru Jayanti ) in rural areas and hold a massive rally on November 15 at Bhubaneswar.