Karnataka government faces flak over issues plaguing hostels, boarding schools

Bengaluru: The Congress government came under attack in the Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday by lawmakers, including those from the ruling dispensation, over the sorry state-of-affairs at SC/ST student hostels and residential schools.

The issue was raised by KGF Congress MLA M Roopakala who said hostels run by the social welfare department do not have a "healthy" atmosphere for students.

"There are 1,326 pre-matric student hostels. Every year, one lakh students depend on the pre-and post-matric hostels. We're not able to provide quality education due to failures of basic infrastructure," Roopakala said, adding that hostels do not have wardens, cooks and security personnel.

"Quality food isn't being served. Deputy directors have become contractors," Roopakala said, adding that the government gives Rs 1,300 crore to build community halls every year. "But when it comes basic infrastructure at hostels, the government displays step-motherly treatment."

Senior BJP lawmaker S Suresh Kumar added to the discussion. "Twenty days ago, at a Navodaya school in Hiriyur (Chitradurga), a Class 8 boy died by suicide. The next day, at a Morarji Desai school in Haveri, a Class 7 girl died by suicide," he said. "My mind refuses to accept that children, who should be brimming with life, even think of suicide," he said.

Congress MLAs S N Narayanaswamy, P M Narendraswamy and Prakash Koliwad also slammed the system.

"The Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society (KREIS) was started for the purpose of education. But today, it's filled with contractors. Some hostels don't have toilets. Some don't have even plates for food," Narayanaswamy said.

"As a ruling party MLA, I'm saying that the social welfare department is fraught with administrative lapses," Narendraswamy said. Koliwad said 92 students died by suicide at residential schools in the last five years.

Responding on behalf of the government, RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge said KREIS has tied up with Rotary International for a counseling framework on physical, mental and academic wellbeing of students.

Priyank also held a mirror to all lawmakers. "Under (political) pressure, we end up admitting students beyond capacity. Scientifically, a hostel should have one toilet for seven or nine inmates. In some places, it's 1:21," he said. "Does this House have the courage to resolve that no new community halls should be constructed for the next four years so that the money is used for education? But then, if we don't build Ambedkar Bhavans, we won't get votes," Priyank said.