KRCE Demands Withdrawal of Std V, VIII Social Science Text Books
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jan 11: The Karnataka Regional Commission for Education (KRCE), which represents all the Catholic Schools and Colleges in the State, has demanded withdrawal of current text books introduced during academic year 2012 for Std V for Social Science and Std VIII for Hindi as well as Social Science subjects for the alleged ''saffron taint and insertion of Hindutva ideology” by the BJP Government in the State.
''The Social Science text books of Classes V and VIII, which were introduced during the academic year 2012 are embroiled in controversy,” said Sr M Genevieve, KREC Secretary and the former principal of Mount Carmel College, Bangalore, and claimed that ''already different groups, including prominent scholars, raised concern over some deliberate omissions and additions, use of words, using matter out of context and tweeting of facts.”
She demanded that ''due importance has to be given for systematizing the non-Vedic knowledge and contributions of Dalits, Muslims and Christians and other marginalized sections of society in the field of history, culture, literature, art and science so that the Vedic knowledge system can be avoided and dominance of the ideology of the Hindutva groups can be curtailed to an extent in the syllabus of the texts.”
Sr Geneview advised the State Government to post the draft copy of the textbooks for Std I to IV, VI, VII, IX and X, which are being prepared for the academic year 2013 and onwards, to the interested groups prior to passing and printing to avoid ''anything objectionable” so that it would not inconvenience the Government.
The KRCE, Sr Geneview said, will be organizing a day-long State-level seminar on ''Combating saffronisation of education and suppression of the subaltern voice” at the St Joseph’s Girls High School at Frazer Town in Bangalore on January 12, Saturday, from 9 am.
Karnataka State Minorities Educational Institutions Managements Federations, Karnataka Dalit Christian Federation, Karnataka United Christian Forum, Karnataka State National Christian Council Institutions and Karnataka Unaided Minorities Schools Management Association are the co-sponsors of the seminar, which will be inaugurated by Archbishop of Bangalore Dr Bernard Moras and will have have several prominent scholars and educationists as the key speakers.