Another U turn, LDF government in Kerala meditates on 'Education City' and foreign universities

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After opposing tooth and nail the last UDF government’s plans to set up an `academic city’ and higher education zones in association with foreign varsities, the CPM led LDF government is testing waters for setting up an `Education City’ in association with the foreign universities.
The state higher education department has set up a committee led by AICTE vice chairman M P Poonia to study and submit a report on a proposal to set up an ``Education City' in Kerala where `world class education can be offered in collaboration with internationally acclaimed universities.The government order credited with the second edition of Loka Kerala Sabha of Non Resident Keralites the idea for setting up an Educational City of international standards and collaboration. According to sources, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has taken special interest in exploring further the proposal, which many academicians in the left fold are finding hard to come into terms with.
It may be noted that the Global Education meet organised by the state higher education council in 2016 has on its agenda the very same points. The CPM's student wing SFI that opposed any discussion in the direction and held a massive protest rally in front of the meet venue at Kovalam. One of the SFI leaders had even assaulted the then vice chairman of the council, T P Sreenivasan near the meet venue.
Other members of the governmental committee that has been mandated to submit its findings and recommendations in three months include YSR Murthy, registrar of Jindal Global University, Haryana, Sabu Thomas Vice chancellor, mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, S Ayoob, pro-vice chancellor, APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and Usha Titus, principal secretary, Higher education department.
SFI leaders said they were not possession of details regarding the government move towards Education City. “We are not against steps for improving the quality of education. But, there is no change in our stand against private universities and commercialisation of education. We have no reasons to believe that the LDF government will deviate from the left policies and follow the distorted ones followed by the UDF. Being a student organisation, SFI would resist any move that could foster inequality in the higher education sector. But, things are in a fluid stage now, let there be concrete proposals and decisions, we will then definitely make our stand clear”, said SFI state secretary Sachin Dev.
Former ambassador and higher education council vice chairman T P Sreenivsan said the government move was congratulatory. “However, unless you allow private universities to function intendedly, there is going to be no use for Education City. There should be a broad consensus on this aspect”, he said.