LKG Ban in Atmanand Schools Sparks Outrage, Parents Question Denial of English Education to Poor Children; Shailesh Pandey Leads Parents’ Protest
Parents submit memorandum to Collector under the leadership of former MLA Shailesh Pandey, demand restoration of LKG admissions
Bilaspur: The decision to stop admissions to LKG classes in Swami Atmanand English Medium Schools has triggered strong resentment among parents in Bilaspur. Parents from economically weaker and middle-income families have questioned why children from poor families should be deprived of access to affordable English-medium education.
The issue came to the fore when a group of parents reached the Collector’s office under the leadership of former MLA Shailesh Pandey and submitted a memorandum demanding that LKG classes and the admission process be restored.
Parents Raise Questions Over LKG Ban
Parents said Swami Atmanand Schools have provided an important opportunity for children from economically weaker families to receive quality education in English without the financial burden associated with private schools.
According to the parents, private English-medium schools involve substantial expenses, including tuition fees, books, uniforms and transportation. For daily wage workers, domestic workers, street vendors and other low-income families, meeting these expenses can be extremely difficult.
They argued that stopping LKG admissions could force many families to either compromise on their children’s education or turn to expensive private schools.
“Why Should Poor Children Be Denied English Education?”
The protesting parents questioned the rationale behind stopping admissions at the entry level.
They said that if the government wants to promote quality English-medium education, then access to such education should begin from the early years of schooling. They fear that discontinuing LKG admissions could particularly affect children whose parents cannot afford private English-medium schools.
The parents demanded that the government reconsider the decision and allow LKG admissions to continue in Atmanand Schools.
Shailesh Pandey Backs Parents
Former MLA Shailesh Pandey supported the parents’ demand and raised concerns over the impact of the decision on economically weaker families.
He said that the objective of Swami Atmanand Schools was to provide quality education to children irrespective of their economic background. He emphasized that poor children’s access to English-medium education should not be compromised.
Pandey urged the administration and the state government to reconsider the decision and ensure that children from weaker sections continue to have access to affordable English-medium education.
Memorandum Submitted to Collector
The parents submitted a memorandum to the Collector, demanding that LKG classes be continued and the admission process be reopened.
The issue has now turned into a larger debate over access to affordable English-medium education for children from economically weaker sections.
The parents are hoping that the administration will consider their concerns and take a decision in favour of continuing LKG admissions.
The Bigger Question
The controversy has raised a larger question: If Atmanand Schools were created to provide quality education to children from all sections of society, will stopping LKG admissions make English-medium education less accessible to the poorest families?
The next decision by the administration and the state government will be closely watched by parents seeking affordable English-medium education for their children.
