Antony slams aided, self-financing education sectors in Kerala

Senior Congress leader A K Antony today came down heavily on Kerala's aided and self-financing education sectors, saying such institutions have become centres of corruption in the state.
The former Kerala Chief Minister also urged the Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau to start its anti-corruption campaign from the campuses of such educational institutions.
"Education sector...Whether it is aided or self-financing...These sectors have become centres of big corruption... Vigilance should start its anti-corruption drive from campuses of such institutions," Antony said.
He was delivering the A C Jose memorial lecture, organised by Ernakulam District Congress Committee here.
He alleged that managements of some educational institutions are engaged in "snatching" (money from students).

"Educational institutions have become centre of business activities," he said.

Antony, who began his political career as a leader of Kerala Students Union, said lack of students politics in the campuses is one of the major reasons for corrupt practices in the campuses.
He urged KSU and Youth Congress activists to launch strong protests against "existing corrupt practices" in state's aided and self-financing education sectors.
Antony's criticism against self financing/aided education sectors comes days after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lashed out against Christian managements, saying Church run institutions, which had once strived for social service, have become part of the education business lobby in the state.

Inaugurating the diamond jubilee celebrations of St. Joseph's College in Kozhikode, Vijayan had complained that most self-financing colleges had turned educational institutions into hubs for commercial activities.