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Pvt Schools Must Reserve 25% Seats For Poor: Sri Sri

Spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar asked private schools not to be greedy and asked them to ensure that students from the socially and economically-backward sections get their
25% reserved quota in private schools as per the provisions of the Right to Education Act.

The founder of the popular global spiritual movement, The Art of Living Foundation, was invited as chief guest for a national seminar of private schools being hosted by all Goa government recognized unaided schools' association.

"Private schools are doing a good job. But please do not be greedy. See that poor students are given the 25% seats reserved for them. There would be no need to add that clause in the law if schools were already giving seats to poor students. Some private schools are doing it. Others too need to do it," Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said, speaking to an audience running into hundreds of followers at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Taleigao.

The spiritual guru, who has a following in several countries and among those coming from varied religious backgrounds, was speaking at the opening event of a two-day seminar of private schools where they will deliberate on improving the quality of education in India. Provisions of the Right to Education Act will be one of the main topics of discussions. The private schools plan to send their suggestions to the Union human resource development ministry.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar told schools not to limit the discussions to only improving quality in the private and city-based schools during the seminar. "As you'll hold the deliberations, also deliberate on the quality of education in government schools and what can be done for them so that good education can reach every village in the country and India can become a vibrant place," said the leader, who runs several schools in rural areas in
the country serving poor
students.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar also asked teachers to work more dedicatedly. "Teachers get two months' vacation annually, unlike any other profession. Their pay too is quite good now. It is one profession where the teacher can live his or her childhood throughout their career through the children they teach. Teachers should not just teach the curriculum and leave. They should bring creativity in their teaching by making use of their individual talent."

Courtsey : Times of India