Indian Church to protest new bill’s crafty clause

(August 29, 2009) The Catholic Church in India plans to protest a clause in India’s new education bill that allows local elected representatives to become part of school management committees. The clause “will have severe repercussions on aided schools run by religious and linguistic minority groups all over the country,” says Father Babu Joseph, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI). He, however, clarified, that the Church supports the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, 2008 that aims to give free education to children. Be he expressed concern over “Clause 21, which makes it clear that all aided schools should constitute a school management committee consisting of the elected representatives of the local authority, parents or guardians of children in such schools, and teachers.’” The Catholic Church runs over 10,000 educational institutions in India. Fr. Joseph argues that such a committee would cause unnecessary political interference in Church schools most of which are aided. Father Joseph said the Church will meet other minority groups and social organizations and will take up the matter with the Human Resources Development Ministry soon.