New Delhi: Union government-run residential schools for tribal children have been asked to invite MPs and MLAs as guests to various events, including academic programmes, saying that it would “enhance the importance of these occasions.”A circular in this regard has been issued by the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an organisation under the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) which oversees the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), reported The Telegraph.The NESTS has said in a circular issued to all EMRS schools that the latter regularly organise important academic, cultural and national events such as Annual Day celebrations, Independence Day, Republic Day, state-level sports meets and state-level cultural meets.“The participation of senior public representatives and local dignitaries, such as Hon’ble Members of Parliament (MPs), Hon’ble Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs), District Collectors (DCs), and other senior officers, significantly enhances the importance of these occasions. Their presence serves as a source of motivation and inspiration for students and strengthens the institutional connection between EMRSs, local administration, and the community. Accordingly, all EMRSs are advised to extend invitations to the highest local dignitaries, including Hon’ble MPs, MLAs, District Collectors, and other senior officials, for participation in the major events organised by the school,” says the NESTS circular.However, major policy documents of the government on school functioning and curriculum including National Curriculum Framework on School Education (NCFSE), prepared by the National Council of Educational Research and Training based on the National Education Policy 2020 do not endorse the invitation to MPs and MLAs to these programmes. Instead, it talks of inviting parents and locals to school events.“Parents must be invited to school functions and celebrations. Schools must find ways to engage them actively in such events rather than keeping them as mere audiences/spectators. So, design of such functions and celebrations should aim for active engagement of parents,” says the NCFSE.The Telegraph quoted the vice-chancellor (VC) of a state university and an educationist who expressed concerns about inviting politicians to school events.“The schools will mainly invite the ruling party’s MPs and MLAs. Such politicians will only speak on the government’s achievements and the party’s ideology. This move is part of a strategy to condition the minds of children to the ideology of the ruling party. They are now doing this experiment in government schools. They will gradually extend it to private schools too,” the educationist told the newspaper.