POLICIES IN VAIN ???

Over the past four years there has been an increase in the enrolment and attendance by 71% in the schools of rural India, according to the ASER Report, 2012.  Along with Right to Education Act, mid day meals has proved to be a device that has accelerated the number of children coming to schools in rural areas. But one of the most important question that arises is, whether these students are learning or not??

Amartya Sen points out 3 defects in the education system of rural India, the first is the physical environment, the curriculum and third is the teaching method. May be this is one of the reasons why 70% of 3^rd STD students cannot solve a basic 2 digit problem and 31% of them cannot write a Hindi word correctly.

Children of Khoiri village, walk around 3kms everyday to attend their school. Though the school timing is 7am-5pm, Prakash, 13, does not move from home before 11. This is because he has to take his 4 sisters along with him and at the same time he has to reach the school before lunch time. Prakash’s elder sister Surbhi who is done with her SSC now gets a certain amount deposited in her account every month, though she fails to write even two lines with correct grammar. Surabhi, recalls that she never went to school after 8^TH STD only apart from admission and exam days. When asked about how did she managed to write her exams, she says that a sheet with all the answers got provided to them, they just have to copy. And the most interesting thing is that these students just get passed with answer sheets in their hands. “ I want to pursue further studies so that I get a laptop and a bike like the other girl in our village, but my parents are looking forward to marry me” , says Surbhi. Her father Dinannath does not want her to go for further studies because firstly the college falls much far away in Barsathi and secondly he has the fear that she would get involved into relationship.

These village students go to school because they get lunch and suji over there. For them, passing out 10^th STD with first class means a scholarship of Rs.12,000 and a bicycle. However, it can be said that the Government schemes and intentions are misled. This is because major population over there suffers from poverty and the students are the first generation of kids in their family who are introduced to schools. Though many reports say that such practices are seen among backward caste people only but in many rural areas one would find that even children belonging to Brahmin family do not go to school  to get educated but to avail these scholarships.

However, there are loopholes on the part of education system as well, both in rural and urban areas but this is a matter of serious concern...when it comes to strengthening rural education...

 

Posted by- Pandey Kavita

MACJ, PART-I