Indian government schools facing challenges

When was the last time we noticed a government run school, particularly primary and upper primary, in our city? Probably we may find it difficult to recall. There are thousands of schools run by central government, state governments and the district administration. For example in UP alone, there are over 9000 secondary and higher secondary schools affiliated to the UP board and millions of students are registered in the primary schools. These schools have been backbone of our education system for years but now they are losing the glory of being an education institute, unfortunately very fast.

These days, a lot of government run schools are considered second class in quality and social status. We can not ignore the social system in India, at least in the current scenario. Anyone who can afford, or even find it difficult to afford, will send their kids to a private school. No doubt a lot of them are not better than any government run schools. I have seen hundreds of these privately run schools from very close distance. A lot of them are operating from the empty houses of the big families. Spotting good returns in this business a lot of rich and semi-rich people have bought land and started schools. For them formula for running the school is very simple. Charge each students anything that his/her parents can afford and pay just Rs 500-1000 to each teacher. A lot of unemployed and generally unmarried girls are ready to this job on this low salary. This salary is not their main objective for these ladies to work. Their main objective is to come out of the ghetto they are living in otherwise. They have no chance to come out of the home and socialise with anyone other than the family or extended family. But still these schools are able to attract parents to queue outside their premises for admission of their kids. Why is this so?

One of the reason, I think is the apathy of the teachers to provide education. No doubt a lot of government run schools do not have necessary infrastructure, (e.g. proper toilets, drinking water, electricity and sometime even classrooms) but this should not stop, though it can demoralise, the teachers from performing their duties. I have seen teachers weaving sweater in the class rooms or talking about their daughter-in-law or vice-verse. I have also seen some teachers who are over 75 or 80 years old and can not move or stand for half an hour but they are on payroll because they gave false birth certificate to get job. It is very difficult to motivate them but they are very afraid of getting absent in the school registers. They can be controlled by extensive inspection all round the year.

Other reason is the growth of students from lower caste in the government run schools in recent past because of government push. Two of the schools I went to in my early education were considered as lower caste because they had very large number of students from lower caste. These were untouchables and now, I believe, more schools are becoming untouchable. This factor is pushing the parents of middle class and/or upper caste away from government run schools.

It is challenge for the government run schools to prove that they are equal, if not better, in terms of quality of education and facilities to all section of the society to become center of education for all.