The pedagogy scenario in India has seen or looked like going
through revolutionary thoughts and implementation especially with the
introduction of Right to Education. CCE etc. But, was that change good enough
to make a generation of extra ordinary or it is helping to cut the size of some
extra ordinary to below ordinary? This requires a lot of thoughts and analysis
with reference to what is going on in various schools. The problems in elite
international schools are different from affluent middle class management
schools and the problems of those schools are different from Govt. schools or
aided schools. Even in Govt. schools, the problems are different from Central
Govt. schools and State govt. schools. Even the advantages also differ in that
order. So, basically, I may have to do a classification in that order to know
the good, bad and ugly scenario in these schools. This article may not be academic
jargon filled confusion, but, written for the understanding of any layman from
a layman who understood the way I could perceive.
International Schools: Ever since there was a feeling among the richest lot in
India felt for having a separate school for their children not to be in touch
with the untouchable middle and lower class children put their idea into
practice by introducing “international syllabus” in some schools, also to keep
them in clear class division. Even, these so called international schools have
gone to court not to accept RTE in their schools. Definitely, the elite
ministerial decision would have left some clause in RTE to keep these
international schools out of it so that, they will have a different educational
scenario for their children who can directly put in to foreign universities
after the schooling here. The ones I saw are very posh, their canteen provides
the menu prescribed by parents, teachers are just slaves who can be employed or
expelled at the whims and fancies of any student or the management . Basically their fee here is exorbitant which
may be required to be at par with the technology changes. I came to know that
in many of these schools, there is no printed books but kids use tablets and
notes also circulated through school wi-fi to individual tablets. A teacher
should be readily available to help the kid even at night while they do their
homework. What are all the advantages
and disadvantages of these schools? How these kids are going to be citizens of
India? Are these schools molding good individuals for this nation? If you
yourself try to answer these questions, you will know what kind of kids they will
become. Will they be even good leaders? I have my doubts. But, yes, we have
such schools here.
Elite Middle Class schools: The well established ones will have huge school compounds,
cater to affluent middle class children, follows some central syllabus like
CBSE/ICSE. These kinds of schools are mushrooming in and around almost all
cities in India. Due to our corruption, even the schools with temporary
approval from these boards for certain classes, there are many schools which functions
without even basic amenities in small apartments or houses. These school
managements are running their educational institutions for clear profit motive.
Teachers are over burdened and less paid, children growing up without any
discipline. Management just wanted to increase the number of admission through
advertisements and yearly colorful carnivals.
These school managements are not at all interested to make
citizens of India but, showing the picture of western world as a place to shift
once the children are grown up. But, most of the parents in this category are
in double mind of imparting the right culture. They themselves are caught in
between the Indian way of politeness and humbleness or the American arrogance.
Schools do not have any interest in all those. They wanted to safeguard themselves
from any police case if any teacher gives capital punishment and also at the
same time, they are not interested to suspend or dismiss a rogue child since
they do not want to lose the fee of that child. But, the management will not
have a second thought to dismiss a teacher even if she/he is working there for
decades for any small reason. With this, the management think, they can distance
themselves from any wrong thing happens in their school. So, there is no
teaching of right behavior which eventually helps the kid for their character formation
by trying to know what is civil and uncivil, what is just and what is not.
These schools accept RTE with a lot of reluctance. Some, for
getting extra advertisement, started a concept called “inclusive education”
without even having proper trained teachers for attending mentally deviated
children. They want the already over burdened teachers to manage everything
somehow. The selections of teachers in these schools are also not by following
any guideline. You can see just subject graduates without even a Bachelors in
Education teaching in higher classes. Many of the teachers are put in contract
basis for long time and their yearly increments are negligible. Even the
suppliers in KFC, Mcdonalds kind of outlets will be paying better salary than the
schools.
Now, do you want me to ask questions or you will be able to
make out the ailments of these schools? Better I leave them without asking any
questions.
State Govt./ Aided Schools: Very pathetic infrastructure, teachers are qualified but no
quality and accountability. Most of them do not have toilet facility and do not
have enough classrooms. If at all computer lab is there, no one knows how to
operate. Children mostly come here to spend time and get the afternoon meal.
Most of these state boards are giving liberal marks to children just to show
the pass percentage during each government. Now, the credibility of owning a state
government school certificate itself become as good as a piece of paper. There
is no enough funds allotted for our education systems in budget. Since most of
these children are from economically lower class, there is no much pressing
need on government to raise the standard of these schools. One or two meals a
day is the only thing they look forward. Education happens or not, nobody is
bothered. In some states, extracurricular activities are excellent.
Central Govt. Schools: Most of the central schools like Kendriya Vidyalaya/
Navodaya got good infrastructure, well educated teachers in most of the places.
Functions well, well disciplined, teachers are respected and well paid. Not so
good in extracurricular activities.
There are some exceptions in all of the above categories.
But, this is an overall evaluation done by knowing the situation of some states in
North India and South India. The Continuous Comprehensive evaluation brought in
by Central Government board of CBSE may be to ensure less of a pressure on
children and may be to improve the overall holistic development of a child. But,
the way management schools taken them is by giving liberal marks on internal
assignments to show the performance of their schools. Some of the schools got
it completely wrong and over burdened the children and parents on a daily
basis. At least some parents now wanted to have only an annual exam to evaluate
a child to get out of that daily grind.
I know, I have written about the problematic things above.
You may be expecting solutions. Definitely will come up with some
recommendations later.
