School education of India in 2015

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.