Right to "Education"

The Supreme Court’s ruling in favour of 25 per cent reservation for financially poor students in private schools makes it necessary to dwell upon the education system of the country in the twenty first century.  At a time when we are being prodded to assert our arrival on world stage; we are constantly reminded of our status of a third world country, still lagging behind many on Human Development Index. And poverty and illiteracy have been the perennial problems our great nation is afflicted with. In the last census, India’s literacy rate was recorded at 74 per cent.  The Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE) that came into force in April 2010 aims to make education all comprehensive where no child is left without education for want of money. The State is liable to provide free education to every child between age group of six and 14.

The judgment by the three-member SC bench headed by chief justice S H Kapadia, drew aplomb, apprehension and concerns.

Various rights group and people who clamour for equality and inclusive education welcomed the judgment while some parents muttered in apprehension that this may not bode well for their kids.

But to me, this judgment props up the question of education in government schools. According to the RTE Act, all private (except unaided minority schools) are legally bound to have 25 per cent of their total student strength from the economically disadvantaged households. This rule gives poor students an opportunity to study in better equipped and managed schools. More importantly, the act strives to blur the divide line (though marginally) between the two Indias. The more reasonable argument in the 25 per cent quota for poor students is that the ‘elite’ schools have some social responsibilities as well and poor should also get a taste of good, modern and quality education that may well  bring about a dramatic change to their lives.

That’s exactly what the act implies, but what about the other 75 per cent children who are left out. They will have to bank upon their sheer talent and intelligence to compete with these fellows from private schools.

Unfortunately, in our society government schools just don’t qualify for the quality education. And that’s a well known fact. These state-run schools are perceived to be inadequate, lethargic institutes that fail on key parameters of imparting quality education. One may argue against this citing Kendriya Vidyalayas and a few more. But KVs mostly comprise of government employees’ children. How many middle class students go to state run schools? How many teachers, MLAs, MPs send their children to government schools?  Where do the poor study? Government schools. And what do they become? Well, although the dropout rate is on a slump, but dropouts are mainly from government schools. It’s not that they abandon studies because they don’t want to study but they can’t even afford free education, they must earn if they are to live!

Even a majority of the students from government schools who complete their studies (Graduation) are left with little options. Most of them end up doing low paying jobs; many prepare for and succeed in landing jobs like Bank Probationary Officer (Bank POs), Lower Division Clerk (LDC), Constable etc. in the government sector. Little to say most of them are from reserved categories and those with good academic records even become teachers and IAS, IPS officers. However, a large chunk ends up either self employed or doing entry level jobs in private sector. Hardly any of them goes to IIM or becomes engineer, architect, or even excel in sports like tennis, most have hardly seen a tennis court.  Most of them struggle with English language that is a prerequisite if one wants to land a good paying job in private sector. Sadly their economic status deprive them of quality education leading them into a situation where not much one can expect.  What’s most outrageous is the fact at many interviews your school name predetermines your chances of getting the job. Again, a government school educated person stands little chance of being considered a prospective candidate against a convent educated candidate. At times, it’s not the caliber of a candidate but the school or college name that matters. So, in a way it turns out that the social hierarchy remains intact. Intentionally or unintentionally the embedded psychology of class prejudice is played out.

Right to Education Act is indeed a forward looking act but oddly there isn’t much in the act to bridge the great divide between private and government schools. Lack of funds have never been a problem, yes lack of teachers and trained teachers is an endemic issue. Teachers’ absenteeism is a problem. Providing free meals is good only to bring children inside the school premises but to impart quality education the state needs to do much more than free meals and quota tokenism.