The craze for admissions to private, high-fee charging schools, ironically called “public schools’ is indeed a national phenomenon. School managements know this and unhesitatingly fleece the parents. School fee hikes are too unreasonable, exploitative and unpredictable.
Having suffered quietly for decades together, aggrieved parents have now decided to raise their collective voice. State governments have realised the need to regulate fee structures in these schools through legislation and Ordinances.
Obviously, exceptions apart, entrepreneurs who entered the business of education that promised ‘assured risk-free dividends’ are unhappy about it. Parents insist that it is the duty of the state to regulate, while managements find it an uncalled for intrusion on their ‘rights’!
One is, incidentally, reminded of the letter Mahatma Gandhi wrote to the Director General of Unesco before the finalisation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Charter.
The essence contained in it was that “if everyone does his duty, everyone will get his rights”. As no one’s right will be trampled upon, there will be no need for human rights watchdogs! That, however, is an ideal rather than Utopian expectation. We all need rules, regulations and restrictions, whether we like it or not.
Imparting quality education is a national responsibility that can be discharged properly only under a visible symphony of the state and society. At this stage, education in India is itself facing a crisis of great imbalance. Instead of paving the path for equality of opportunity inaccess and success, it is creating a great divide right from initial stages to higher levels. It is expected to create a value-based society that would live in peace, social cohesion, religious amity, care for other’s rights.
Unfortunately, Indian education stands divided into two compartments—one for the haves and the other for the have-nots! The wedge is increasing. The state was constitutionally mandated to look after the education of all children till they attain 14 years of age. Instead, it permitted the affluent to have their own systems, and standards of comfort and privileges. It has eroded the credibility of public-funded education system.
Private schools and colleges are either owned by politicians or have their ‘blessings’, hence they squeeze money without any fear of authority.
These have over-stretched their urge for higher dividends and, as a consequence, parents are up in arms against exorbitant fee hikes. The entrepreneur in school education forces parents to purchase books, copies, exercise books, shoes, socks, bags, and even pen and pencil from the shops identified by them! How does it matter if the cost to parents increases by 10-12 times!
Parents have to remain tongue-tied for the fear of their child's ouster from school! They have no alternative as government schools are steadily on the decline. From those responsible for educational policy-making to the primary school teacher, everyone has his children in “public schools”.
There is a general appreciation for the Gujarat legislation to regulate school fees. Some other states have done it earlier. The issue is not of fee hike alone, it is the issue of ‘commercialisation of education’. Can India accept it, or can the state just wink at such unacceptable practices?
We have judgments from the highest court that education just cannot be a profit-making venture! The Allahabad high court judgment—that children of all government servants must study in government schools—deserved serious consideration and in fact, sincere implementation. It has, however, been silently sidelined. Someday, it shall happen, and that would come from people’s initiative and action.
rajput_js@yahoo.co.inw