The simmering discontent against the gross commercialisation being practiced by most of the managements of high-fee charging schools, euphemistically called “public schools”, has now burst out in the open. State governments stand compelled to initiate capping exercises on exploitative fee hikes that managements inflict on the hapless parents. As these schools are owned and patronised by politicians, bureaucrats, moneybags, builders and others who could be categorised as powerful and resourceful, they feel free to follow their own patterns of running these institutions. Interestingly, all those supposed to ensure adherence to rules and regulations of the concerned boards—particularly the CBSE—are invariably obliged to such schools as they themselves approach them for admission of their children, or those whose admissions are made at their behest from their own family and friends. This is a serious factor that usually escapes consideration at practically every level.
The management arrogance quotient has been rising to the extent that certain managements hoodwink even the court orders. Is it not amazing that schools should direct parents to purchase books, stationery, dress, shoes, and everything they consider necessary from the shopkeepers ‘of their choice’? It is common knowledge that private schools ‘recommend’ books of private publishers solely because of attractive commissions. Children are overburdened, suffer avoidable stress, parents have no alternative but buy everything that the school finds necessary to ‘impart quality education’!
The prevailing impression among parents is indeed realistic: in private schools there is more discipline, teachers teach, and there is English. In government schools, no discipline, hence no teaching, a lot of freebies but overall very poor quality of teaching and learning. Government teachers get very good salaries and security of job; while those in private sign on much higher salary bills than what they really take home. Sense of job security is rather weak and hence, they work! Both of these models—exceptions apart—acquaint the learners on human values that are being torpedoed; no work culture, no accountability, and no sincerity in one, exploitation of parents and teachers in the other. Children look for role models among their teachers. How shall they sustain their respect if they find that regularity, punctuality and sincerity have no value among their learned teachers? One has seen 11-12 years discussing how their school is earning profits by forcing parents to purchase from the favourites of the school. Children compare the prices of the NCERT books with those of the private publishers; and draw their own conclusions.
Who is responsible for bringing school education to this stage? The blame must go to the State that has encouraged private investment deliberately to conserve its resources. In the process, the state government schools have been neglected. There are no takers for them; only those who have no alternative are forced to put their child there.
No nation can afford to ignore school education, and expect to move ahead on the path of progress in the 21st century. India must find out ways and means to provide equality of opportunity in ‘access and success’ to every child. Further, too much dependence on bureaucracy is not conducive for effective changes. Unscrupulous private players in school education must be shown the exit door. State must accept its constitutional responsibility to provide equality of opportunity of ‘access and success’ to every child, irrespective of his socio-economic, cultural context or rural-urban distinctions. Pragmatic policy decisions are necessary to give children their due.
J S Rajput
Former director of the NCERT
rajput_js@yahoo.co.in