The landscape of education in India – whether it is school, higher education, technical education or medical and nursing or engineering branches – everyone’s conditions are very bad. This should make the sleep of those Indians who are eyeing world -class institutions and are maligning the education system of Harvard University with mischievous political jumlas. The question mark by the recent report of the Ministry of Education about the ability of school students to read and write should be embarrassed by the officials of politics and education.
The ‘Parakh’ National Survey, earlier called the National Achievement Survey (NAS), has released the data on the basic level of school children, highlights heavy flaws in our teaching method as students are failing almost in the early stages. About 54 percent of the students of class six are unable to compare full numbers or read a large number of numbers.
For this survey, a relatively large sample of more than 21.15 lakh students of 74,229 schools in 781 districts of the country was used. The survey included students of class three, six and nine of both government and private schools, the results of which have been shocking. The report said that students had difficulty in identifying 7 qualities, 3 ambushes etc. Last December, mathematics, language and basic level efficiency were tested in three classes.
Language skills were easier than mathematics, yet 43 percent of students of class VI were unable to implement various perception strategies such as estimates, prediction and imagination. In science and social science, students of ninth failed to meet the minimum qualification criteria. But this is not only with school students. Colleges and private universities- some people like to say ‘money-earning institutes’, not temples of education- some are not giving quality education, except for respectable exceptions.
Private institutions are squeezing students through big fees by investing extensively in expensive lands and buildings, which is allegedly determined by a regulatory body, and what they give to the society in return is disappointing. I got an opportunity to watch and understand some interviews for a quite old technical college and I was stunned to see the level of candidates/teachers who served there for teaching there.
A major scam is still going on in nursing colleges of Madhya Pradesh, whose shocking information was also revealed in the High Court hearing. One room colleges were distributing degrees. But no action was taken on anyone who is sad. Recently, medical admission was investigated by the CBI on the basis of fake documents, in which almost zero facilities to operate medical courses in medical colleges were revealed, that too in ‘Vyapam Wale MP’. The ‘assay’ reporting was started two years ago to assess the learning level and identify the deficiencies, but similar efforts of the ‘Asar’ earlier to conduct critical examination of students and overall teaching standards also showed terrible disappointing results. All states spend huge amount of government funds on political advertisements; Some states have started ‘CM Rise’ schools, but their focus is on building luxurious buildings, not on ensuring the quality of education.
The latest report of the Ministry of Education of Dharmendra Pradhan for the Government of India and all the states, (education subject is in the concurrent list), is going to open eyes. The Chief Minister who keeps talking big things about the development of his infrastructure-Bridge, Metro Central Vista Aadi, which gives great ‘happiness’ to politicians, should focus on creating a strong education system through his energy resources. But where does this happen?
Teacher-training and selection of best teachers is a difficult process. Those who make their profession by giving priority to education, they can save our future. For this, we have to give good respect to the profession of education. The teachers will be possible only due to good pay scale, prestige in society, not being scolded by district collectors in front of the public and the burden of census and election responsibilities.
The Supreme Court has already said that India cannot develop if health and education is ignored. The court even said that now the time has come that the states should be asked to determine 25 percent of their budget for the infrastructure of education, health and hygiene.
Our politicians keep making all kinds of endless promises, but avoid their responsibility of improving fundamental and important areas like education. Otherwise what is the reason that this is the situation in the education sector?
If today the top people of India are doing some good work honestly in the judiciary, education, journalism, research, medicine, ‘ISRO’ or banking, then the credit also goes to their school teachers about fifty-sixty years ago. If India has to achieve the status of ‘Vishwa-Guru’, which we probably achieved at some time in history, then from the Prime Minister to the Chief Minister, the entire process of education will have to be focused on the critical review of the process of education. Otherwise, the results of ‘Parakh’ will continue to bother India and the future of the society will remain dark. It is necessary that under the new education policy, only changing the syllabus should be seen much further and necessary and drastic steps should be taken.
