Education at Crossroads
As told by Kothari Commission, “If any change is to be done in a grand scale, there is one and one instrument and that is Education. However, it’s not a magic wand to wave wishes into existence. It can bring phenomenal change in the system. It has served other countries well. It can do so for India, provided the given will and dedication.”
So to say we have to be very practical and optimistic in our approach. In this piece of article, as a field practitioner, taking into consideration of my experience, I have highlighted my views on school education in Odisha. First of all, I would like to mention the loopholes and bottlenecks in the system and practically in the schools.
While the private institutions are mushrooming on one hand, new schemes and programmes are growing in numbers in the government schools on the other hand. Still the NAS (National Achievement Survey) indicates the position of Odisha in deteriorable condition.
The adoption of ‘Merger Policy’ of government of Odisha in 2017 and its purpose was the best and most welcoming step. In 2017, government secondary and upper primary schools located in the same campus were taken up for merger and the scope of the policy was further widened in 2018 to cover schools located within 100 metres or those with very poor roll strength. One of the major academic objectives of the merger was to utilize the services of experienced subject teachers of secondary schools in the classes of elementary section so that they get the benefit of academic support with pedagogical input from such teachers. But in fact and reality, in 95 per cent of cases, high school teachers are not coming to elementary classes with a sense of ego and arrogance. Moreover, the elementary teachers having proper expertise, teaching experience and higher qualifications are not allowed to take classes at secondary level and they are developing a inferiority complex in the process.
Everybody knows that primary education is the foundation of a student. Rightly told by somebody,” If the foundation is week, the building may collapse at any time.” Very less number of primary schools are equipped with optimal staff. Further they are entrusted with almost all the surveys and so called multi-tasks (non-academic) throughout the year. In many cases, five classes are run by one or two teachers . The existing teachers are respected not for their academics but for other work as such-MDM, records and multi-tasks. As a result, teachers, not interested in academics, take the lead where as the teachers with academics become the victims of circumstances. Moreover, the different categories of teachers with differentiation in salary structure make the condition precarious.
As to the growth of private schools and so called scenario in government schools compel most of the parents to send their children to private schools. Mostly children of low socio-economic status and uneducated parents come to government schools. Around 98 per cent of the students coming under below average IQ come to government schools. Naturally expectation from such situation would be less.
One of the major reasons of deterioration is that most of the teachers coming to this profession not by choice, but by opportunity. Lack of passion and professional ethics makes the process a monotonous one. One who has the desire for learning can stimulate and sustain motivation, otherwise not.
Last but not the least, lack of moral education among the teachers and students as well has become a major obstacle in the development of education. Moral values are the be-all and end-all. Values are not something to be taught rather it is to be caught.
Having a close look and analysis of the so-called problems paves the way for solution. We can’t blame the system all the time. It’s the duty of one and all citizens to come forward and find the solution. Children are our future and architects of nation. As the reasons are obvious, solution is must. It requires zeal, enthusiasm and dedication.Above all teachers have to play a significant role in changing the ongoing trend. It’s he who can make or break. Positive attitude and initiative can bring promising results. Teaching is to be the passion not profession. Nothing can repay the value of a teacher. He is the be all and end all of students.
Brahman Sailo, Cuttack
