When it comes to education, the specifics matter to people — is there a school or college in the locality, does it have adequate infrastructure, is the fee affordable, do they teach English, are admissions inclusive etc. An evaluation of the government’s performance in this sector has to start at the very beginning.
According to Students Parents Welfare Association president S. Arumaiathan, the introduction of KG classes three years ago helped increase admission by 30 per cent and children stayed on for class 1, but the government failed to evaluate the impact of Samacheer Kalvi and dispel the misgivings that the new system could not equal the CBSE syllabi.
The lack of transparency in using budget allocation; the inability to regulate fees in private schools and curb exploitation during admission to higher classes; and violations of Right to Education norms, are some of the sore points, say educationists. Schools that have violated infrastructure norms continue to function without changes, and activists say that the government’s silence is tantamount to a gross neglect of children’s safety.
When it comes to the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan programme, trainers appear to have lost interest as the government seems keen to encourage private schools, explains K. Sathianathan of the Chennai district joint action committee of teachers’ organisation.
Another issue of serious concern, educationists indicate, is lack of action on the government’s part to improve teachers’ salary structure. Teacher strength in elementary schools has fallen, they say..
Higher Education
The government has had some success when it comes to higher education. It launched four engineering colleges, 14 arts and science colleges and over 950 new courses.
The latter has enabled students in rural areas pursue undergraduate studies, post-graduate studies and research in the same college. But poor infrastructure and vacancies in non-teaching positions have stifled improvement, say teachers.
The Association of University Teachers (AUT) has for long been alleging that political interference in aided institutions has prevented colleges from filling up posts for teachers, and delayed or prevented appointment of Vice Chancellors.
But, on the other hand, the government has encouraged self-financing institutions at the cost of government colleges, says AUT’s general secretary N. Pasupathi. “We have been calling for amendments to the Private Colleges Regulation Act to prevent such exploitation and we will ensure they come through no matter who forms the government.”
Violation of RTE norms and inability to regulate fees in private schools are few of the sore points
