Andhra Pradesh lags behind not merely the other States in South India but the entire country in the literacy rate, said Lok Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today, correcting Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.
(Launching the ‘education fortnight’ on June 13, the Chief Minister had said that he was ashamed to admit that Andhra Pradesh lagged behind all other States in South India).
Dr. JP said that Andhra Pradesh lags behind all the large States and is competing with Jharkhand for the bottom of the literacy ladder.
Dr. JP visited two schools in Kukatpally constituency (which he represents in the Assembly) today, following their reopening after the summer vacation.
Talking to media, Dr. JP said schools continued to be in a pathetic state because the Government does not have the political will to improve education, although funds are not a constraint. The State is likely to spend only Rs.700 crore of the Rs.1800 crore available for improving infrastructure under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and Madhyamika Siksha Abhiyan this year, he said.
Dr. JP pointed out that the State Government spent nearly Rs.15000 crore on primary and secondary education every year, incurring an expenditure of Rs.15000 on every student. Yet, most schools do not have basic amenities. The Government primary and high schools for girls (located in the same compound in Kukatpally), which he visited today, have nearly 1000 students on their rolls. Yet the schools do not have adequate number of teachers, a playground or drinking water.
Dr. JP said that the poorest of the poor, mostly from illiterate families, attended Government schools. Seven years after education, 25 percent of students cannot read a paragraph in Telugu and 75 percent cannot do a simple division. Absence of adequate number of teachers, class-rooms and other infrastructure are responsible for the parlous state of Government schools. “Teachers are not to blame; if there is one section in society which is not tainted by corruption, it is teachers.”
With a view to remedying the situation, Dr. JP said, he has enlisted the services of volunteers to supplement teachers’ efforts in coaching children. As a result, the percentage of passes in the tenth class went up this year. The Government is implementing a Rs.5.5-crore plan, drawn up by Lok Satta Party activists with the assistance of volunteers, to improve schools in the constituency.
Dr. JP praised Mr. N. Seshagiri Rao and other volunteers for undertaking the school improvement project.
Yes.. there is no denying that the overall quality of education in govt. schools is considered by general public to be a lot lower. The facilities and infrastructure of these schools is also a worry and needs great improvement.
ReplyDeleteI am just tuning myself into politics and welfare of the state/country. So one might find me quite uneducated in these matters. I apologize for the same.
Bettering the amenities, facilities and offerings of govt. schools is a great initiative but is a long process. It will probably take a few years to accomplish a state wide improvement even with the involvement of all those politically and apolitically concerned.
In addition some other steps may also be taken to improve this rate of advancement. The bottomline is to impart quality education to kids. There are man private schools in the state. Actually it is good business so a lot of them are jumping in.
What if the govt. took initiatives and gave tax rebates to schools that provide free education to the impoverished. Like say, if the school educates say a fixed number based on the size and scope of the school - every year, they get a tax rebate of X% or something like that.
Provide a workable model and schools may start inducting people and the growth can be very quick. Parallely, the amenities of govt. schools can be improved to ensure grander development.
I request everyone to comment on this so I will atleast know if what i said is unsound!!
If government removes the restrictions and the permissions that it is expecting from the private schools, that itself is a very big boost for the private schools.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, government unnecessarily puts many restrictions and expects them to take permissions for everything, so that, the politicians and officials get bribes.