I once visited a local government school. Can you imagine the chaos I found myself in!!!
There were two three kids washing their 'guruji's' motorbike, there was a another boy who was singing for the 'guruji' while the 'guruji' was snoring in his chair and all the other students were doing something or the other waiting eagerly for the afternoon meal to be served.
This is no story. It is a stark reality that faces rural India. Government is trying all that it can to boost elementary education in villages under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, except providing education. Government should take appropriate steps to provide quality education to the villagers along with the meal they provide. Because of 'gurujis' like the one mentioned and the education as poor as being taught nothing; 9/10th of the students who have joined schools have done so for the daily meal and not for education. The remaining 1/10th put in a lot of effort to study on their own to qualify their 8th and 10th board exams and study further. According to me, we do not elect governments for charity but for empowerment.
What is your take? It is time for us to ponder and take up the challenge for ensuring better quality education to the rural folk, if we want to include them in the Indian growth story.
Hmmm .. sad state of affairs! Good points raised, Smitha! Esp: >> "we do not elect governments for charity but for empowerment".
ReplyDeleteOn a lighter note, What about our very own guruji @ LIBA? .. I know he's yet to get his own motorbike, though :)