Seeking Quality for EducationEducation is being billed as a priority area for governmental assistance, and ‘quality’ is the new watch word. It is heartening in Sikkim to learn that education is receiving a relook, the challenge now will be ensure that the appraisal is frank and forthright and the course correction effective.
The reference here is to the ambitious survey and appraisal of school education initiated by the State Government about two years ago. The findings of this appraisal should be coming in any time now. Let’s look at where Sikkim stands vis a vis school education at present. The density of schools in Sikkim leaves no room for complaint and the free textbooks and uniform scheme of the government ensures that at least the tools required to remain in school are in place. Schemes like the mid-day meal are also pegged as incentives to keep students in school, but the only effective incentive will be the quality of education that is imparted in the classrooms, not the quality of food served during breaks. That said, enrolment is handsome in Sikkim’s schools and kids here can complete education if they so desire. There is the concern over high drop-out rates, but that will require the involvement of more agencies than just a government department alone to redress. What is necessary now is to ensure that schools groom students, not just prepare them to pass their board exams. There is no prescribed set of do’s and don’ts by which this can be achieved, but a good place to begin would be to offer respect and provide inspiration. Respect for the students and their education and inspiration for the teachers and their responsibilities.
There is much in the education system of the country and the State that can be improved, but what is important to bear in mind is to first get everything that is already in place to perform to its potential. When one seeks respect for students, it is with the end result of these children growing up into self-respecting and confident citizens themselves. This possibility is denied them when their school infrastructure is allowed to waste away, when basic amenities like clean toilets and drinking water are either not provided or not maintained, when they are allowed to complete entire terms without adequate delegation of teachers. This condition of school campuses has only worsened with the 18 September Earthquake and many schools are running in shifts from constricted spaces or have moved into rented accommodation because the school buildings were not as resilient as one would wish infrastructure were children spend most of the day should be. The panchayats now have a say in education and school management committees have been incorporated everywhere. It would not be a bad idea to require every panchayat and SMC to release a school update to the media every month, including the status of teacher deployment and health of other infrastructure in the schools. In the post-quake times of the present, it would be welcome to receive a school-wise update on the impact of the earthquake on each and every school, both, private and government, in Sikkim. What is worrying though is that is no embarrassment is felt by anyone even when obvious failures such as inadequate poor construction, not enough classrooms, inadequate furniture, missing libraries and short deployment of teachers is played out in public by protesting parents or students. It is obviously because the system does not prioritise respect enough and government officers see themselves as dispensing favours, not public service; a scenario in which people and students are expected to be grateful for whatever they receive.
These attitudes need to change if quality is to be imparted in school classrooms. The lavish pay hike for teachers is fine, teacher training [underway across the State] always welcome and with the right attention paid to physically developing and maintaining schools as centres of learning, the inspiration required to revitalise the teaching fraternity will be complete. Once what is possible with the existing infrastructure and resources has been achieved, the loftier aspirations of quality can be targeted. For that final aim, it would be advisable for the policy-makers to set a clear target on what they want government schools in Sikkim to become, then grade the schools so that once efforts to scale up ‘quality’ are rolled out, it is possible to return at regular intervals and measure the achievements. At present, ‘quality’ is a loosely defined and poorly understood term, this will simply not do; it needs to be quantified into measurable terms covering infrastructure, attendance, staffing patterns, co-curricular engagements, community participation, creative outputs etc.
The reference here is to the ambitious survey and appraisal of school education initiated by the State Government about two years ago. The findings of this appraisal should be coming in any time now. Let’s look at where Sikkim stands vis a vis school education at present. The density of schools in Sikkim leaves no room for complaint and the free textbooks and uniform scheme of the government ensures that at least the tools required to remain in school are in place. Schemes like the mid-day meal are also pegged as incentives to keep students in school, but the only effective incentive will be the quality of education that is imparted in the classrooms, not the quality of food served during breaks. That said, enrolment is handsome in Sikkim’s schools and kids here can complete education if they so desire. There is the concern over high drop-out rates, but that will require the involvement of more agencies than just a government department alone to redress. What is necessary now is to ensure that schools groom students, not just prepare them to pass their board exams. There is no prescribed set of do’s and don’ts by which this can be achieved, but a good place to begin would be to offer respect and provide inspiration. Respect for the students and their education and inspiration for the teachers and their responsibilities.
There is much in the education system of the country and the State that can be improved, but what is important to bear in mind is to first get everything that is already in place to perform to its potential. When one seeks respect for students, it is with the end result of these children growing up into self-respecting and confident citizens themselves. This possibility is denied them when their school infrastructure is allowed to waste away, when basic amenities like clean toilets and drinking water are either not provided or not maintained, when they are allowed to complete entire terms without adequate delegation of teachers. This condition of school campuses has only worsened with the 18 September Earthquake and many schools are running in shifts from constricted spaces or have moved into rented accommodation because the school buildings were not as resilient as one would wish infrastructure were children spend most of the day should be. The panchayats now have a say in education and school management committees have been incorporated everywhere. It would not be a bad idea to require every panchayat and SMC to release a school update to the media every month, including the status of teacher deployment and health of other infrastructure in the schools. In the post-quake times of the present, it would be welcome to receive a school-wise update on the impact of the earthquake on each and every school, both, private and government, in Sikkim. What is worrying though is that is no embarrassment is felt by anyone even when obvious failures such as inadequate poor construction, not enough classrooms, inadequate furniture, missing libraries and short deployment of teachers is played out in public by protesting parents or students. It is obviously because the system does not prioritise respect enough and government officers see themselves as dispensing favours, not public service; a scenario in which people and students are expected to be grateful for whatever they receive.
These attitudes need to change if quality is to be imparted in school classrooms. The lavish pay hike for teachers is fine, teacher training [underway across the State] always welcome and with the right attention paid to physically developing and maintaining schools as centres of learning, the inspiration required to revitalise the teaching fraternity will be complete. Once what is possible with the existing infrastructure and resources has been achieved, the loftier aspirations of quality can be targeted. For that final aim, it would be advisable for the policy-makers to set a clear target on what they want government schools in Sikkim to become, then grade the schools so that once efforts to scale up ‘quality’ are rolled out, it is possible to return at regular intervals and measure the achievements. At present, ‘quality’ is a loosely defined and poorly understood term, this will simply not do; it needs to be quantified into measurable terms covering infrastructure, attendance, staffing patterns, co-curricular engagements, community participation, creative outputs etc.
With due respect to the Editor, whose commitment and sincerity I have no reason to doubt, this is an extremely lazy critique of what ails the education sector in Sikkim. The malaise is much deeper rooted and far more serious than what you have mentioned in your editorial. In fact, you have only just skimmed the surface.
ReplyDeleteThe reality is that State funded education system is a failure almost everywhere in the country. I think it is about time we looked beyond. It is as if everything the State touches turns lazy and corrupt.