National 4 (Spotlight Weekly)

‘Government Schools Are Facing The Apathy Of The State And Society’

—HITKAR BIR SINGH KANSAKAR

HITKAR BIR SINGH KANSAKAR is a well-known social worker. Head teacher of Paropakar Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Kansakar holds the view that growing disparities in the education system will create more problems for the country. Kansakar spoke to SPOTLIGHT on various issues. Excerpts:

Why do public schools consistently fare poorly in the SLC exam?

It is very disappointing that government schools are unable to produce good SLC results. This is not the fault of the government schools alone. It is also a failure of the government's education policy. Everyone knows that government schools used to be as good as today's boarding schools before the New Education Plan was introduced. Our percentage was always higher. The situation is different now, as disparities are growing between the government and private schools in terms of quality of education. Private schools are teaching additional curriculum prescribed in foreign countries, whereas government schools are compelled to confine themselves to state-prescribed curriculum. Although the curriculum at 9 and 10 class are similar in private, government and community schools, they have their own curriculum and textbooks until class 8 in English and Mathematics

If private schools add additional curriculum to enhance the quality of education, can't you do the same?

Since we receive money from the government, we have to follow the policies formulated by them. Unlike private schools, the government penalizes us in case we violate the curriculum and textbook requirements. Public and community schools are compelled to follow government rules. Since the students at public and community schools belong to the lower class rural population, nobody seems to be concerned about their future. As private schools charge high fees, guardians are also concerned with the quality of education. In public schools, fees are low and guardians, too, are little concerned about quality. Students of all high-level employees go to private schools. How can you expect quality education in government schools in such a situation?

It is said that teachers and students in government schools are more interested in politics than in the teaching-learning process. How do you see it?

I agree that there is politicization in government schools. Politicization disturbs the teaching-learning process. If political leaders start to send their children to government schools, they will also work to delink politics from education. Since senior officials and politicians send their children to private schools and foreign countries, they are unaware of this situation.

As you say, the quality of education in public schools was good before the implementation of the New Education Plan. What changed the situation so drastically?

In the early days, schools were under the control of the local community. The government used to provide annual budgets and the community had to manage everything. After the nationalization of schools, the government took direct control of the schools. The teachers are now loyal to the District Education Office (DEO) rather than to the school management and headmaster. The headmaster cannot take action against teachers. Under the present act, headmasters are helpless. They have to close their eyes even if when teachers violate discipline. When teachers have the power to change the headmaster and the district education officer, how can one expect quality education and better SLC results in government schools?

Why are there such disparities in the SLC results?

The methods of private school in grooming the SLC students are different, as they select students on the basis of their performance. But in government schools, we do not have such an option. If we fail some student on the basis of their performance, the parents will come to protest. We have more than 80 students in a class, twice the size of most private schools.

Don't students in government schools have equal capabilities?

All the students have equal capabilities, but the problem is that students of government schools are facing the apathy of society and government. Had they been given the quality education, they would have produced better results. Unfortunately, the loss of these young people seems to be nobody's concern. This is a frustrating situation.

Why is the teaching process so different today?

In the past, there was no intervention in appointment, promotion and dismissal of teachers. Although the government gave certain amount of money every year, it had no role in recruiting teachers. Now along with providing salaries, the DEO appoints teachers and transfers them according to their wish. The teachers are loyal to the DEO rather than the schools. I have to depend upon the DEO. The teachers do not have loyalty to the schools. The headmasters are also responsible for not taking even the limited action against delinquent teachers. Teachers must feel that the schools also belong to them.

What should be done to revive the glory of public schools?

The best way is to hand over the government school to the community like in the past. The management committee and headmaster should be given the right to appoint, transfer and dismiss the teachers. The government should provide annual funds and hand over the operation and management of schools to the community.

The seventh amendment to the Education Act is said to contain certain clauses relating to this. Will it bring any change?

Of course, the seventh amendment has put certain clauses on handing over the schools to the community. The criteria the act has chosen will create new problems. According to act, the parents of the students will now elect the school management committee. There is a possibility of misusing this provision for political purposes. In the school, the teachers and students have already been divided on the basis of ideology. Now there is a possibility of division in the management committee on the basis of political ideology. The seventh amendment will further promote groupism in schools.

How do you see the future of the students who failed the SLC exam?

They have a bleak future. In the case of students of government schools, they don't have any future. Although these students, too, had dreams of becoming doctors and engineers, they could not secure enough marks to fulfill them. Had they been given proper environment and facilities, they would have attained the results their counterparts in private schools have. Unfortunately, there is no one to listen to the voice and do something about the bleak future of these helpless students.

‘Parents Feel Compelled To Send Their Children To Private Schools’

— BABURAM POKHAREL

Founder principal of Vinayak Sudha Higher Secondary Boarding School BABURAM POKHAREL is a well-known educator. Pokharel spoke to SPOTLIGHT on the status of education in Nepal and related issues. Excerpts:

What will happen to the large number of students who failed this year's regular SLC examination?

Students who failed in two subjects will get the opportunity to retake the examination soon. This will help to improve total pass percentage. But this is not the solution for all the students. Technical and vocational training must be given to those who cannot score the marks needed to enter higher education. Although the CTVT has been launching vocational education programs, it must do more. Our concept of the education system is different. The government and parents are more concerned about the SLC certificate than about ensuring that students get proper education and vocational training. It is wrong to assume that every student will have the opportunity to pursue higher education. Some students may prefer to go for technical education. The government has to open more institutions for technical education around the country so that the younger generation can secure the knowledge and skills they require.

Private schools are expensive and remain out of the reach of the average people. Does this fact have a bearing on the country's overall education status?

Experiences of other countries and our own have clearly shown that private schools flourish in a situation where government schools do not provide quality education. In Nepal, there were only a couple of boarding schools until 1972, when the standards of community- and government-run schools were quite high. After the government took over the management of schools, quality started to deteriorate. Although government schools are fully funded by the state, they have not been able to offer quality education. In Korea, Malaysia and other South East Asian countries, the quality of government schools is very high. So there is a rush among parents to secure seats for their offspring. As long as parents get government schools, nobody would want to send children to private schools. If our government schools can create such a proper atmosphere, no parent will send children to private schools. The current disparities will continue until the government schools improve their quality. It becomes a compulsion for parents to send their children to private schools, when they have lost faith in government schools.

Are there any differences within private boarding schools?

Private boarding schools have different qualities in terms of target population. Some private boarding schools are very expensive and cater to children coming from the economically high strata of the population. Others charge fees that are affordable to parents belong to the lower and middle classes. All parents want well-educated and healthy children. They seem to be ready to spend more money for that purpose.

Why are there such major disparities in terms of the SLC pass percentage?

The future of private boarding schools rests on SLC results and overall education quality. So such schools require dedication and hard work from all involved. Why should parent send their children to such schools unless they see a marked difference in terms of discipline and quality of education? Private boarding schools prescribe additional books to improve the quality of education. Their success is a result of the collective efforts of the teachers and the principal.

What suggestions do you have to end the disparities?

The government has to develop a strong monitoring-and-evaluation system so that it can identify the lapses in the education system. The state has been spending a huge amount of money to expand the education system. The time has come to assess the results of that investment. As long as political intervention continues, I don't see any hope for improving the quality of education in government schools. The government has to empower headmasters with hire-and-fire authority. I also studied in government school prior to the implementation of the New Education Plan. But the quality was better than private schools then. In the SLC exam, the results of government schools were quite impressive. If we revive the enthusiasm and dedication of the community, government schools can again lure a large number of students. If the government hands over its schools to the community, giving them sweeping powers like in the past, then there would be some possibility for improvement.

What are the key contributions of private schools?

Private boarding schools provide education to more than 1 million students at different levels and employ 75,000 teachers. They comprise more than 30 percent of total enrolment in school-level education. Private schools have contributed to increasing the quality of education. If you see the quality of students in terms of SLC results, more than 83 percent of students were able to pass the SLC.

What are the reasons behind the success of private schools?

One of the reasons is that the school management can take all kinds of decision promptly. There is strong leadership in private schools. The principal or the founder is responsible for bringing about change. Because of such leadership, private schools can easily add curriculum and take other measures.

It is often accused that private schools teach the curriculum of foreign countries in the name of adding quality. Is this allegation valid?

We certainly have a few good books prescribed in the Indian curriculum. But it would be unfair to say that private schools are following foreign curriculum.

It is said that the government is trying to intervene in the curriculum of private schools to bring it at par with that in government schools. How do you look at this?

Instead of intervening in the curriculum of private schools, the government should make efforts to upgrade the quality of education of government schools so that they can compete. I don't see any rationale in compelling private schools to downgrade their quality of education to match that of government schools. The state has to develop a system to upgrade the quality of government schools.

Why are the SLC results of private schools better?

There is a simple reason: we spend a lot of time preparing their students. We run our schools in accordance with the annual school calendar. We produce better results because we work harder.