Reform started by Dr.Man Mohan Singh has been haunting and
tormenting all the sectors but the education sector is worst hit by these
so-called reforms. Instead of appointed meritorious teachers, the policymakers
have been trying to equip the classrooms with technology, instead of appointed
the good teachers. There are around six million teaching posts in the
government schools nationwide, but approximately one fourth were vacant in
2918.
The report released by ASER 2018 is also very disappointing.
It reminds that education departments are not prepared to deliver quality
education to children. This is the reality of all the states. Poor teaching in
schools hampers children’s capability to understand even basic tasks and
education. This, in turn, makes them unemployable in the competitive market and
to get meaningful employment. Senseless reforms like No Detention System,
internal evaluation etc have ruined the quality education and nearly spoiled
the reading habit of students. Around 75% of the students’ surveyed, in the age
group of 14 to 16 were incapable to explain and solve simple mathematical
problems.
Reforms and development fail to enable the teacher to impart
quality teaching and education. This is the very serious shortcoming in the
educational system in India. There are around 6 million positions in government
schools countrywide; roughly, 1.5 million posts were unfilled in 2016. Service
Commissions, governments, bureaucracy, judiciary etc all are responsible for
this problem. Jharkhand (40%) has the highest number of vacant post as a
percentage of total approved posts, followed by Bihar (35%), and Delhi (30%),
among all the states and UTs.
Candidates and the applicants are also responsible for this
shortage of qualified teachers also worsens this problem. Recently, for the
2018 Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET), of the 1.7 million candidates who
appeared for the 2018 Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET), in the recruitment
exam for would-be teachers, only 178,273 (17%) candidates passed the primary
school teachers test and 126,968 (15%) candidates passed the middle school
teacher tests. However, due to the provision of quotas, the authorities are
forced to lower the merit of teachers.
The National Council on Teacher Education (NCTE) and The
Tata Trusts have been working together to build up a model program of study for
teacher training programmes. Additionally, the Trust is developing a Centre of
Excellence in teacher education, which will have the facility to study and
prepare core curriculum improvement, project execution, publication and
research, management of teacher data, and evaluation and monitoring. But the
politics of vote banks have failed all the attempts of excellence.
Technology can definitely be an important helper for
accomplishing excellence in education with the objectives of access, excellence
and fairness. However, it cannot create excellent teachers or can convert a
poor teacher as an excellent teacher. Therefore, technology cannot substitute
teachers; rather, it should serve to empower and help them.
The term Information and Communication Technology should be
used more holistically and there is a need to look beyond the literal meaning
of the phrase. The government is spending substantial expenditure to made and
develop the infrastructure for teacher education, and content and curriculum
but the outcome is not encouraging. Most of the funds are syphoned by a corrupt
bureaucracy, NGOs and teachers. Money should not be wasted on useless
workshops, seminars, conferences, visits, lectures and projects. It is
essential for technology to be integrated into curriculum delivery and teacher
ability building honestly.
The India Consensus, in partnership between Tata Trusts and
the Copenhagen Consensus Center, conducting a cost-benefit analysis came to the
conclusion that with, an investment of Rs1,333 ($21) per student per year,
would generate a multiplier outcome of making benefits to society and the
government worth Rs 74 for every rupee spent. In another study and research in
Andhra Pradesh projected that applying computer-based education would lead to a
wage enhance of 5.1% and life span profits worth Rs 83,000 ($1,313). But all
this exercise will deprive lakhs of people of employment. Excellent teachers will
not be able to show their excellence and merit.
There has been a sharp increase in the enrollment of the
students. However, most of them are non-serious students. A huge amount of
education expenditure is wasted on such students as a share of the total
permitted budget. The huge budget has been allocated for the Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan, the national programme for elementary education, for Rashtriya
Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, the integrated national programme for secondary school
education but the standard of the students have been declining due to improper
use of budget.
The implementation of the Right to Education has also failed
to improve the standard of the students. There is no remarkable achievement in
this act. Only enrollment has increased. Students come to grab the freebies
like Mid Day Meal, or other free things.
It is now time for us to in tandem focus on growth the
systems for teachers and control technology to get better of learning effects
if we are to construct human assets in the country. To develop learning levels
in schools, widen and facilitate quality teachers to execute their professional
excellence.
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