There are about 15,000 Government primary schools in Odisha which are going to be closed on the ground of inadequate student strength, as decided by State Government. It is found that a major chunk of these schools are located in the backward tribal regions of the State.
On the other hand, there has been a mushroom growth of private schools with support of the Government. Even in order to encourage private schools the criteria of opening new schools in KBK and tribal sub plan areas has been relaxed.
This move of the Government will have large ramifications over the primary education sector and critically impact people in rural and tribal areas largely inhabited by marginalised communities struggling to access education with difficulties. As observed in today’s situation the children of STs, SCs and other rural poor have over presence in Government run residential and non -residential schools and for a number of reasons, they have been dependent on the Government for availing primary education. The move of winding up schools and encouraging privatization will drastically limit the scope of access to education for these underprivileged.
As observed, barring fee hike issues, the parents of private schools have no other matters to complain about. However let's not forget that such schooling is a day dream in the rural and tribal areas. It is much difficult for the poor to choose private schools though already private English medium schools have captured public mind as most preferred destination for quality primary education.
The closure of schools with the plea of student insufficiency and less student-teacher ratio is not convincing because our national average of 24:1 is much lower than many developed countries such as Brazil, China, Britain, Russia, Canada and Sweden where the ratio is between 9:1 and 19:1(NCES).
The scheduled areas, KBK region and north-west districts are extremely backward in terms of educational infrastructure as well as quality of education. A majority of inhabitants in these areas have been reeling under abject poverty and many of them opt seasonal migration which leads to discontinuation of schooling of their children resulting in a higher dropout rate.
The closure of schools without viable alternative arrangement will affect the children's access to school as well as rise in the dropout rate.
The withdrawal of State from basic commitment of education service as a constitutional pledge to its citizens in an unequal society like ours with many forms of graded social and economic structures will definitely disturb people in the lowest ladder of the social structure.
Globally primary education is identified as a foundation of a child towards realization of development, dignity, and path to progress and it is also decided to be free and compulsory for all children. The Constitution of India has identified education as a fundamental right and it is the responsibility of the State to ensure this for all children without any barrier of any kind.
But unfortunately, the Government of a backward State such as Odisha with presence of many educationally, socially and economically backward communities has moved in a direction that contradicts the constitutional guarantees.
On thr contrary, there is the APP Government in Delhi which has done a commendable work in developing Government run schools in terms of infrastructure and quality at par with others in a region known as hub of private schools.
As observed by a number of official institutions such as CAG, NHRC and AISESR, the status of primary education in the State of Odisha has not been changing much in terms of quality teaching, infrastructure and inclusive access.
The dropout rate and number of child labour of the State is acute in comparison to developed States of India such as Kerala and is therefore a matter of concern.
But there has been no step by the School and Mass Education department to address these issues to improve the quality of primary education. A scope has been created through the Right To Education (RTE) Act to ensure inclusive education for all but experience shows that the provision for admission in private schools is not in the interest of the weaker sections.
There has been consistently low spending by the State from its own budgetary source so far as education sector is concerned and it is increasingly dependent on Central aid, WB, IMF loan, corporates and PPP mode.
So it is suggested that the State must adopt a common school system for all its children irrespective of their socio-economic status and must stop the process of privatisation of primary school education by closing Government schools.
(manasbbsr15@gmail.co)