Public Education System
Corruption in India is multi-faceted and is not localized to a specific domain. Government tendors and contracts, the Public Disrtibution System, the Real Estate Sector are just the tip of the humongous iceberg. In India government organiations and corruption are synonymous, government schools being no exception. Corruption in public schools is prevalent throughout the country, mainly due to gross ignorance of the authorities and lack of supervision by any state-appointed body. This not only affects the literacy levels of the students but also discourages parents from sending their children to schools thus depriving them of their fundamentla right. Its high time the government ensure proper supervision and functioning of public schools.
The issues plaguing public schools are as described below :
1) Substandard Education
Due to the absence of proper supervision, the prescribed syllabus is never completed on time and the students are required to prepare on their own for the exams.
During class hours, students are asked by teachers to read aloud from textbooks while the teachers did nothing.
2) Teacher absenteeism
According to the UNESCO's Institute Of Education Planning study on corruption states that 25% teacher absenteeism in India is the highest in the world second only to Uganda. Lack of supervision, facilitates absenteeism by teachers.
3) Forced Tuition
The teachers are bestowed wiht complete authority over whether a student passes or fails. The teachers then exploit this by forcing the students to take tuitions from them.
4) Lack of Equipment
Although the students are charged for the equipments, there is no accountability. The students are forced to use poor equipment or no equipment at all.
5) Overcharging by school administration
Parents are charged additional fees for enhancing the education programme, and the parents are forced to pay in fear of retribution. They are also charged admission fee((not the tuition fee) for the admission of a student, something which is prohibited by law. They are also charged for the issuance of transfer certificates, and certificates for proficiency in extra-curricular activities.
In some schools parents are also demanded to pay sums for passing their students. In such cases the fear of retribution is so high that many parents succumb to it.
6) Deductions from schloarships
Many schools deduct a part of the scholarships awarded to exceptional and outstanding students by the government or other philanthropic organizations.
Possible Solutions
Making schools accountable
Schools should be made more accountable by maintaining a parent committee. This would ensure proper utilization of the fees, and to an extent regulate teachers impropriety . Also, the government should ensure proper supervision of public schools, tacking active and stern steps against any malpractises.
Public Private Partnership
By introducing a partnership model, there can be a greater coverage, thus providing education to a greater number of people and in the process, relieving the government of the financial burden. This would also introduce more efficiency as privatization ensures regulation, supervision and striving for excellence inorder to maximise profits. This would lead to a greater abundance of schools, thus engendering competition.
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