Shun education that’s only for the rich
Since independence, the government’s ambitious goal has been universalization of education – making education available to all children in the age group of 6 – 14 – which from 2002 is also guaranteed as the Right to Education. While the government’s success in achieving this ambitious goal is open for debate, what the government has successfully achieved is the creation of deep divisions in the Indian education system.
The divisions are many, for example, ‘Government Schools – Private Schools, ‘English Medium – Kannada medium’. These divisions, though seemingly innocuous, reflect the deep-rooted division in the society between the ‘haves and have-nots’. And this divide is increasing sharply than ever before.
Government schools are almost failing in their attempts to compete with the quality of education offered by most private schools that offer English medium education. Students studying in government schools are finding it difficult to meet the challenges of the real world. The government has for long-neglected the recommendation from experts to introduce a common school system at least till high school. One reason for this is the erosion of values in the concept of education that does not consider schools as temples of learning but as commercial, money-making ventures. Similar to five-star hospitals, five-star schools are being established and politicians are at the forefront to invest in these schools.
That the poor and those belonging to economically weaker sections were deprived of education based on their caste was one of the reasons for the government to set forth on ambitious goals after independence but privatization along with the commercialization of education has ensured that education remains the forte of the privileged few. The state of government schools is pathetic with the lack of students forcing many of them to close down and several existing ones suffering without adequate infrastructure. The challenges and the daily battles that parents, who send their children to government schools as they can’t afford private schools, face are many. At the same time, in the midst of all the gloom, there are also government schools which have received public support and have done wonders and won accolades. But this is a rarity.
In this post-Corona lockdown era that lies ahead of us, the already divided education system seems to be heading for the great ‘digital divide’ – an extension of the divide that already exists in the society - through ‘online education’ which we take great pride in. On the pretext that the Coronavirus might spread widely if schools re-open, online education is being offered and is converting homes into schools. Many state governments are taking huge strides in this direction by implementing online education and making sure that teachers conduct classes online and children attend classes on computers or smartphones and prepare for examinations.
This is similar to how digital banking was offered to people after Prime Minister Modi announced demonetization. But, the concept of digital banking did not reach people extensively as envisaged other than the rich and upper-middle classes in cities who could use technology. However, digital technology has led to a proliferation in online banking frauds. Instead of committing bank burglaries, the fraudsters are finding it easier to loot banks digitally. Now the government has unleashed digitalization to destroy the education system.
The recent uproar over the death of an elephant after being force-fed crackers in Kerala was understandable but our response to the suicide of a Dalit student Devika, in the same state because she could not access the online education system that the Kerala Government has introduced has been muted. This student had to attend online classes on a TV channel but the TV at her house was not working. Her father, a laborer and jobless due to the lockdown could not raise the money to get the TV repaired. Buying a smartphone was beyond their reach. The girl who was intelligent and perhaps feared that her future would be ruined was depressed and burnt herself to death. People who shed tears for the death of the elephant were not moved by the death of this student. Nobody was willing to understand that this was not suicide but murder.
Through her suicide, Devika has shown that the government’s decision to provide digital education is similar to an invitation for mass suicide of students belonging to the poor and weaker sections.
This tragic incident raises several significant questions around online education - access to digital technology without which the concept of online education is bound to fail. In Karnataka alone, only 26 lakh of the 48 lakh families with school-going children have smartphones, and, according to government estimates, about 40 percent of children would be out of the purview of this form of education. At the same time, children may not use smartphones for educational purposes even if their parents can afford them.
Added to this are the problems of malfunctioning smartphones or network connectivity issues. Online education is thus proving to be torturous for children of the middle class and the poor. Only the upper-middle class and the rich would then be in a position to maximize the benefits of online education. For children of government schools though, online classes will remain a mirage.
It is also likely that the move to embrace online education would prove detrimental to the education of the girl child. If homes become schools, it is unlikely that parents will encourage girls to learn as much as they encourage boys. Girls, along with those in the poorer and economically weaker sections, will thus be deprived of education.
Also, the rich and upper-middle-class strata can access different options for engaging their children in sports and cultural activities and not depend on the schools alone. But for the poor and the marginalized, schools are a hub for their all-round development. We should, therefore, make sure that education is not restricted to only the rich and privileged class. Even if there is a delay of two months, academic activities should begin only in schools and not a single child should be deprived of education because of the digital divide.
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Alleging unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers, TMC files complaint with EC
Kolkata (PTI): The TMC on Saturday said it has filed a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers at an EVM strongroom in Kolkata.
TMC workers, who have been camping outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, alleged that eight trunks of postal ballots were brought in at 4 am and were taken to a room, which has no CCTV coverage.
"We have been demanding that every single millimetre of space where EVMs and postal ballots be under CCTV surveillance. But as these trunks were taken inside, it was clear that they were taken to a room not under CCTV cover. Why should this happen," a TMC member asked.
Voting machines from several assembly segments of northern and eastern Kolkata are stored at the strongroom at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra.
As TMC activists were demonstrating, BJP's Shyampukur candidate Purnima Chakraborty reached the spot with her supporters, escalating tensions.
Both sides started shouting slogans as police stood between them, attempting to bring the situation under control.
Chakraborty claimed that sensing defeat, TMC workers were creating chaos outside the strongroom.
Later, the TMC said it filed a complaint with the EC over the issue.
Similar scenes were witnessed outside the strongroom at the Barasat Government College in North 24 Parganas district, where TMC workers demonstrated, alleging that the CCTV was switched off for 17 minutes in the morning.
TMC's Ashoknagar candidate Narayan Goswami reached the spot, demanding that he be allowed inside the building.
An election official said the CCTV cameras were working fine, but the power cables of the monitors installed outside the centre snapped.
"The 17-minute footage will be shared with TMC or whichever party wants it," he said.
In Purba Bardhaman district, the BJP shared a purported video that showed a person scaling the walls of the University Institute of Technology, where EVMs had been stored.
The EC said the video was old and the person seen in it was engaged for the installation of CCTV cameras and ACs.
