Educating Tomorrow..

Since independence in 1947, India has striven towards education for all. A well-educated workforce was crucial to the democracy dreamt of by Jawaharlal Nehru. India’s first prime minister saw social inclusion as an important step in India’s transformation from a nation divided by caste and religion into an progressive society in which everyone would prosper. Universal education would bring a break from an age-old culture of privilege which the British colonial system served only to reinforce. Under the  British Raj, those from wealthy, well-educated backgrounds continued to occupy positions of power in the Indian establishment. Despite India’s aspirations, the statistics today remain dire.

The number of illiterate adults is India is about 247 million - that's close to the entire population of the United States. Even after the Right to Education Act (RTE), which was enacted on 4 August 2009, six years ago, the  1.4 million Indian children aged 6-11 out of school.Why would that be happening in a country which started the battle against poverty and illiteracy 69 years ago???

Privilege still rules in a society where the school system is a money making bussiness. The wealthy benefit from a world-class education delivered by a network of prestigious English-language private schools. These institutions offer a range of internationally-recognised qualifications.However, lower down the social scale, children attend moderately respectable state schools which offer government-affiliated qualifications to students from less affluent backgrounds. But that’s still not where the problem is.

Access to education is the major concern in rural schools as there are fewer committed teachers, lack of proper text books and learning material in the schools. Though Government schools exist, but when compared to private schools then quality is a major issue. Majority of people living in villages have understood the importance of education and know that it is the only way to get rid of poverty. But due to lack of money they are not able to send their children to private schools and hence depend upon government schools for education. Above that, in some of the government schools there is only one teacher for the entire school and if they don’t show up at work, then it is a holiday. If the quality along with number of teachers and, that too committed teachers can be improved in these schools, then aspiring rural children and India can fulfill their dreams of doing something great.

It isn’t that we as a country can not prosper and progress, if only everybody would understand the importance of giving equal opportunity to the kids across the country and the education system would be worked out as to help each one of them.