Education for all campaign in India - Myth or Reality?

Education for all campaign in India - Myth or Reality?

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." - Maimonides. This is what education is. This is the importance of education. India lost its past glory it had in the field of science and technology. It suffered under foreign invasion including the British. In these times, not much was done to develop education system. It was expected that a revolution would take place after independence. It has been over 60 years and we still are waiting for that revolution. There has been a very gradual rise in literacy. A new momentum is expected to be given by the ‘Education for all’ campaign, however looking at the problems plaguing the educational system and corruption going on everywhere, it seems more of a myth than reality.

Myth –

1. A simple and primary survey of number of available schools and the number of children in India will show that this campaign is just a myth.

2. There is no adequate infrastructure available to bring such campaigns into reality.

3. We can argue that as campaign proceeds, the infrastructure will develop, but it is far from easy. Building and developing schools is a time consuming task. It’s not just the building. It also includes capable teachers.

4. There are not enough good teachers to man these schools. Without good teachers, no quality of school can impart good quality education.

5. Many children live in rural and inaccessible areas. It’s been more than 50 years and still the government has not reached them. It is to be overconfident to assume that this campaign will suddenly make a difference and reach all of them in few swoops.

6. Education for all also includes women and girls literacy programs. The cultural fabric of the nation is so rigid when it comes to traditions that a campaign like this can hardly dent it. Even today women are seen to be confined to the house in most of the rural areas apart from the agricultural labor they perform.

7. The Bill that has made free and compulsory education available to all children between six and fourteen years is very inadequate. It remains silent on the quality of education to be provided. Quantity trading off for quality is not useful at all.

8. One of the major sore points in the Bill is that the responsibility of guaranteeing education to children is of the parents and guardians. We agree that parents need to be made conscious of the importance of education for their children; however it is often their economic conditions that prevent them from sending their children to school.

9. Such mighty and lofty goals were there right from the independence. It was the political will that lacked. Currently too it is the lack of political will that is taking this campaign towards becoming a myth.

Reality –

1. The increase in literacy levels presents the reality.

2. It is not just the percentage increase but also the absolute number of literates has increased. As per the contrary belief, it is the number of women literates which has increased by a lot.

3. We can argue regarding infrastructure. Though India lacks infrastructure, India can utilize its informal structure to impart formal education. Many a times, schools with small number of students are held in open like the Gurukul method of ancient India.

4. Adult literacy is another area which is catching on. Teaching adults in informal environment like out in the open or holding classes in someone's house has paid dividend.

5. Education is not merely going to school. It’s imparting skills of reading, writing and developing capacities to understand things going on around us. This also includes building capacity to adopt newer techniques and technologies. Farmers using cellphones, credit and debit cards, and making investment decisions is a living proof of the education campaign benefits.

Conclusion

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela. It can be imparted in any form as long as it can be used by the recipient for his/her own or society's progress. There might have been many failed attempts to achieve the lofty targets; however that does not mean that we must stop trying. It only means that we need to change our strategy. Every big step was shrugged off or dismissed as a myth, an unachievable ideal. Constant efforts and the attitude of not giving up have brought these dreams, ideals and goals into reality. We must leave this cynicism aside and contribute towards making this campaign a success.