Government Schools In Bihar In Danger Of Being Replaced By Cheap, Dingy Tuition Centres: Report

Relevance: GS2 - Issues relating to development of Education

(Source: The Hindu, Down to Earth, 08/05/2023)

Why in the news?

• Recently, a survey conducted by the Jan Jagran Shakti Sanghathan (JJSS) released its report which highlights a grave crisis of Government Schools in Bihar.
• The JJSS conducted a survey of 81 government primary and upper-primary schools in two districts of Bihar in early 2023.
• The survey was conducted under the guidance of notable economist Jean Dreze.

Findings of the Report

• Non-Compliance with RTE Norms: It was found that schools did not meet the norms established by the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
• Low Attendance: Only 23% of enrolled students attend government primary schools in Bihar.
• Acute Teacher Shortage: Only 35% of primary and 5% of upper-primary schools adhering to the RTE norms for student-teacher ratio. Only 58% of appointed teachers were present during the survey.
• Reliance on Private Tuitions: The deteriorating condition of government schools has led to increased reliance on private tuitions.
  • According to ASER Report 2022, the proportion of students in private tuition classes has also increased.
• Poor Infrastructure: Only 7% of primary schools in Bihar function without buildings and that only 20% schools had electricity, water and toilets.
• Failure of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme: Under DBT Scheme, money is given for textbooks in the students' accounts. It imposes a cruel choice on poor families to choose between buying school things and basic necessities like food.
• Impact of COVID-19 and Learning Loss: The crisis worsened the fragile education system. Many Class 1-5 students exhibited declined reading and writing skills post-school reopening, reflecting insufficient measures to tackle learning loss.

Deprivation of facilities under DBT System

• Since 2017, Bihar replaced textbook and uniform distribution in schools with cash transfers through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
• Many students in government schools come from impoverished backgrounds, forcing families to choose between purchasing educational materials or fulfilling basic necessities.
• Parents often face the distressing choice of investing in education or meeting immediate requirements, potentially leading to compromised learning opportunities.
• The money provided by DBT does not always reach the children or their parents. The money is conditional on 75% school attendance, and also requires an Aadhaar-linked bank account.
  • As a result, numerous students' bank accounts in the surveyed blocks were rejected. This rejection disrupts the flow of funds for leaving children without necessary resources for their education.

Way Ahead

• Government schools play a vital role in providing education to a significant portion of India's population. Hence, addressing these challenges will lead to improved education quality and better prospects for students.
• Enforcing a ban on private tuitions during school hours, enhancing ways to address complaints, launching an initiative to improve school attendance, and ensuring adherence to the RTE Act can be considered.
• The increasing representation of women and socially disadvantaged groups among teachers can be an important step towards democratising schools and reducing the social distance between teachers and children.

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FAQs

MCQ

Question: Consider the following statements: (UPSC 2018)

1. As per the Right to Education (RTE) Act, to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in a State, a person would be required to possess the minimum qualification laid down by the concerned State Council of Teacher Education.
2. As per the RTE Act, for teaching primary classes, a candidate is required to pass a Teacher Eligibility Test conducted in accordance with the National Council of Teacher Education guidelines.
3. In India, more than 90% of teacher education institutions are directly under the State Governments.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3

(d) 3 only