BY MUSHTAQ AHMAD BHAT
As, there has been umpteen times speculations regarding the Govt. teacher ,as why he has turned out to be a parent in private institutions. The question is monomial in nature ,yet answers are varied .Despite being a qualified one , why on earth he doesn’t enroll his own wards in Govt.school.The institution where he is considered a torch bearer, an epitome of trust and faith. The reasons are manifold, a govt teacher knows best ,regarding the govt school educational atmosphere rather than anyone else ,even other higher officials don’t know what he knows. He has a birds eye view of the whole system of govt school ecosystem, but is helpless to rectify the same. Some reasons which are pragmatic in nature can be elaborated as :-
1.LESS TEACHING DAYS:-The academic calendar of govt schools resumes from 1st November and culminates at 31st October of next year. Though the academic calendar is same for private and govt schools ,yet a govt teacher gets less no of teaching days .He has to wait for results and text books , which is out of his reach ,this consumes a pretty good time of November month. No sooner he does the exercise of the same, winter vacations knock the door. The teacher now meets the students in march. Whereas, private schools declare results in time bound manner and resume the classes at the earliest.
2.OFFICIAL BURDEN:-No doubt , there is dire need of maintaining official records , yet same exercise cannot be taken for months together. Main official burden is MDM, INFORMATION OF STAFF , BUILDING, ROLL, DISE, NEW ENROLLMENT, SCHOLARSHIPS, etc.Here in private schools the same service is discharged by clerk or any accountant. Besides, higher offices never store information permanently , hence take fresh statements every week, thereby adding to chaos of the government teacher.
3.TEXTBOOKS AND SYLLABI: -Text books and syllabi is not upto mark in govt schools. The books are more activity based and demonstrative in nature. Though activity based methodology is good. But how can a student come directly to activity ,when he don’t know theoretical part .The result being that students though understand activity in their vernacular language ,but feel obstructed while penning down the same in examination. Hence cannot fair better.
4.TEACHER TRAININGS: Though capacity building and knowledge updating is much better, but midsession trainings , which puts academic calendar on halt is more hazardous than any good.Govt needs to train teachers in winter vacations so that the teaching /learning process is not chocked. The same disturbance in academic calendar is not found in private institutions.
5.MISCELLANIOUS WORK: A Govt teacher has to work in different capacities to run govt machinery, he has to act as BLO, PO, CENSUS OFFICER, ZRP, RP, etc. Though these are less days , yet when added with gazetted holidays it becomes huge no. Here again Private teacher is much stable than govt teacher.
6.POOR INFRASTRUCTURE: -No doubt there is huge intervention of govt for building infrastructure, but school buildings’ in majority of cases have only three to four rooms. Hence combination of classes is given priority, this leads to poor delivery of goods owing to limited time.
7.ENROLLMENT DRIVE AND MUSSHROM GROWTH OF PVT SCHOOLS:-On one side there is thrust on enrollment drive , while on other side there is clustering of pvt. schools in single habitation. The no of pvt. schools has got tremendous pace that too in a single area , this has led to not only low pupil teacher ratio ,but migration of primary students from govt to private, as they get basic skills from govt schools like ,reading and writing and then shift to private institutions, thereby leaving govt schools empty. Here, govt needs to frame laws to give registration only those schools where there are no other schools in catchment area.
8.DEPLOYEMENT OF TEACHERS: Majority of teachers are deployed from one school to another creating hurdles in maintenance of daily teaching routine, that too in mid sessions. Here again, govt teacher is helpless.
- NO PROVISION OF NURSERY CLASSES: – In govt. schools , though KG, classes are in vogue ,but are not officially recognized , for text books and other facilities. The class is not recognized in it true sense. Contrary to this in private schools, there is much focus on pre-primary stage, the result being that their basics are clear which gives them a solid foundation. Whereas majority of students are enrolled in 1st class in govt schools, to enhance the roll. The pre-primary stage is skipped, which bears bad consequences in higher classes.
Above all there are other problems as well, which are beyond the reach of govt teacher, thus metamorphosing him to a helpless parent in the private institution. Unless and until govt will not rationally think about the work culture in govt schools , and will not focus on effective teaching /learning process more practically, till then the govt teacher is parent there always .Mere enforcing govt teacher to enroll their wards in school is not the solution, but inspiring the general masses towards quality education in govt schools, is the key .For this purpose govt teacher together with administration has to work by leaps and bounds till the sun of quality education glitters in the yards of govt institutions.
The author, MA English /MA Philosophy ,BEd is a Govt. Teacher and can be reached at mushtaqbutt4u@gmail .com
