Questions about the online petition

Dr. Bhamy V Shenoy, Convener of Mysore Grahakara Parishat has brought up some very pertinent questions which others following this blog might also agree with. Here are his comments verbatim:

   "it is not that the government is not aware of the need for primary education. Please ask yourself what another petition will serve. What we need is the involvement of each and every one who is capable of signing such petitions from the comforts of the house to visit the government schools and see what is happening. How many of us would like to send our children to those schools? Even the figure of 67% literacy is highly exaggerated number.  Many of these "literate" can at the most put their signatures on the paper. 

   We need direct involvement of professionals and not signing petitions which may produce some democratically vibrant countries. India has democracy no doubt, but it is not one where such petitions produce any results. The signatories of such petitions do not vote and it is the illiterates who know the value of the votes (may be in a wrong way) vote.

  I know not many would like to hear what I am writing. But this is a reality in India."

Dr. Shenoy has been working for India's development, including consumer movements and fighting against corruption, since 1987. He is an author of books and has published hundreds of articles on various topics in Indian newspapers. One of them appeared as a cover story in the Industrial Economist titled Million Mutinies to revolutionise India's education sector.

Isn't education critical to a nation's growth?

The mighty USA is grappling with falling standards in education and the Gates Foundation is taking a keen interest in fixing this problem. You can learn more through this article written by Mr. Bob Herbert:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/opinion/29herbert.html?em

Why are Indians ignoring such a critical issue? How do we expect to develop if 15% of 10th standard students reportedly cannot even write a simple letter?

Online Petition created

To make it easier for those who have little time to write postcards or send email, we have created an online petition at:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/cepe/

Please sign it. Also let your friends, who are also concerned about primary education, know.

Postcard campaign continues

 More students from engineering, dental and basic degree colleges in Visakhapatnam have started attending the Saturday evening meetings. One of them has even challenged herself to get a 1000 postcards written. A few more BPO employees have also joined us.

 The dedication of these young Indians is admirable for two reasons - they are spending a Saturday evening in a meeting instead of being out somewhere partying or relaxing; they are talking to their parents and neighbours about these efforts. So what? Well, they are putting paid to the perception that the average Indian does not care about anything in their country. They are doing this for someone else - for primary school children who are much younger than them and who cannot make their voices heard. All this with no expectation of any personal gain.

 One question keeps cropping up since the postcard campaign was suggested - how will my one postcard make a difference? For the benefit of those readers following this blog and wondering the same, here are a few reasons why it is important to write the postcard:

•  First and foremost, writing the postcard is better than accepting the current pathetic situation and not doing anything.
• Our one postcard may not do much but when many thousands and lakhs of postcards (and emails) start arriving at the PM and CMs offices as well as the press, they are bound to notice.
• Even if they do not read the content of every postcard (or email), they will sit up and notice that citizens are clamouring for effective primary education.
• If no one in the government or press responds, we can ask them why they are not doing anything about a pressing issue. They may or may not be doing their job, but if they don't do what is right for the children and the nation, it is our right to ask them why.
• The press has been in the forefront lately in highlighting many important issues. We can also ask them why they seem to be ignoring this urgent issue.
  

Some problems at primary and secondary education level

Alright. This is the first of the much anticipated flash-backs...if readers remember that we started this journey a little of the way into time instead of starting at the beginning. So, without much fanfare, let's get started.

A few teachers and headmasters and headmistresses have kindly accepted our invitation and participated in at least a few of our meetings. While they initially mentioned all the good things that were happening in their schools, when asked to list the problems, here is what they mentioned. (Please note that for the sake of their privacy and since we have not yet taken their permission, their names and schools are not being listed here.)

Source 1:

• Students are at different levels


• Non-uniformity of testing for levels


• Not enough staff


• Lack of regular teachers and trained teachers


• Drinking water is a problem


• Environment is not attractive enough


• Constant training for teachers is not being given

Source 2:

• It would help to have senior people volunteer once a month in a school


• Students need individual attention since they have pronunciation problems


• No extra-curricular activities


• Need teachers with good attitude to nurture children

Source 3:

• Students leave for private school but being unable to cope they return in 3^rd standard


• Bureaucracy and paperwork reduces the time available to teach


• Other responsibilities (like Election Duty) make teachers lose time for teaching students

Source 4:

• Students do not have any physical education/sports training


• Children already in labour market forcefully brought to school do not stay – they go back.


• Children dropout primarily because of parents (who sometimes move due to work availability)

Source 5:

• 40% of the schools in rural areas near Elamanchili have no buildings.


• In some rural areas, the surroundings of the school are used as public toilets making the schools unbearable to study or teach in.


• Only 1 DEO instead of the 4 that are supposed to exist.


• Need 40 MEOs (Mandal Education Officers) but only a few exist.


• Earlier schools had 150 students but now only 5 because the others are joining convents.


• Primarily, mathematics and science teachers are missing.


• Only 15 out of 100 or 30 out of 150 students are ok. Others are not up to the mark.


• Students in 10^th standard barely know how to read and write. Teachers call their parents and ask them for Rs. 500 each to pass the students.


• 6^th standard girl thinks that a 25 paise coin is 50 paise and cannot even write her name.


• Students are being promoted to 7^th because of attendance and not because of ability.


• Unable to read even the first page of 6^th standard text books.


• Introduction of CBSE syllabus (English medium) from 6^th has made even the teachers ineffective because they are from Telugu medium and have not been trained.

Newspaper coverage

Our efforts are being supported by journalists and newspapers, because they have been crying hoarse about the sorry state of affairs in schools for a very long time. Here is a link in one newspaper:

"Primary education is vital for growth of child"
http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/10/stories/2009081054040500.htm

Rally on 14th August 2009 at 4 PM

Schools. Classrooms. Roofs. Playgrounds. Bathrooms. Books. Teachers. Teaching. Power. Water. One or more of these are missing from many schools and colleges. Primary education, the foundation, is also the most neglected. Without a proper foundation, how can we expect to build anything strong and long-lasting? Is it any wonder that over 87% of Indian children are not entering college?

Keeping this in mind, a group of concerned citizens have come together to focus on effective primary education. The idea is to raise awareness in the public, especially parents, regarding the current state of primary education. We hope to make parents ask for and take responsibility for the administration and overseeing of schools within their localities since they are biggest stakeholders. Quality would therefore improve.

As a first step, many people of all ages are participating in a rally on the 14th of August at 4 PM starting from the MLBT school opposite VUDA Park (on the beach road) and ending at the Mahatma Gandhi statue across from the GVMC building.

If you are interested in participating in this rally, please contact us at 9393104756 or 2758217. Even if you cannot or do not want to join the rally, but want to join hands with us, please feel free to contact us.

Next Meeting to be on 8th August at 3 PM

Ok, so this is the first posting and it is going to start off in the middle of the efforts by many concerned citizens in Visakhapatnam. As we go along, I will try and post information related to past events and discussions to help people new catch up with this.

We are planning to meet again in Gayatri Vidya Parishad College in MVP Colony at 3 PM on 8th August. This will be a 2 hour long meeting to bring newcomers up to speed on past happenings and future plans.