Comments on: Don’t Blame The Export Of Tuitions

By: Dayashankar Mohanlal Joshi

Dayashankar Mohanlal Joshi — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:10:20 +0000

Please read

“Begin removing bribes from Indian Education”

http://www.dmjoshi.org

By: Nitin

Nitin — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 02:44:26 +0000

Dear Suraj,

Why is primary education and healthcare a fundamental right? Because you say so?

By: lakshmi

lakshmi — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 15:18:42 +0000

Primary education is needed especially in the rural areas . I have visited village in tamil nadu . Some parts of the village have no school .Even today childerns are carrying pots in their head bringing water which are miles away . We are talking about literacy growth . Childern sometimes drop out from the school may be due to some psychological reason . Education is must for the children .It is the duty of the education department to educate the childern and first of all parents .

By: Suraj

Suraj — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 00:28:04 +0000

Everyone seems to be missing the point.

YES – the analogy Nitin tries to make seems plausible, but its specious at best. The difference is very fundamental.

Primary education is a FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT.

Owning a car or a two wheeler is not a fundamental right
Automating ‘babudom’ is not a fundamental right.

Universal Health Care is Basic Human Right…probably on the verge of being a Fundamental Right. But Education & most importantly Primary education IS. So, the displeasure expressed by M.Reddy is completely understandable. Championing capitalism is one thing – but being a capitalistic mercenary is another. Pick your choice.

I can certainly understand the rationale – why The Economist decided on considered it worthy of print.

By: Revathi

Revathi — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 08:56:35 +0000

the downward spiral reinforces itself- a very accurate description of
public school education in India.

So what is the reason for this downward spiral?

Political interference?, Teacher selection criteria? lower salaries?
Parental indifference?

Also, I think we have a more diverse student population today than 50 years ago that makes teaching even more challenging

By: SM

SM — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 00:56:37 +0000

Outsourcing is clearly not to blame. While more $$ needs to be spent, it is clear that “ROI” on the current $ being spent on education (student graduation rates etc) is lower than one would expect. Perhaps a part of this is related to the expectations post that you have on your blog. Teachers are expected to have a high rate of truancy (see Kaushik Basu’s paper on the subject at http://www.cid.harvard.edu/bread/abstracts/112.htm), school boards and education bureaucrats are expected to be corrupt…etc. This less than expected ROI in education makes it harder to justify more investment and the downward spiral reinforces itself.

By: K.R.Athiyaman

K.R.Athiyaman — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 01:33:34 +0000

Anshul,

the govt schools were under local bodies until 60s and functioned well. my school, Muncipal Higher Secondary School, Karur is 150 years old and had excellent standards until 60s. Due to over centralisation
by bureacrats, the schools were brought under the Dist.Education officers and state govt. and lack of accountablity and local control,
plus socialism (with job security) has eroded the standards. Hire and fire will only work to make these teachers teach sincerely..

By: Rishav

Rishav — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 20:47:47 +0000

“And why India despite being a liberal democracy, for almost three generations, hasn’t done so well as a society (in solving it’s own problems). Again, its easier said then done.”

we are off topic here ..anyway..

Liberal – I don’t think so, Plus a lot of institutions were corroded in the 70s. consequently lower gains from democracy. Build institutional mechanisms..thats my answer… and coming back to the topic..the guy is participating in the civil society, by doing what he thinks will give him the best shot to contribute. Why should he go for the suboptimal solution (for him)..eg work in some other sector in India..that way we are neither advocating free markets while not even going for a central plan..

also..the concept of ‘participating in civic society’ needs to be fleshed out…I feel these kind of concepts tend to mislead..Its alright if you differentiate between Investment (eg building capacity) and or consumption..even there the theory is not very clear cos they form a cycle (sort of)..so why berate any kind of economic activity..

By: Anshul

Anshul — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 18:14:08 +0000

my two cents:
1. Govt school techers get more salries than thier private counterpart and are usually more qualified ( They get through competitive exmas) except the costly public schools. So clearly issue is one of willingess.
2. Now who can make these teachers work ? either parents or administraiton.
Now these parents are able to extract better output from middle rung private schools but not from govt schools becuase these parents are poor. Some 40 yrs back govt schools were used by almost all sections of society .This insured parental pressure .Now rich and middle class people no longer use govt school ,even in villages so the problem.
3. Administration – has one ever wondered why Kendriya vidyalaya which is also a govt institute works so well but not state govt schools . Becuase central govt officers use kendriya vidyalaya so they have a stake in its good condition but no state employee has stake in state govt schools. One option could be to handover these schools to local municipalites .Reuslts of pressure by locla people will reform these schools which is not possible when they are controlled form state capital.

By: Chandra

Chandra — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 16:45:39 +0000

Nitin, couldn’t agree more. One just has to look at the policy making contours of allowing foreign universities to form institutions locally.

Rishav, I am not saying one should do something to please, the usually un-pleaseable, junta. But a society where middle class participate – not everyone in every activity, but in those activities that they have a stake in – is a better society. That, I think, is the secret of western societies success – not incorruptible politicians, not noble prizes, not multinationals, not well trained armies. And why India despite being a liberal democracy, for almost three generations, hasn’t done so well as a society (in solving it’s own problems). Again, its easier said then done.