Travails In Education

(Opinion published in Herald, 1/3/2013) Soter D’Souza The state and community response to the horrific shootout at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conneticut, USA, that claimed the lives of 20 children and six educators ~ probably has lessons in crisis management for parents and teachers in Goa. Had an incident of this magnitude occurred in Goa, could we expect a civilized and rational response from our community? The community reaction to the recent incident of rape in the Mormugao school is a glaring example of how insensitive, opportunistic and abusive, we as a society can become when it comes to handling a tragedy or crisis. In fact, what happened in this school in Mormugao could have happened in any other school of Goa because school security in campuses is lax. Even considering that there may have been some serious lapses on the part of this school management in the handling of the rape victim, could there have been a more civilized and professional way of handling this entire incident, both by government and the local community? The immediate response to any tragedy or crisis in our country, or Goa in particular, is to find someone to dump the ‘blame’ on. It is almost becoming a ritual to condemn those in authority and demand their removal from office even before any facts of the case are established. If the person in authority happens to be from community X or Y, the hate rumours and defamatory stories that are spread about the person and his/her family members are simply disgusting. The Mormugao rape incident had all sorts of elements fishing in troubled waters and maligning the name of the school principal and her family. There appears to be a disturbing trend emerging across Goa where educators and school managements are increasingly becoming targets of harassment and ridicule depending on perceived political leanings, caste and religious denomination. There are deliberate attempts made at blocking certain educational institutions from expansion, while encouraging some others, even out of turn. The opposition to the government funding for certain mediums of instruction in schools is the manifestation of this covert discrimination or bias that is weakening the foundations of Goan society. The cause for Goa’s education disaster, is that caste, religion, ideological and political allegiance of so-called experts, becomes the criteria for entrusting them with the job of framing policies for education in Goa. Abilities, experience and commitment to education does not count in the education system in Goa. Education has become all about which political ideology and whose economic benefit has to be forwarded. It is quite obvious why some school managements are controlled by politicians or certain ideological forces. These institutions are being used to expand someone’s social and political base, rather than to impart quality education. The Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) are also not free from political or ideological contamination. Added to this, is the increasing dictation of government policies by donor-driven NGOs that copy-paste solutions from the West to tackle child problems and improve learning mechanisms, without assessing their feasibility to our circumstances and without dialogue in the community. Abilities and capabilities are no more the criteria for teacher recruitments. School managements are ready to bend and twist to any extent; principles can be compromised for some extra grants. Minority institutions in Goa, unlike their counterparts in other BJP ruled states of India, are even ready to perform Surya Namaskar (salutations to the Sun God), if it will help to bring in the moolah from government. What education can one expect from teachers who spend after- school hours working to promote political parties and chairing government committees? Imparting education has been reduced to an occupation for some, while for others it offers prospects for furthering their political ambitions or indoctrination of sorts. Education, for the government seems more about generating jobs for their unemployed party cadres or for creating vote-banks. It is here that the best among Goans are pushed out, to find their way to other states or even abroad. One has to follow the affairs at the Goa University to understand whether it is a seat of learning or a platform for intellectual decay. Going by the attitude of the community towards its teachers, the time is not far when persons will dread entering the teaching profession. Good parenting tips suggests that parents should never correct each other in the presence of their children. Can we expect teachers to discipline students when parents waste no time in ridiculing teachers in the presence of students or even file false complaints to harass a teacher for disciplining their child? Parents who fail to discipline their child at home expect the school to do the disciplining, but also resent it at the same time. And while child rights get enforced by the government to facilitate NGO reports that justify donor funding, the required support systems and mechanisms for educational institutions to deal with problematic students are not in place. Students are not educated that their rights also presuppose responsibilities. This has left teachers and managements helpless, thereby giving scope for students to play truant under the garb of child rights. One could go on describing how governments are toying with the syllabus and examination systems that finally leave the students confused. This leaves one wondering whether schooling in Goa is about imparting knowledge and good values, or is it for generating ignorance which can be exploited by the political and industrial class? If the standard of education in the state is to be improved, the selection of teachers needs to go beyond mere degrees on paper. The character, knowledge and skills of the teacher also need to be assessed. Teachers must be barred from meddling in politics or carrying out any trade. Mere knowledge of a subject need not necessarily result in good delivery of this knowledge to students. The teaching profession needs to be seen as a mission and not as a status and occupation. Teachers have to cultivate healthy values in students and develop their ability to reason and make informed decisions. Schools cannot become playgrounds for introducing certain political and ideological agendas. If Goa is to make strides in science and technology, it needs to bring back models that worked in the past. But will caste and communal politics allow the talented and deserving to serve Goa’s educational institutions? http://www.oheraldo.in/newscategory/Opinions/14