Vivek Koul
The ever-growing number of small and big private institutions of education is a cause of concern for the common and poor masses of the country. These private institutions had come into being to supplement governmental efforts of providing education to all. Commercialization of education is a very disturbing phenomena and it affects all of us in one-way or the other. It is not a theoretical proportion but a reality, which has invaded the education system of the country. At one time service motive and furtherance of education was the basic and guiding force for these institutions. But alas, by and large private schools are drifting away from their cherished mottos and themes! Today private schools have an eye on profits only and they are shying away from their basic duty of promoting quality education for the all-round development of the body, mind and spirit of the child. When a child is educated and grows in such a system of education where money is the primary consideration, he also in his later years hankers after money and consumerism. Unfortunately a bad, disturbing and false notion has set in the society that government schools do not provide quality education. But it is a half truth. There are well-qualified, educated and experienced teachers in government schools who know their responsibilities and duties. Yes there is need for good supervision and direction and making teachers responsible for results. Given good infrastructure like libraries, laboratories, computerized labs with advanced versions of software etc. the state school will definitely excel the private intuitions and false notion will die its own death and the poor people will feel a sigh of relief.
Realizing the poverty of India education has been kept in the government sector. The poor people cannot educate their children in private schools. Therefore vast majority of the people still depend on state schools for the education of their children. But the mushroom growth of public and private schools is posing a great threat to the very cause of education and is in fact breeding the very purpose of democracy. Such private schools are especially a cause of concern for the poor, weaker and downtrodden section of the society, which cannot afford the education of theirs wards, in them. Even the lower middle class people find it difficult to admit their children in the private run schools due to high fees and other charges. The private schools are growing at an unprecedented rate at every nook and corner of the country and our state. Even private educational establishment work as business entities under the grab of delivering quality education. Even private schools are non-profit organizations and eye at amassing wealth and profit through exploitation of the poor and needy students and parents who are unable to do any thing. The ownership and management of these schools just work like virtual monarchs and fix fees and other dues according to their whims, likes and caprice unmindful of its effects upon the poor people and their wards. Even the facilities and services provided by these institutions are rarely commensurate with high tuition and other fees, which they charge under various names and pretexts. One wonders if these private institutions have no social responsibilities and obligation. Why are not they socially responsive to the need of the society? A rational and fair fee should be fixed and should not be against the paying capacity of the people. These shops of learning should not be allowed to exploit the student's community in any way.
The govt. should regulate the working of these schools and should keep an eye on the recurrent rise in the tuition and other fee, which is so often and a cause of concern for the poor people of this state. The owners and the management of the private institutions should have to think that they must give top attention to the educational excellence and secondary to income generation. Educational development, quality education and service motive should be the guiding mottos of the educational institutions private and government. Otherwise who will say that these are educational institutions pure and total?
