Nothing Works In Silos, For Quality Education, All Aspects Must Go Hand In Hand

The recent proposal of UP government to The Board of Secondary Education to recognise schools without finance for adhering to the minimum standard of National Education Policy 2020 has reminded me of a popular belief system where one thinks of bringing spirituality in life after attaining wordly achievements i.e. own house, desired luxuries, education and marriage of kids (most of the time for grand kids as well), leaving some immovable property and bank balance to them and so on.

However most of us end up in managing the same and realize in the end that the most fundamental need of life to attain the basic purpose that is to embrace spirituality could certainly have looked for parallel to other wordly matters.

This seems to be the glitch with UP government in above stated initiative which still is trying to bring essense of comprehensive education only by focusing on infrastructural development.

In the recent years, It made a success also in reshaping it's primary schools in aesthetics but merely demanding for 3000 sq meter (Urban) and 6000 sq meter (Rural), some big deposition of money, introduction of smart classes and computer labs mandatorily for granting recognition to without finance schools can only bring more investments in to the domain and the investments are made to generate profits! Are we here for that?

In this wake of initiative, people who are good at their bank balances can anyway make a way but what if someone is not able to purchase such a big piece of land or able to deposit the required NSC for the purpose of recognition. Must he stop himself to participate in the most critical nation building endeavour?

Raising the question is right but when it is supported by solutions, The question becomes meaningful. And the solution amidst severe corruption and commercial mindset says that process of recognition should atleast be flexible to an extent of area required.

The law must be vocal over teacher, student and area ratio. If someone is having less space, the board can reduce the number of granted seats proportionately but not granting at all is not understandable. On the other side board must equally be strong enough to control big schools to remain within their limits of granted seats.

In any situation they must not cross the enrollments beyond the sanctioned limit. The mendatory requirement for smart classes and computer is a good idea but it's deliverable within the campus ought to be the matter of random audits from departments so as to validate whether kids are being provided with whatever is desired by government.

Let's not kill the basic idea and real spirit of education by just imposing more and more severe laws that only can be adhered to by the riches.We must have provisions for those as well who wants to contribute in this domain but are lacking at commerce end.

Let at least this be an open space for all and let our kids unfold their wings without any fancy building and facilities psychosis.

(The writer is Chief Mentor - NIRMANA, Mainpuri (UP) and was previously HR Head at AKAI India, FIITJEE, LIVGUARD and LLOYD)