Privatization of Education: Advantages and Disadvantages

The most important task in present scenario is to impart better and quality education. Children are the nation builder of future and to carve them as good citizen we need to provide them with proper education so that they can become pillar of the nation's growth. In this aspect, we had wonderful discussion on the above topic. Here are some important points, which should be taken into consideration while framing the policy.

Privatization in education has increased the opportunities by increasing the scope of admissions in all levels of education. Due to ownership, level of quality increased in few set-ups to great extent however, this is not true with all private organizations. Most Private institutions are meant for financially strong strata of the society and the poor children are bound to go to government schools. This has widened the gap between the poor and the rich. Due to policies of various states such as, Shikshan Sewak, Shiksha Mitra, Samvida, Guruji, etc, young talent is not at all interested in government system except NVS/KVS and Excellence schools. Most of the parents of children enrolled in government schools are poor and illiterate. Therefore, there is no one to assist them at home. Government mechanism is utterly failing in this aspect. Lot of facilities have been provided nowadays to public system but no proper strategies to utilize and maintain it. Due to this, it is turning to be great failure. Privatization has no doubt increased the quantity of schools but quality is yet to be enhanced.

Though the job opportunities have increased but salary has decreased. Job security and satisfaction have lost. There seems no freedom for innovations in teaching as the private schools have their own set rules, methods, which teachers have to follow. Very less chances of upward mobility. Many times, one has to obey the management where most of the members who are not qualified to fit into that position. In this system, buttering has become important.

In recent 10 years, the quality of education in government schools has degraded drastically as a result people are opting for private schools. These schools are making education their business which people generally call Commercialization of Education. However, in field of higher education situation has not become so worse. Still various Government Colleges and institutions are first choice for students.

On the other hand, due to government's policy of preferring quantity over quality, private schools colleges are growing daily. Getting registration for school is too easy. Influential people own most of such institutions where goal is to extort money in the name of fees for various purposes. Even these institutions have become source of converting black money into white.

Status of Engineers in MP has gone down. There are about 200 Engineering colleges in MP providing about 90,000 seats out of which normally 40-45 thousand are filled. Students who are passing engineering are now appearing in exams, which require qualification as Higher Secondary School Certificate (10+2) or plain graduation. Many private institutions, which are working for many years and have performed well in providing quality education without any tantrums of other private schools, are very few. Government institutions, which are performing comparatively better are very few. Private schools at big cities are good but quality at small urban areas like tehsil places is not on par. In addition, in many instance government schools at higher level are performing better than private schools of same area.

Education is subject of both State and Central government but more population is covered by state government agencies where lies our main problem. State government has to improve education system in primary and middle school level. Elementary level of schooling is base, which is most important. It is where student develops interest in studies and any specific subject. However, government is ignorant on this part.

Another most crucial part is scarcity of trained teachers. (It is so because level of B.Ed. in M P is very poor due to numerous B. Ed colleges where degree is almost sold). As they do not attend regular classes and no training is given to them whereas Government teachers are employed in various non-educational works e.g. elections, census etc. Sometimes due to low remuneration (almost one fourth) of contract teachers, they are disinterested in teaching. Because though they are recruited through VYAPAM (Samvida Shikshak Pariksha) on temporary basis, they are given low salary and expected to work more than the permanent employee who get more than double of their salary.

Stress and expenditure of government is more on Public Alluring Schemes such as MDM, uniform/bicycle distribution, Scholarship, haath dhulaai, yoga etc and less on education. Passing students till class 8 with no detention policy results in poor performance, as a result private schools are more popular especially, lower and middle schools. At higher education level, “Mushroom Colleges”have grown rapidly. Such colleges are even running in a 2-3 story houses and have become center for selling degrees. After paying money, you are not required to attend classes. Such institutions are more in professional courses such as Engineering, MBA, Pharmacy and B. Ed. Due to this Graduates/Post Graduates are not employable and hence are working on low wages. Except very few private higher educational institutions, we cannot compare with government owned institutions like IITs/IIMs/IISERs/AIMS/NITs and so on.

At the school level, private schools have edge over government schools only in case of state owned schools but KVS/NVS/Excellence schools are on par with them. Children admitted in Private Schools are studying at three places. School, Home and in Coaching Classes. In private schools, children inducted are from good family background they get good support of parents and hence perform better.

However, the teachers and children both have much mental pressure to achieve high score in these schools. On the other hand, teachers are underpaid but are expected to give their best by hook or crook. Children do not have time for themselves to spend on outdoor games and hence confined to Gadgets.

There are fed concepts and much emphasis is not given on evolving the innovative ideas. Teachers have tremendous work pressure and job insecurity so they have to work hard.

So ultimately seems private schools are better than public schools and no doubt, some of them are. In state owned schools, it’s just reverse they do not have proper infrastructure and basic amenities to provide learning environment. Poor management, scarce resources, lack of will power of teachers deteriorating the quality.

So finally, we have to make our foundation very strong that is from elementary school system to higher learning institutions. For this, we can adopt certain measures like- Finally very strong will power to bring change from the rudimentary level.
 * To pay proper wages to the teachers.
 * There should be no Guruji/Samvida/Shiksha mitra and many more such post, which are not permanent and low, paid.
 * Proper monitoring over the teaching learning practices in the schools to ensure the quality of education.
 * Teachers in government schools should really toil to bring the name up so that people will get encouraged to send their ward in government schools.

(The above topic was suggested by Mr Baliram Sahu, PGT (Economics), KV Amla, MP and compiled for wiki by Mr Raju Borkar, PRT, DMS, RIE Bhopal)