Enrollment drive lacks the true spirit

Real development of any nation or society lies in education understanding this reality government has opened a good number of schools in the nook and corner of Jammu and Kashmir to provide education even to the people living in the very far flung areas. In reality we have a web of government controlled schools along with private schools especially up to primary & middle levels but the problem with government schools is that the roll of students is decreasing sharply with every passing day and some schools are even at the verge of closure which is a matter of grave concern. Official records also confirm the steep decline in the enrolment of students in government schools. Realizing the gravity of issue and understanding its future implications government has decided to act timely and decided to conduct enrollment drives in far and wide of UT of Jammu and Kashmir. This is an appreciable initiative devised to increase the roll in government schools accordingly these drives were conducted in the month of November last year in the nook and corner of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. This initiative is worth applauding but the results are not up to expectations that need to be both analyzed and addressed. Firstly we need to understand what is the reason that parents prefer to admit their wards in private schools despite huge financial implications the answer is/are may be the up to mark infrastructure, quality education, dedicated and hardworking staff despite of low qualification or something else. The teacher teaching in a private school is very much satisfied and enthusiastic to admit his/her children in the school where he/ she teaches but it is not the case with a teacher serving in a government school we cannot quote a single example were a government teacher being part of the enrollment drive has firstly admitted his ward in a school he /she is serving then motivating others to admit their children in the government schools unless our respected teachers serving in government schools will break the ice and set an example by admitting their children in the schools they are serving so as to restore trust deficit among public these drives will not give required results. In contrast to this the big reality is this that our teachers like others wait in long queues in front of the gates of private schools to get their kids admitted in private schools.
Honestly speaking at community level if we introspect some where we are lacking, I am not disrespecting anybody but the truth is that we lack work culture in our schools our majority of the teachers are not so devoted to work assigned to them if we really want to bring our school system back on track especially up to middle level we need to fix responsibility, enhance accountability, upgrade infrastructure, modify syllabus and if concrete results are to be achieved the government must make it compulsory for every government employee to admit there wards in government run schools, to begin with teachers will be a revolutionary step towards betterment.
A question can be asked when my teacher is not willing to admit his children in the government run school how can he/she persuade others to follow the pursuit. This needs an honest appraisal that is why enrollment drive lacks true and honest spirit. Secondly, despite the qualified staff, free education, mid day meals, free books, free uniforms and scholarships people spent hefty amounts but prefer private schools over government schools why? One agrees that getting admission for kids in a reputed private school has become a symbol of social honour in our society but it is not the only reason. Honestly speaking at community level if we introspect some where we are lacking, I am not disrespecting anybody but the truth is that we lack work culture in our schools our majority of the teachers are not so devoted to work assigned to them if we really want to bring our school system back on track especially up to middle level we need to fix responsibility, enhance accountability, upgrade infrastructure, modify syllabus and if concrete results are to be achieved the government must make it compulsory for every government employee to admit there wards in government run schools, to begin with teachers will be a revolutionary step towards betterment.
( The author is a freelancer. Views are his own)
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