The rationalization of government schools forced by the poor enrollments is only a casual approach as improved infrastructure is the only way to improve enrollments which in turn would make redundant the idea of rationalization of government schools. Ultimately the poor infrastructure responsible for the poor enrollments is taking a heavy toll of the performance of government teachers running the government schools. Asking government teachers to admit their children in government run schools too is a casual approach as no one would expect government teachers to enroller their children in government schools in presence of wooden boards hangings on easels and not white boards fixed on walls with the facility of markers available to teachers in private schools. Ironically even in the 21st century the children in government run schools sit on jute mats but on the contrary the comfortable seating arrangement in a private school gives the sense of comfort and satisfaction to children. Similarly the children enrolled in government schools run longer distances to attend their classes but children of private schools find luxurious schools bus at their door steps every day morning and evening.
Asking a teacher to perform better is tantamount to ask the army of a country to fight the enemy on borders without military equipments required to push the enemy troops on back foot. Not words but actions on ground could facelift the standards of infrastructure and consequently the enrollments of government run schools. So the onus lies on the government but not the teachers.
So three basic facilities required for improving the enrollments in government schools include a white board with marker facility instead of conventional wooden black board hanging on an easel, chair table seating arrangement instead of jute mats and a school bus facility instead of government’s “ walk on foot” diktat. Providing these three basic facilities won’t require huge funding but meager finances. In fact the will and determination of the bureaucratic top brass to provide these three primary basic facilities to government run schools would make a huge difference in the enrollments and consequently the performance of teachers. Once these three basic facilities are provided to the children in government run schools, the government would have the liberty to ask government teachers to admit their children in government run schools. Asking a teacher to perform better is tantamount to ask the army of a country to fight the enemy on borders without military equipments required to push the enemy troops on back foot. So not only the enrollments forcing government to pursue the path of rationalization but also the performance of teachers can be improve after providing the three basic facilities to schools across Jammu & Kashmir. Not words but actions on ground could facelift the standards of infrastructure and consequently the enrollments of government run schools. So the onus lies on the government but not the teachers.