Education farce enacted in Maharashtra

Mumbai: At least 73 per cent of the children bewtween the ages of 14 to 18 in Satara and Ahmednagar districts are unable to do simple subtraction, according to the Economic Survey of Maharashtra 2017-18.  Further, 60 to 66 per cent of the children could not even solve simple arithmetic problems. Despite  measures to enhance the education system, the survey paints a dismal picture.

Even after introducing the Right to Education Act and special schemes, as many as 48,378 children in Maharashtra were out of school. Of these, 36,185 are proposed for special training of which 15,529 had enrolled till December. Efforts are on to enrol the remaining as well. The household survey was conducted on a total of 2,329 children, both female and male, aged between 14 to 18 year. They were interviewed from around 120 rural villages covering 1,900 households of Ahmednagar and Satara district. 

This survey, which was tabled in the state legislature last Thursday, also threw light on the reading ability of students. More than 14 per cent students in Ahmednagar, and 22 per cent in Satara could not read class II level texts. 

It further said that around 9.3 per cent children do not have a formal education, which is till class 12. Only 5 per cent have enrolled for under graduate courses while 4.5 per cent have not enrolled anywhere. 

The survey also revealed that the enrollment of students to the primary level (class 1 to 8) has increased in comparison to the secondary level (class 9 to 12), which has gone down by 1.6, from 1.617 crore in 2014-15 to 1.591 crore in 2017-18. As for the primary level, the enrollment has increased from 61.8 lakh to 66.48 lakh, which is an increase of 7.6 per cent. 

A senior official from the state education department said the findings of the survey, which reflected the alleged flaws in the education system, were not “completely reliable.” He said,  “A majority of the households weren’t registered under the U-DISE (Unified District Information System for Education), which is why the survey isn’t completely reliable.” The data of the survey was complied by the Maharashrra Prathamik Shikshan Parishad (MPSP) through U-DISE. 

Rukmini Thevar, a senior teacher, who has been part of several NGOs has been teaching in zilla parishad schools in Latur, Raigad, Satara and Pune for a decade, said the government has allegedly a huge role in the sliding educational standards. “I have been to many schools and understood the mindset of the parents there.  

“For providing better education, the government should start by creating awareness among parents. By doing this, they will gradually create a change in the entire village,” she said. She added, “If even after providing multiple schemes and free school utilities we are still lacking, then it is time to focus on the quality of education than to beautify the system.” 

The Asian Age tried contacting the state education minister Vinod Tawde but he remained unavailable for a quote.

Special Schemes by the GoM.

• Attendance Allowance Scheme (for education of girls)
• Akhilyabai Holkar Scheme (for girls education)
• Mid Day meal scheme (for all)
• Fee confession for students from class 1 to10 (for all govt aided and unaided schools)
• Stipend to tribal students
• Inclusive Education of Disabled (for children with special needs)