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Education News

THEY SAID IT

“The 52 primers in Indian languages have
paved the way for the beginning of a new
civilisational renaissance.”
Dharmendra Pradhan, Union education minister,
launching 52 school textbooks in Indian non-
scheduled languages (Hindustan Times, March 9)

“The government will probably claim
that it was simply following the law; that
GKSP children: gruelling trek Kejriwal was not responding to summons.
But the law was already being applied in a
the sluggish administration. way that was highly discretionary. If you
“Universities and colleges at the divisional and dis-
trict levels should become involved with tribal institu- have a government that does not allow the
tions and schools, and engineering departments of Opposition to mobilise, organise and govern,
technical universities should collaborate with PWD for it is hard to pretend that we are a democracy.
faster project completion,” says Dr. Sanjay Sahay, The election is already being vitiated.”
professor of botany at the Sarojini Naidu Govt. Girls Pratap Bhanu Mehta, former president, Centre for Policy
College, Bhopal. Research, on the arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind
antosh Singh, a teacher at DPS School, Jabalpur, Kejriwal (Indian Express, March 24)
Swith 32 years of experience, offers a long prescrip-
tion for waking up the state government to pay greater “We just need to get basic primary and
attention to education of rural and tribal children. Among secondary education right. We are very,
her suggestions:“Empowering local authorities with deci-
sion-making power, community participation and public- very far away from being able to produce
private partnerships with NGOs to build schools in chal- a fit, healthy and able workforce that will
lenging environments. Exposure visits are a must; city positively contribute to making the country
schools and colleges should visit rural and tribal schools a Viksit Bharat by 2047, irrespective of
and report back to make authorities more accountable.” whichever path of development we choose.”
However speaking off the record, most academics Economist Rohit Lamba on enhancing human capital
are sceptical about any improvement in the plight of (Business Standard, March 28)
the 40 girls who undertook a gruelling 80 km trek to
demand better education facilities. “BJP governments “We aim to democratise technology in
are most concerned about improving pilgrimage sites schools and ensure that every child,
and temple facilities. It’s doubtful if the girl children’s
fundamental right to education in a half-decent school regardless of background, has access to
will be met in the near future. This is not only a Madhya quality education.”
Pradesh, but a national blindspot,” says an NGO activist, Prime minister Narendra Modi in conversation with
who requested anonymity because “these are dangerous Microsoft’s Bill Gates on India leveraging AI to
times”. revolutionise education (March 29)
Nor is this the first time that little children in the
state have braved rain and sun to demand better educa- “Yet again a journalist has asked me to
tion facilities. Last year in July, 132 children together identify an individual who is the alternative
with the village sarpanch, deputy sarpanch, and villag- to Mr. Modi. The question is irrelevant in the
ers from Amarwada village in MP’s Chhindwara district Parliamentary system. We are not electing
undertook an arduous two-day, 100-km trek to the Dis- an individual — as in a presidential system
trict Collector’s office to demand teachers and renovated
school buildings. Nothing has been heard since of these — but a party, or coalition of parties, that
children’s demand for a better schooling environment. represents a set of principles and convictions
The children of Pansemal village are likely to suffer a that are invaluable to preserve India’s
similar fate. diversity, pluralism, and inclusive growth.”
Aditi Maheshwari (Bhopal) Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP (Times of India, April 3)

26 EDUCATIONWORLD APRIL 2024