Page 22 - EW January 2025

Education News

trative burden.
Comments D. Girija Devi,
principal of Anna Gem Science Park
Matriculation Higher Secondary
School in Chennai, which has 1,400
students and 70 teachers on its
musters: “The state government’s
cautious approach following these
incidents is welcome. But it will
restrict promotion of extra-curricular
activities in schools. Too often,
events company managers gain ac-
cess through references, persuading
school managements to undertake
extra-curricular activities. They had
become an unnecessary additional
burden for principals.”
To facilitate the process, the
education department has compiled Banerjee (centre left) inaugurating Infosys Development Centre, Kolkata: turning tide?
a list of approved NGOs, education-
ists, wellness experts, psychologists name. Recently, he appointed his son private university bills — the Rabin-
etc. This list, says Kannappan, will be as Deputy Chief Minister. Stalin is dranath Tagore University Bill 2024
shared with school heads to simplify transforming into a carbon copy of and Ramakrishna Paramhansa Uni-
the approval process and encour- the original.” versity Bill 2024 — showcasing the
age “meaningful partnerships” with Shivani Chaturvedi (Chennai) administration’s focus on advancing
organisations and individuals who higher education.
add value to school programs. WEST BENGAL Teacher testing and recruitment
owever the issuance of these scams and scandals have plagued
Hguidelines to private indepen- Reviving fortunes Banerjee’s third consecutive term
dent schools has set off alarm bells. as chief minister. Therefore, a fresh
Private school principals appre- ith just a year to go for the teacher recruitment drive to fill va-
hend loss of autonomy to appoint state legislative assembly cancies in the state’s 84,000 govern-
tour organisers, and invite experts Welection of 2026, the tide ment schools with a massive aggregate
and speakers of their choice. They may be turning for West Bengal chief enrolment of 13 million children, is
highlight the potential of inclusion of minister Mamata Banerjee, whose being interpreted as the TMC gov-
ruling DMK supporters and sym- third term in office has been marked ernment’s determination to upgrade
pathisers in the pre-approved list by governance, public safety, and eco- public school education stymied by
circulated by the education ministry. nomic progress setbacks. Some recent recurring scams and scandals. With
“School principals are obliged to positive developments have generated recruitment stalled for years, there
select visiting speakers and experts hope and promise for her and the rul- are 3.5 lakh vacancies in the state’s
from a government approved list. ing Trinamool Congress (TMC). public school education system. As a
Thus they will not be able to invite On December 31, the West Bengal result, the average teacher-pupil ratio
education innovators of their choice Public Service Commission (WBPSC) in West Bengal’s schools has risen to
to offer fresh perspectives. This is announced a fresh teacher recruit- 1:59 against the 1:30 prescribed by the
serious limitation of the autonomy of ment drive for the state’s 84,000 Right of Children to Free & Compul-
private independent schools. More- government schools. A fortnight ear- sory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
over, it will limit students’ exposure lier on December 19, the Bengaluru- Unsurprisingly, children’s learning
to new ideas and innovations, hin- based ICT (information communica- outcomes have also plunged. Accord-
dering their all-round development,” tion technologies) behemoth Infosys ing to the Annual Status of Education
says Prince Gajendra Babu, Gen- Technologies Ltd (annual revenue: Report (ASER) 2023, 34.4 percent
eral Secretary of the State Platform Rs.159,690 crore) inaugurated a mega children in the 14-18 year age group
for Common School System, Tamil development centre in Kolkata, sig- can’t read class II textbooks in their
Nadu (SPCSS-TN). nalling revived growth in the IT sec- native Bengali language. With chil-
Quips another private school tor. Moreover on December 10, the dren dropping out of education, 8,000
principal: “Stalin should change his state assembly passed two landmark government schools were shut down

22 EDUCATIONWORLD JANUARY 2025