Dalits, Muslims and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ – Much ado about zilch!
By Pardeep Singh Attri
Interesting news which caught my eye today (January 16th, 2010) “Human Resource Department’s internal appraisals of ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ showing most of its physical target’s for 2009-10 are set to be fully achieved.” – With 85% schools opened of set target, 78% teachers, 92% schools with drinking water, providing free textbooks to 92% school students.
Keeping the Muslims down
Are all the governments working for all these? Are all the children getting chance for betterment or this scheme also have just proved like just another government scheme, those never reaches to common people and common people read and listen about them only on T.V channel advertisements?
There are about 45% Dalits who don’t know how to read or write and the literacy rate for Dalit women is just 37.8%.
According to a survey by the Friends for Education, almost 52 % Muslims live below the poverty line (compared to 25 % of all Indians). Of every 100 Muslim girls admitted in schools at the primary level, only four pass out at high school while only 1 makes it to a college. The literacy level is a shocking 28% and graduates and postgraduates form less than 1 % of the total.
In the field of medicine, the percentage is just 2.4 while in the judiciary; it doesn’t go beyond 3.1 %. The community occupies the lowest rung in the development index. Its literacy rate is poor and it has a low presence in private and public sector jobs. ( reference- “Keeping the Muslim Down” by Firoz Bakhtt Ahmed, May 19 2008, HT)
A Citizen’s Review Report (7th Jan, 2008) on “India’s Progress on the MDGs” showed that 55% of Muslims have never attended school compared to national average of 41% (rural); In Bihar 86% of enrolled children drop-out by Standard VI. 99% Dalit children study in Public schools & inadequate facilities and infrastructure as major problem for access to health & education.
There is another report by Comptroller & Audit General (CAG) showing that SC, ST’s literacy rate is very much poor in Tamil Nadu. For ST males’ literacy rate is 32.18% & for female it stands at 31.77%. Also the pass percentage of SC, ST students in 10 & 12standard examinations has dropped since 2002-03 and is much lower than the overall pass percentage during 2002-06 and this needs immediate attention in the educational development of the SC, STs.
This all is result of poor monitoring & poor implementation of the welfare schemes launched for SC, STs; humiliating Dalits in schools/colleges & delaying the scholarships for SC, STs students.
The total budget for ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ stands at Rs.131 billion and the scheme’s operation has come under severe flak from India’s official auditor, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). Out of Rs 8004.71-crore allotted for the development work of “Elementary Education” and ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, only Rs 2,324.99 crore was spent through record. For rest of the money spent on the development work there no records available & Human Resource Department is clueless about rest of the money!
It means rest of the money was simply siphoned off. In this Gujarat and Rajasthan governments come first in misusing the funds!
From the funds of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan party functions were organized & money was simply wasted on “Puja” in temples, thinking this will help in improving literacy rate!
Almost all the times, receiving green signal from ‘World Bank’ about the next installment for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Indian political leaders have started celebrating and why they shouldn’t? But if this Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan couldn’t fulfill the targets of giving education to all, this entire scheme has definitely made many policy makers millionaire! “Education for All Children” movement has proved “Money for All Politicians” nothing else.
A survey conducted by “Outlook” (April 7, 2008) showed that 71% villagers said there is high corruption in all the Government schemes & don’t reach at them. India’s external debt is already at 201.4 billion USD, but where the development is seen, in the houses of ministers? Isn’t it?
There is another worrisome part an emerging trend whereby children belonging to different social backgrounds are attending different kinds of schools. In Andhra Pradesh, there is a divide between the government primary school (GPS) located in the Dalit basti and the GPS in the forward caste hamlet — only SC students attend the former school, while the latter has very few SC students. The youth in the SC colony in the village categorically stated that even if children from the SC colony try to seek admission in the other GPS, they are discouraged and told to attend the school in their own colony.
A similar divide was observed in Tamil Nadu between the GPS and the schools run by the Adi-Dravida Welfare Board. (“Beyond the numbers” study conducted by Vimala Ramachandran)
Fifth ‘All India Educational Survey’ (AIES) showed that approximately 94% of the national population had access to a primary school within 1 km of their habitation. But how many of these children complete primary educations? This should be our main concern, not merely constructing buildings with no teacher.
All state governments are washing their hands by giving different reasons like “Hard to reach”, “Most difficult to access group” for the children those are not attending schools right now and no government is ready to take the responsibility that their welfare schemes are nothing but eye-wash/fraud on the name of welfare! There is money, money & money everywhere but before spending governments must make the schemes efficient so as social, economical, educational status can be raised.
One survey showed that about 40% of the money borrowed from ‘World Bank’ directly or indirectly goes back to them as a fee of consultancy, i.e. Indian Governments/policy makers are not able to chalk out the proper plans. Almost all the Government schemes have proved fake paper tigers only! There is an urgent need to support social reformation of SC/STs, Muslims and other minority communities to promote literacy.
Unknown Future
Lessons to be learnt:
- More than 40% students (50-60% in case of Dalits) are still out of schools, despite HRD’s claims of getting successful in enrolling more than 96% students in schools.
- Not all the schools have toilets, which affects chances of many girls’ education.
- Literacy rate has not improved a bit! Sub-Saharan Africa countries where people don’t even have enough food their literacy rate is higher (61.2%) than India (61%) - Source: 2000-2004 data from the “Education for All Global Monitoring Report”, UNESCO (2006)
- Over 71% schools have less than 3 teachers.
- Only 38% class V students in rural areas can divide simple numbers. In Tamil Nadu, only 19% children of class V can read sentence while in Uttar Pradesh it is 14%, according to annual audit by education NGO Pratham (16th January, 2010).
- There has been a huge misuse of funds, which needs to be controlled. Monitoring and supervision of ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ program failed totally.
Dear Attri
Thank you for the topic for the comment which is one of the important tools in developing dalits and Muslim confidence in this country.
One big question before any progressive writer in India is, How to Develop Dalits, Muslims and other minor communities in India? Why Dr.Ambedkar thought the “education” was such an important tool? After his continuous crusade against caste system in India the only solution he found to educate the dalits is the basic necessity. In India dalits were, are, economically, socially and educationally backward. Fighting against economic and social inequality is not an easy thing in this system because of so many constraints these communities are much blind followers and supporter of superstitions without any rationalization which have been more beneficial to the higher communities and more harm to the lower communities. Irrational things made them helpless blind towards reality. Because of that they have been suffering for ages. I think Dr. Ambedkar might have given deep thought in depth and believe that the only education to the dalits will be the answer for their suffering. But unfortunately, educated and literate dalits attitudes is totally different what that Dr.Ambedkar aspired. But still I think that education is the only hope to the Dalits for emancipation from all sorts of their problems inspite of its short comings.
But I strongly believe that English education ie scientific education would be solution to create rationalism awareness among Dalits (western thinking based on science and technology) .
Why the Dalits and Muslims are not able to get education? Forget the statistics of enrolment of Dalits and Muslims in schools. It shows its progress only for quantity purpose. If we see these datas prepared by our learned bureaucrats shows dalits and Muslims are much ahead in education. How it prepares? And who prepares it? What is the reality of daliths and Muslim condition practically that is important for us.
Basically, Dalits and Muslims are economically very poor. We need not any data to know it. If we visit any slums of this country it is enough .Everyday their life, survival is the real challenge for this class.Getting one time food a day is also a dream for so many people. This being the situation of their day today life how do we expect them to attend the school? For many families children are the bread earners. Their worry is to get food.
Either because the pressure of programmes or because of available of free clothes, writing materials dalit parents enrolled their children to schools in their area. How much scholarship they are getting? That too in time Is it sufficient to complete their education without the burden to the parents? These questions to be thoroughly should examined by the educational experts, social activists and welfare departments in detail they should assess the quality of the data. Of course the midday meal scheme is one of the wonderful programme in recent days in spite of its short comings in the implementation level.
The condition of the SC/ST and Muslim colony schools is in horrible condition. No proper building, unhygienic surroundings, teachers are not regular and teaching inefficiency etc. Teachers here have opted teaching generally not out of their conviction love and affection.techers should be given to all facility like any other executive. They should be provided red light vehicles. Their service in India much essential than any other white collar person. But unfortunately it was their last choice. More teaching community represented the Upper community without the facility how would they visited this area without hesitation.? Ultimately their conviction is very important for the educational improvement of these neglected communities. No rules ,No supervision control over them won’t work Their motherly attitude towards these communities is required qualities than any other thing.
If government bothers quantity of enrolment it will be merely a habitual work. With this the neglected communities may not get the real benefits from the education system of this country. They will remain neglected. Government should give an importance to the quality instead of quantity. Government should have mechanism to check the quality of education in the government schools. it should not hang for data. Irony is that even high school students in many cases in rural areas are not capable to read, write a letter without mistake in their mother tongue, forget about English it is a dream that’s why the parents prefer private schools and convents for their children education. Private institutions are making use of this opportunity to collect high fees and donation. In India all white collars people are sending their children to the private schools. But they are behind in all policy making for the government schools and they recommend to the common man of India to send children to the government school why this hypocrisy? For dalits and Muslims there is no choice they have do depend upon the government school for their children education.Still I believe government school education I personally feel there should not any private institution in respect of education and health..Government should become serious about the big dropouts in all the levels. Dropout of their children without any hope from education after so much time their child spending time in the school better send them as labor in the beginning would yield something economically to their life .By admitting their sons and daughters to the schools with taking loans from their land- lords in the village their slavery would be continued without any result.
For Muslim students poverty is the major drawback as like dalits on one side. Scarcity of local language is the major hurdle. Many Urdu schools teachers’ posts are vacant. Muslims boys after completing their education in the Urdu medium they cannot compete with others while get in to the job or higher education because of this problem. They should be given education in English and state official language along with Urdu. Girl’s education among dalits and Muslims is almost negligible because of poverty, superstition and blind faith.
The other main problem is learning “English language” for both the community. Because of not understanding English (private tuition is not possible for these students for the reason of poverty and social discrimination. English is not usage in their home) entry to higher education that too professional courses is not at possible. Even if they want to take private tuition they must be allowed to the teachers houses but, it is the rarest of rare case. This is the fate of dalit and Muslim students either in rural area or urban slums of this country.
In the broader frame work Education is naturally deprived to the majority of the rural people like farmers and agricultural labors either they belong to Upper community or lower community. English education is restricted to the urban class. Urban people take all benefits in both public and private services of this country. Even marginal profession like BPOs is also grabbed by the urban person who knows to speak English. Urban people are deciding what is better for them is better for all. Maximum electricity, water, education, health are utilized by the urban rich and white collar middle class. So, what kind of policies we may expect from them?
Students enrolled in rural areas and urban slums by force or for some benefits. Instead of going as a bonded labor, sitting in school looks attractive. Moreover, once in a year the government school gives one pair of clothes, books, slates, pencils and pens recently midday meal has been included in almost all schools. Feeding their children for the parents is burden which schools are providing them. More dropouts are natural because mere government facility is not sufficient to the students of these communities to complete their studies. More than that even after completes their education they have no guarantee to get the job even in public institutions due to so many reasons.(reservation provide where the dalits are not available , producing false caste certificate etc.) Without parents financial support no dalit or Muslim student could not complete his education. So, taking job is another mirage.
In the middle school stage heavy dropouts occurred either because of poverty reason or because of lack of confidence level due to sociological discrimination. When he/she reaches SSLC level majority dropouts occurred because of problem of English language and science education (lack of teaching, or partial attendance, work in the field as part time labor) made them helpless. Majority in SSLC they failed in English, Maths and science
I take this opportunity to quote my personal experience in my primary to higher education period to enlighten the issue. I am from the very backward taluka
Ours is the taluk headquarters always it rains a lot because this place is surrounded by the forest. During my primary school time (general school) 90% Dalit boys were enrolled. Forget learning abcd in the school the dalit students confidence level started sinking at lunch time in my primary and middle school days the upper community boys and girls from the surrounding areas used to bring food item like idly, upma, dosas ,rice, chapattis(dalit families can not prepared this items considered these items are generally classified the rich man’s food. Dalits families only once or twice in a year that too during the festival season they prepared this kind of food) Majority dalit boys were not bringing any lunch because their mothers used to be daily wage coolies in the field .Dalit family survived with one meal a day either in night or day.they did not know breakfast, brunch ,lunch, supper or dinner. Even coffee, tea prepared only when guest comes. Dalits food was Ragi or jowar (like wheat in north India) ball considered to be poor man food. dalit boys never brought lunch to school. It was not their tradition to bring the lunch even if they tempted to bring sometimes like their upper caste friends once in a way, they hesitate to open their Tiffin boxes in front of their friends due to inferior food and inferior complex. Drinking water was also not available to these students because Schools was situated in the upper community street where the water served near by houses only to the upper community boys. But, for dalit boys school was much comfortable instead working as bonded labor some where else…
In the high school clothes and books were not given only Rs 75/ per student per year (during my high school time) their parents would come and collected it. .It was an amount for the parents to solve their immediate problem
Teachers were not regular due to less number of buses and adverse climatic condition. I had no English and math’s teacher at that time regularly. They had to travel near by district head quarter. I did not understand English math’s and science till I reach SSLC.It was not my problem all most 90% students had this problem .Majority dalits and rural boys even belongs to upper community were discontinued studies either because of poverty or because problem of English subject. Failed students in SSLC were definitely in English ,Maths or Science subjects. Fortunately my parents were send me to the tuition to the one PWD clerk who came to our taluk on transfer who was Bsc,Bed person and very popular in teaching SSLC. Out of 150 and add students appeared for SSLC examination during that time only11 students including me passed in first attempt in the history of our school. We were all passed in third class. Passing in first attempt was the great victory at that time .Even majority upper community boys were also unsuccessful because of language problem. This experience of mine would tell you the story of the education in the rural Indian society. Today there might be little improvement but not definitely to the expected level.
Even today the situation is not look very different in respect of dalits and Muslims Because of reservation the very few of dalits are getting government employment. For Muslims if there is no reservation there is no hope.Every body thinking that dalit are comfortable because of reservation but, How and When the reservation in employment would be useful to the dalits?first of all the dalit boy should cross all the constraints what ever I mentioned hitherto during his education carrier. His parents should be able to spend some money for the purpose of education. The government support like scholarship and other is not sufficient to reach the goal.There should be some serious study about this problem. When dalit boy is not in a position to complete his degree how could he come for his reserved job? If there is a reservation in some fields where we cannot fine dalits what is the use reserving that post.Only the person who obtained false caste certificate would grab that opportunity in the absence of the real dalit. To my little understanding, in India only the political reservation is cent percent utilizing by the political parties I donot know these representatives are representing party or community I need not tell about the Muslims situation in the absence of reservation like dalits.
Education in whatever form it is that is inevitable in Indian society not only to daliths and Muslims for their social and economic reason. It should be essential even to the upper communities in the interest of safety and security of the dalits and Muslims.