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Republic Day in India is celebrated with much fanfare and Dr. M.V.R. Memorial Primary School in Gollaprolu Village (East Godavari District, A.P.) is no exception. As the Founder, I had the privilege of hoisting and saluting the National Flag. There are 101 boys and 93 girls in the school and this reflects the gender ratio of the general population. As opposed to the enrolments of 194 students, only 103 (53%) attended the Republic Day function. Even the lure of receiving a chocolate from the school did not entice the remaining students to attend the function. Motivation from parents and teachers is obviously lacking. This school was started twenty four years ago as a single teacher school. The school progressed to the level of Upper Primary School allowing the students to study up to 7th class. Under a scheme called "SUCCESS", the Government of Andhra Pradesh successfully removed 6th and 7th classes from this school, in June 2008. Now there are four teachers, instead of five, to teach five classes � one to five. One teacher is forced to teach a total of 75 students belonging to class one and class two. The take home message is that the Government of Andhra Pradesh is not interested in imparting quality education to the students in government schools. Remember that these students (all below 12 years) are not voters and a democratic government need not care for them. Yet the parents of these children are voters. To win their vote, the government has cleverly instituted Midday Meal Scheme. A parent, usually, illiterate, is now satisfied that his/her child is receiving free mid-day meal and thus view the government favourably. What the parents do not know is that the quality of education suffered in this school. In spite of inspiring books on children's education by Giju Bhai (Marathi) and Vadrevu China Veerabhadrudu (Telugu), no action is taken to improve the standard of teaching in primary schools. You may wish to know about the "SUCCESS" scheme. Aim of this scheme is to impart English language to all the students in Andhra Pradesh Schools. This scheme has evolved, I believe, to counter the popular trend of admitting students into English Medium Schools by parents belonging to various social strata. A large number of Upper Primary Schools are stand converted to Primary Schools. Students belonging to 6th & 7th classes were transferred to the nearest High School. There are two questions that beg answers: Is it not true that a child learns better if the instruction is in child's mother tongue? Second question: If it is the desire of the government to teach a foreign language to students in government schools, why opt for English language only (why not French, German, Italian, Arabic, Chinese and Japanese)? There is another tale about our second adopted school in Gollaprolu village that I wish to tell you. As N.R.I. supporters (my wife Subhadra and I) of Primary Education in India, we appeared before the parents of the children to find out about their views on closure of 6th & 7th classes in Smt. M. Umamba Memorial Primary School, Gollaprolu. These parents unanimously demanded that the 6th & 7th classes be brought back to the school. Then we approached the East Godavari District Collector (Shri. Gopala Krishna Dwivedi, I.A.S.), Member of Legislative Assembly (Shri. Pendem Dorababu, M.L.A., Pithapuram), District Education Officer, Director of School Education (Shri. Bhanu Murthy) and the Principal Secretary to the Government of Andhra Pradesh (Shri Ratan Kishore, I.A.S) for restoration of 6th & 7th classes in Smt. M. Umamba Memorial Primary School, Gollaprolu. These officials did not restore these classes. As a result, a few girl students discontinued studies, as the parents are not willing to send their girl children to a distant high school (remember acid attacks on girl students in Warangal) and the boys (students) trek to the high school located 1.8 KM away, braving the heavy traffic on N.H. 214 road. Two classrooms that were built with N.R.I. funds remain vacant in the school. Science lab established with N.R.I. money remains closed. We asked the highest official (Shri Ratan Kishore, IAS), whether it is the policy of the current government of Andhra Pradesh to discourage the N.R.Is from participating in the development of the state? The official parried the question and answered in Telugu "Manchiki pote, chedu eduraindi" (when you do good deeds, bad results occur � a Telugu saying). My question to NRI philanthropists is "What is the best way to serve the people of our Motherland � India"? If your heart tells you to contribute to the growth of a great country India, do not give money. There is plenty of money in India (Please look at the State & Central budgets and also note the scams like Satyam Computers involving thousands of crores of rupees). My humble suggestion is to invest your time and talent to improve the life of the downtrodden in India, but do not send/contribute money to India. Save your treasure to meet the expenses of your travel and stay in India. Republic Day in India is celebrated with much fanfare and Dr. M.V.R. Memorial Primary School in Gollaprolu Village (East Godavari District, A.P.) is no exception. As the Founder, I had the privilege of hoisting and saluting the National Flag. There are 101 boys and 93 girls in the school and this reflects the gender ratio of the general population. As opposed to the enrolments of 194 students, only 103 (53%) attended the Republic Day function. Even the lure of receiving a chocolate from the school did not entice the remaining students to attend the function. Motivation from parents and teachers is obviously lacking. This school was started twenty four years ago as a single teacher school. The school progressed to the level of Upper Primary School allowing the students to study up to 7th class. Under a scheme called "SUCCESS", the Government of Andhra Pradesh successfully removed 6th and 7th classes from this school, in June 2008. Now there are four teachers, instead of five, to teach five classes � one to five. One teacher is forced to teach a total of 75 students belonging to class one and class two. The take home message is that the Government of Andhra Pradesh is not interested in imparting quality education to the students in government schools. Remember that these students (all below 12 years) are not voters and a democratic government need not care for them. Yet the parents of these children are voters. To win their vote, the government has cleverly instituted Midday Meal Scheme. A parent, usually, illiterate, is now satisfied that his/her child is receiving free mid-day meal and thus view the government favourably. What the parents do not know is that the quality of education suffered in this school. In spite of inspiring books on children's education by Giju Bhai (Marathi) and Vadrevu China Veerabhadrudu (Telugu), no action is taken to improve the standard of teaching in primary schools. You may wish to know about the "SUCCESS" scheme. Aim of this scheme is to impart English language to all the students in Andhra Pradesh Schools. This scheme has evolved, I believe, to counter the popular trend of admitting students into English Medium Schools by parents belonging to various social strata. A large number of Upper Primary Schools are stand converted to Primary Schools. Students belonging to 6th & 7th classes were transferred to the nearest High School. There are two questions that beg answers: Is it not true that a child learns better if the instruction is in child's mother tongue? Second question: If it is the desire of the government to teach a foreign language to students in government schools, why opt for English language only (why not French, German, Italian, Arabic, Chinese and Japanese)? There is another tale about our second adopted school in Gollaprolu village that I wish to tell you. As N.R.I. supporters (my wife Subhadra and I) of Primary Education in India, we appeared before the parents of the children to find out about their views on closure of 6th & 7th classes in Smt. M. Umamba Memorial Primary School, Gollaprolu. These parents unanimously demanded that the 6th & 7th classes be brought back to the school. Then we approached the East Godavari District Collector (Shri. Gopala Krishna Dwivedi, I.A.S.), Member of Legislative Assembly (Shri. Pendem Dorababu, M.L.A., Pithapuram), District Education Officer, Director of School Education (Shri. Bhanu Murthy) and the Principal Secretary to the Government of Andhra Pradesh (Shri Ratan Kishore, I.A.S) for restoration of 6th & 7th classes in Smt. M. Umamba Memorial Primary School, Gollaprolu. These officials did not restore these classes. As a result, a few girl students discontinued studies, as the parents are not willing to send their girl children to a distant high school (remember acid attacks on girl students in Warangal) and the boys (students) trek to the high school located 1.8 KM away, braving the heavy traffic on N.H. 214 road. Two classrooms that were built with N.R.I. funds remain vacant in the school. Science lab established with N.R.I. money remains closed. We asked the highest official (Shri Ratan Kishore, IAS), whether it is the policy of the current government of Andhra Pradesh to discourage the N.R.Is from participating in the development of the state? The official parried the question and answered in Telugu "Manchiki pote, chedu eduraindi" (when you do good deeds, bad results occur � a Telugu saying). My question to NRI philanthropists is "What is the best way to serve the people of our Motherland � India"? If your heart tells you to contribute to the growth of a great country India, do not give money. There is plenty of money in India (Please look at the State & Central budgets and also note the scams like Satyam Computers involving thousands of crores of rupees). My humble suggestion is to invest your time and talent to improve the life of the downtrodden in India, but do not send/contribute money to India. Save your treasure to meet the expenses of your travel and stay in India. |
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