There were a couple of interesting questions from the audience:

Q1) Someone asked whether the OLPC guys did any research before they decided to launch a social experiment of this scale?
Q2) What about viruses spreading through all these connected laptops?

The presenter did not appear very happy with these kinds of questions. Check out the video for yourself.

No Commen [...]

While I agree that OLPC is by now a non-issue in the Indian context, I don’t think Atanu has done any back flips.You may want to read his previous (there are many) on the ills of the current education system and the possible solution/s.I don’t think we readers should expect him to restate everything in every post.He usually does give links to relevant posts from the archives.

Coming to state withdrawal – a complete withdrawal by the Govt may not be necessary.Local self governing bodies could still be involved in the education aspect. And at the National and State levels, there could be a regulatory body (similar to TRAI for Telecom) that monitors the various entities in the education field, and provides guidances from time to time.

By monitoring, I don’t mean ‘authority to give licenses to run educational institutions’. I mean a watchdog that ensures that unscrupulous elements can not misuse the liberalization of the education sector.

Now, I would like to highlight something I have noticed of late in my visits to my hometown (Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh).Both my mom and my two aunts work in Govt schools and colleges.One of them is a Maths lecturer and Principal of a Govt high school and junior college in a rural area.She told me a few months back that most of the students have been leaving the school in the past 2 years. Reason: They are all joining the local branches of (private) corporate schools and junior colleges. In fact, throughout rural AP, literally hundreds of schools and colleges have come up as franchisees to big name branded institutions in Hyderabad.

Students are leaving govt schools and colleges in droves and joining these
private schools.These new schools are charging less than what they charge in the cities and towns, but still, it is a significant investment for the villagers to make. And the ‘poor’ villagers are making those investments for their children because TV/Telecom growth in rural areas has taught them the need to educate their children to the best possible quality.

It is a different point whether these private schools are offering quality education compared to the Govt schools.But the ‘consumers’ are demanding more attention and results and are willing to pay for the same.

How are the teachers in Govt schools reacting to this?Some of them are quitting Govt jobs and joining these private schools.Some are ploughing on trying to do their best for the remaining children. While a few are continuing to receive govt salaries, but also teaching in private schools.

Only the very poor, who cannot afford the private schools, are continuing to send their children to the govt schools.At least in AP, over one lakh education volunteers (unemployed graduates who act as interim teachers for half the salary till permanent positions are created)are working in rural areas. Some times, they don’t receive any money for months together.And when they do, some money is deducted by the bureaucracy as commission.And guess what, for the money spent on Vidya Volunteers, the Govt deducts 50% of it from the funds given to the village/mandal.

My point: You tell me now, whether the problem is that of technology or of government control of education? IMHO, the problem is primarily due to the nature and scope of the govt control, and the policy around distribution of resources. The Govt could get out of the education execution field, be a regulator/watchdog, and also provide education vouchers to the children of the very poor (middle and bottom layers of the bottom of the pyramid).This can’t be done overnight.But we need to start sometime.

Ok..that was a longish ramble:-)

0. Think outside the box – why necessarily through schools per se? Basic Math, English and socio-economic awareness has to be taught. Why not through free books (instead of free schooling and free mid-day schemes) and better national TV/Radio educational content (content should be privatized and depoliticized)

1. While I am a big proponent of English from the primary level, I also strongly feel that in the mean time we need to have many quality (not glossy paper type quality but non-dogmatic interesting chapters’ kind of quality) academic books in the vernacular. At least those who are determined (and there are many more than we sometimes assume) would gain knowledge and understanding.

2. The conventional government school system has to be done away with. 2 lakh more teachers this year and 5 lakh more classrooms this year, according to our FM. But given their track record, this would just result in income redistribution (from public to public machinery) and effectively reduced productive social investments.

3. Also, it should be made easier for anybody to take the Class 10 exams (even if they have just passed Class 5) and hence get “certified” for further study / slightly better employment. To our FM’s credit he has introduced scholarships and a common national exam for Class 8 (at least in the rural areas) so that efforts can be recognized at the child and school level.

4. Current-issues’ awareness has to be generated through radios, TVs etc. Doordarshan and radio educational funding has to be increased and the content – outsourced (not to other public agencies but to the private sector on a competitive basis). Technical literacy will accompany the upcoming rural mobile phone boom.

5. To end my very long and slightly redundant rant, instead of wasting almost all the allocation on government “teachers”, spread content through TV, radio and books in a more aggressive, coherent manner.

AND yeah, no OLPC-bureaucrats nexus !