Comments on: My Indian Express column on the OLPC http://www.deeshaa.org/2008/02/02/my-indian-express-column-on-the-olpc/ Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:41:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: ghostwriter http://www.deeshaa.org/2008/02/02/my-indian-express-column-on-the-olpc/comment-page-1/#comment-114268 ghostwriter Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:55:02 +0000 http://www.deeshaa.org/2008/02/02/my-indian-express-column-on-the-olpc/#comment-114268 It is in this context that we must encourage and promote ideas such as the School Choice campaign in India (http://www.schoolchoice.in/campaign/index.php) Admittedly, this has a better chance in succeeding when folks actually have a choice of more than one school (cities and towns - perhaps not remote villages), but it is a start. We can also through vouchers, scholarships etc. provide for Ekal Vidyalaya teachers (schools where there is one teacher that teaches all subjects). The parent/community selects the teacher and pays them what the government provides by way of a voucher (subject to the student attending classes etc.) The best resolution is providing consumer subsidy as opposed to provider subsidy It is in this context that we must encourage and promote ideas such as the School Choice campaign in India (http://www.schoolchoice.in/campaign/index.php)
Admittedly, this has a better chance in succeeding when folks actually have a choice of more than one school (cities and towns – perhaps not remote villages), but it is a start.
We can also through vouchers, scholarships etc. provide for Ekal Vidyalaya teachers (schools where there is one teacher that teaches all subjects). The parent/community selects the teacher and pays them what the government provides by way of a voucher (subject to the student attending classes etc.)

The best resolution is providing consumer subsidy as opposed to provider subsidy

]]> By: PaPaPeng http://www.deeshaa.org/2008/02/02/my-indian-express-column-on-the-olpc/comment-page-1/#comment-114210 PaPaPeng Sat, 02 Feb 2008 12:42:45 +0000 http://www.deeshaa.org/2008/02/02/my-indian-express-column-on-the-olpc/#comment-114210 The high dropout rate for school children is undoubtedly due to poverty. Providing them OLPCs won't keep them in school. The real solution I think is to provide free or subsidized school meals for breakfast and for lunch. This relieves parents of the burden of feeding their children and therefore provide the incentive to make their children stay in school. Children who are not hungry all the time learn better. The high dropout rate for school children is undoubtedly due to poverty. Providing them OLPCs won’t keep them in school. The real solution I think is to provide free or subsidized school meals for breakfast and for lunch. This relieves parents of the burden of feeding their children and therefore provide the incentive to make their children stay in school. Children who are not hungry all the time learn better.

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