Private Educational Institutions – Good or Bad?
Private Educational Institutions – Good or Bad?
So, before answering the question, let’s examine the conditions in the private and government educational institutions:
The standard of education at private educational institutions is much better than those of the government educational institutions. The reason is obvious, as there is hectic competition among the private educational institutions, and they are in great race to get the first place in the result. This is because, with the good result, the institutions can expect more admissions and vise-versa. So, the standard of education in the private institutions is growing day-by-day.
While, on the other hand there has been drastic decline in the standard of education in government educational institutions.
Despite the hefty salaries being paid by the government to the teacher in its educational institutions particularly in primary and secondary education, the standard of education in these institutions is very much appalling. The corrupt politicians and the beaurocrates are the real reason for this declining standard of education.
Since, because of the all-round corruption in the government, teachers to these government educational institutions are appointed on the basis of bribes offered to the beaurocrates, rather than being appointed on their talents, which result in the declining standard of education in the government educational institutions.
Considering the high standard of education in the private educational institutions, in contrast to that of government, it seems that the privatization of the education is better. However, with the privatization of the education the fees of the education in the primary and secondary, as well as higher education, which are already souring for the student of the lower class and lower middle class.
Hence, it seems that rather than privatization of education, the government should reorganize the system of its educational institutions, in such a way that there should be total transparency in the appointment of teachers and instructors and there should be no room for any kind of bribery in the process of the selection of the teacher in the educational institutions.
Privatization is a process of allowing certain state’s welfare services to be run by non-state or private parties. It is a policy through which governments abdicate their responsibility and allow private individuals and institutions to execute things and do the job for money.
Education is one of the vital services that a modern state is expected to provide to its people. It is a service that every welfare democracy is obliged to give in the most accessible form. In simple terms, privatization of education refers to the state’s policy of allowing educational institutions, both higher and lower, to be run by non-state or private parties for monetary benefits. In contemporary times, many liberal democratic countries across the world are increasingly trying to privatize this basic service.
Positive reasons are:
Though Govt. schools are not supporting and providing full scope for a child’s talent and knowledge, private schools are giving 100% scope and supporting for their students and name & fame of their institution;
Some parents are looking for private institutions as they will take much care about their child regarding study, sports, health, etc. which is not possible at Govt. schools;
Economically well parents imagination are to keep their children in such a environment where their child can grow-up with modern and standard life style as well as good teaching and caring.
Negative reasons are:
Lack of support from Govt. sector or Govt. Employees;
Govt. supplies books and food but not utilized in a perfect way, I mean due to the wrong utilization of local leaders, officers who underestimates the rural schools and peoples;
lack of electricity supply to villages, schools and lack of technology in schools,
rural students are fighting for surviving, supporting their family members by doing part-time jobs and not getting sufficient scope and time to read and improve; it causes child laboring also;
Govt. teachers who are not giving their sufficient time for students and doing part time in other private sector for more income.
This is totally responsible of Local bodies of a village or panchayat to look after a school and their environment.
Private Educational Institutions
Why Privatization Is Anti-Poor And Anti-People
1. Education is not a business
Education cannot be a business product or system. We are not supposed to do business in the name of imparting knowledge. According to Aristotle, knowledge is one of the most important virtues that defines the character of an individual person. If this is correct, then it is the moral duty of every welfare state to give accessible education to the every section of the society. State shouldn’t outsource education to private parties.
But unfortunately, this is what is now happening in India. Prof. Krishna Kumar said, “The policy to gradually let the state withdraw from higher education is based on the broader economic ideology that it is best to leave higher education to private hands. In fact, this had begun in professional education areas even before the liberalization process had started”. The governments are reckless allowing private individuals to run educational institutes. The private individuals are selling education according to the norms of the markets. As a result, we have failed to nurture educational values, critical thinking and path breaking research in our universities and colleges.
2. Education must be available to everyone
In India, it was Jawaharlal Nehru’s socialist policy to ensure that education reaches all sections of people.
Education is a stepping stone towards a better life. Itis a process of understanding the world more closely and critically. Without it an individual in today’s world cannot survive. So education needs to be standardised in such a way that it is accessible to everyone. It is thus, the most level making social platform. But if education is left with private sectors for the purpose of business then it is eventually going to go only to a privilege section of people. This means only the rich people will be educated and they will have the opportunity to dominate the rest of the society.
If democracy needs to be promoted, education is the first service that a state should provide to its people. Democratic values and virtues can be acquired only through good education. Privatised education cannot provide us with this because it is entirely dependent on market rules. Nehru had realised the value of university education long back. He said,
“A university stands for humanism. For tolerance, for reason, for adventure of ideas and for the search of truth. It stands for the onward march of the human race towards ever higher objectives. If the universities discharge their duties adequately, then it is well with the nation and the people”.
3. Education is a basic human right
Education is a basic fundamental right. If we want to see the world as a fair place where everyone is given equal opportunities, education is what we require. Education should be free to all – both in elementary and secondary stages. It is essential for the development of human personality and moral living. If education is restricted to only a privileged section it will be a huge injustice to the rest of the society.
Education needs to be recognised as a basic human right. The constitution of India has enough provisions for this. It is the duty of the state to declare it as a basic human right. The government’s Right to Education Act, 2009 was a right move in that direction. But unfortunately, not much progress has been made till date.
4. The faulty argument of meritocracy
It is often argued that merit must not be compromised at any cost. Since Indian government institutions are bound by the reservation policy, it is believed that the only way to protect meritocracy in education is privatization. But this is not entirely true. Merit is not something that one is always born with. Merit is not hereditary as it is often believed. It is not caste based. It is not that only upper caste people are meritorious. People become meritorious because of certain societal opportunities and privileges.
Thus, those who argue that privatization helps us to protect meritocracy they are, in my understanding, grossly wrong. Merit depends on accessibility and opportunity. Nobody is born meritorious. Everybody becomes meritorious.
5. Affirmative action in education
Affirmative action is required for quality of opportunity. It is an action that helps the underprivileged people to compete with others with respect and dignity. Reservation in educational institutions is an affirmative action. It helps the backward communities and section of people to come to acquire education and compete with the privileged classes.
Competition in education or in job markets is fair only when the competitors are of equal strength. But unlike the western societies, in India there is a huge gap between rich and poor. We have diversities in terms of our caste, creed, religion and language. Thus, if we want to have a democratic society in the truest sense, the state must take some affirmative action in educational sectors.
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