Food for thought

The country provides free elementary education to all children from classes I to VIII under law, namely the Right to Education Act. Along with this, accessories like school uniforms, textbooks, copies etc., are also sought to be supplied free of cost. But there are complaints galore of irregularities, like school kids getting textbooks late almost every year. During September 2017, the State government admitted in the Assembly that for the three previous years, Axom Sarba Siksha Abhijan failed to distribute free uniforms due to ‘lack of funds’. At the Central level in 2013-14, the HRD Ministry had taken a policy decision to decentralize procurement of uniforms to school level. This meant taking the power away from school inspectors at zonal level and vesting it upon school management committees and principals. Naturally, turf battles erupted because no one was ready to let go of ‘commissions’ from suppliers bagging orders of supply. The MHRD decision was challenged in court, which explains why funds from the Centre were not forthcoming under this head. While interim arrangements have been made to resume distribution of school uniforms, questions are now being asked about the SSA authority inviting tenders only from suppliers reporting minimum yearly turnover of Rs 100 crore. This is being interpreted as a move to cut out small local suppliers and hand over the business to big players, obviously from outside the State. If this move is also challenged in court, uniform supply may again be hit to the detriment of school kids. Meanwhile, mid-day meal workers in Assam are up in arms over what they allege a sinister move by the State government to award mid-day meal management to 15 NGOs from outside the State. Obviously, the leakages in supplying school accessories and providing mid-day meals has prompted the government to tighten up norms. However, the ‘cure’ could be worse than the disease, because again someone gets to benefit illegally from these schemes. Whether it is the corrupt school principal, inspector or high State/Central education official pocketing commissions, the brunt is borne by poor children when such welfare schemes are impacted. There is already a huge churning in the countrywide school scenario, with the Centre mulling ‘Samagra Shiksha’ as a continuum from pre-school stage to class XII. This means certain change in funding norms. It is therefore necessary to stabilize the system and clean it up fast, so that no one at any level makes money on the sly in the name of educating children.