Government LP Schools In Assam Moribund!
GUWAHATI: Primary education in Assam is moribund. While a large number of government primary schools in the State have been closed, a number of others are on the verge of closure. However, the State Education Department is still groping in the dark to find, what’s called, the sure cure.
A close examination of the situation shows that a number of government primary schools have been closed in the State due to lack of adequate number of students. In some cases, it is glaring that the teacher-taught ratio is much lop-sided. If the department fails to pinpoint the ‘reason’ as to why parents keep on rejecting government primary schools and address it, the closure of more LP schools in the State is on the cards.
Take Vivekananda Vidyapith in the heart of Tezpur town as a case study. The school has only 40 students against 13 teachers from Class I to IX. This situation may sound the death knell for the school sooner than later.
The picture is very gloomy in Nagaon district. According to sources, Kathiatoli Mudoini LP School, Gossaipatti LP School in Dhing, Bandardubi LP School in Kaliabor and Nonoi LP School in Nagaon district are almost closed. And the common reason for the closure of the all these schools is lack of adequate number of students. A large number of other LP schools in the district are also on the verge of closure. The situation is no different in other districts in the State.
A visible challenge before all such government LP schools is the mushroom growth of English medium schools in the State. This apart, most of the guardians want to send their kids to English medium schools that have better discipline, punctuality and teaching, comparatively. The government schools, on the other hand, are infamous for irregularity in taking classes, attendance etc. The government has made compulsory mid-day meal for LP school students. However, an allegation goes that in a section of such schools the students are fed only meal, not knowledge.
The problem is a deep rooted one. There was a time when LP schools were set up in a rampant way in Assam, without even taking into consideration the minimum distance two LP schools in a given area must be apart. There was total absence of rationalization while opening LP schools in the State.
Time is fast running out. If the government LP schools are to survive, they need to compete with their private counterparts on quality education. However, who will bell the cat? If the government doesn’t do the needful right now, the situation will certainly go out of hand.