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Tejaswani Kadavakollu ¹Asst. Prof. in English

GITAM UniversityHyderabad

IndiaEmail ID: ktejaswani@gitam.edu

tej_hyd@rediffmail.com

Lalitha Sridevi Mirthinti ²Lecturer in EnglishGITAM University

HyderabadIndia

Email ID: lalitha_india2k@gitam.edulalitha_india2k@yahoo.com

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USHERING IN NEW PRACTICES IN A DIVERSE ENVIRONMENT: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

In Andhra Pradesh, schools are run by state government, for children of economically backward students. Lamentably, even after 65 years of Independence, Indian Government-run schools are in a pathetic condition. Most of them run on a shoe-string budget of Rs. 15,000 per annum, without even basic infrastructure. The school buildings are in a perpetual state of repair. Most of them do not even have decent toilet facilities for the staff and the students as well. In many government schools, the teachers neither have a staff room nor a lunch room.

Basically, candidates who have Intermediate level of education and Teachers’ Training certificate can appear for District Selection Committee entrance test for the teacher posts in Zilla Parishad Primary schools. Unfortunately, students of these schools come from marginalized communities who are beleaguered with societal, economical and financial problems.

The present paper deals with the various factors that impact the performance of students in government-run Primary schools. The study is carried out with the aim that issues which hinder the progress of students can be identified and brought to the notice of proper channels so that government-run Primary School students can emerge as competent individuals on par with students from schools run by Central Government and private sector.

The paper identifies lack of infrastructure and trained teaching methods as important factors that should be addressed to improve the learning. Teachers who are trained in Montessori, Waldorf and Reggio Emilia educational systems or similar systems can address the issues in an effective manner. The paper expounds that the society also has a role to play in the improvement of government-run Primary Schools. The authors opine that instead of depending upon the Government alone for financial aid, the society should take a step forward to improve the conditions of these government-run Primary schools.

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AcknowledgementsIn the course of our research the authors met Smt. C. Sadhana, Head Mistress,

Mandal Parishad Primary School, Rudraram, Patancheru Mandal, Andhra Pradesh, and Sri P. Narsimha Reddy, Head Master, Zilla Parishad Primary School, Rudraram, Patancheru Mandal, A. P. who gave us valuable inputs regarding the existing conditions and required improvements in Zilla Parishad Primary Schools in Andhra Pradesh. The authors thank the head masters, teachers and students of these primary schools for their cooperation and support. The authors are also extremely grateful to the Director of GITAM University, Prof. Dr. Ch. Sanjay and Resident Director of GITAM University, Mr. D. V. V. S. Varma for their unconditional support to the authors during the research period and for financial support to the Mandal Parishad and Zilla Parishad Primary Schools, Rudraram, Patancheru Mandal, A. P., through the University’s NSS programmes.

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1. INTRODUCTION

Rudraram is a small village Panchayat in Patancheru mandal in Hyderabad. Most of its inhabitants are unskilled labourers who work in and around Patancheru area in industries. There are two government run primary schools in Rudraram, Mandal Parishad Primary School and Zilla Parishad Primary School. Both the schools have five to six rooms but not much infrastructure. The teachers do not have any specific training to teach the primary students. Only a few teachers boast of degrees in education. The students come from families where the parents themselves are illiterate or educated only up to the primary level. The parents are unable to identify that education is a tool for the progress of their children. Society and government can come together and help in this aspect. Especially, for the schools in Rudraram, factories and educational institutes in and around Rudraram can come forward to help them with the necessary equipment. The government can make it mandatory for the teachers to undergo specialized training to address the needs of these children. The students come from families where surviving on a day to day basis is a big challenge for the parents. There are numerous problems the parents face in their daily life and sometimes the parents themselves are the problem. Trying to stay out of reach of hunger and not falling prey to depression are two difficult tasks that the parents of these school children face. Therefore it becomes a double task for all the stakeholders to convince the parents of the importance of education as well as improve the conditions to impart effective education for these children. The government should keep the fact in mind that the primary school students of villages come from a poor background. Education in these primary schools should be on par with education imparted in Public schools to bridge the gap between the Public school children and government school children. Teaching methodologies should focus on making learning interesting and fun for the young children.

2. OBJECTIVE:The study of government run primary schools in Rudraram village was taken up to study the causes of dismal performance of the students of these schools. In that study, it was identified that lack of infrastructure and appropriate teaching methods along with some other minor causes affect the depressing performance of the students. This paper deals with one of the main causes, i.e., teaching methods in government run primary schools. Based on the present study it was identified that teaching methodologies like Montessori, Waldorf or Reggio Emilia would help these underprivileged students to perform better.

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Profile of schools visited:

Mandala Parishad Primary School, Rudraram

Zilla Parishad Primary School, Vaddera Colony, Rudraram

No. of students 143 140No. of teachers 05 05No. of classrooms 06 05Pucca building Yes YesSchool surroundings Next to a graveyard, on

National highwayIn the midst of residential homes

Traffic controller No Not applicableWith compound wall Yes NoProper toilets No NoBenches in the classroom

No No

Staff room No NoLunch room for the staff

No No

Chairs and tables for the teachers

No No

First aid box Basic BasicMedical doctors Once in 30 days Once in 30 daysTeaching aids Prepared by the teachers Prepared by the teachersPlayground Yes NoSports equipment No NoProtected drinking water

No No

Substaff/Attenders 1 1

Overview of Mandal Parishad Primary School:

The school is on a national highway next to a graveyard. There is no traffic controller near the school to help these young children cross the road. As it is a government school, it is utilized for other official purposes of the village panchayat. The students are not in a position to afford uniform or books. To some extent both are provided by the government. The government also provides the students with lunch though it falls flat when compared to world nutritional standards for growing up children.

The school has five small rooms and in all the rooms there are no benches. The students sit on the floor. The teaching material is prepared by the teachers and the students are taught through the rote method. The teachers are hampered both by time and also by proper training. Most of the things are learnt without any understanding. There is neither fun nor interest in learning. Some of them come to school as they have nowhere to go since both the parents are labourers. A few students have to look after their younger siblings also. There is a room for infants and toddlers, “Anganwadi” but here also the conditions remain in a pathetic manner. The young would rather sit in the classroom with their siblings rather than in the “Anganwadi” room as there is a consolation of “familiarity” in the form of their siblings in the classroom than in the “Anganwadi.”

The school boasts of a small playground but unfortunately no sports equipment. The teachers actually discourage the children from running about in the ground so as to avoid injuries as they do not have proper medical facilities in case of any accidents.

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The government of Andhra Pradesh allots a yearly budget of Rs.15,000/- to each primary school to address their needs. The school authorities are forced to put up with any other inconveniences or repairs like the problem they had last year with the overflowing septic tank. The cost of fixing that came to Rs.11,000 and the school authorities were helpless in dealing with the problem. The students ended up using the Nature to address their nature calls1.

The authors with Smt. P. Rama Devi, School Assistant, at Mandal Parishad Primary School.

1 The GITAM University students came to the rescue and raised a fund of Rs. 8,000 and were instrumental in renovating the toilets. The management of the University also provided the schools with some furniture and plates for the school children. Previously, the students used to bring their own plates and have their lunch in the school.

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The playground of Mandal Parishad Primary School which is situated on a National Highway next to a graveyard.

Overview of the Zilla Parishad Primary School:

The school is in the midst of a residential area where it is covered on the three sides with houses and the fourth side extends into the main road. They have five classrooms and a small playground. Here also there are no benches and fans for the students and the teachers do not have a staff room. The toilets are in a dilapidated state with broken doors and there is no protected water available. They do not have a watchman or substaff.

The students come from economically backward families. Most of them belong to the Vaddera2 community and are unskilled labourers. Some of the students have single parents due to separation, divorce or the death of a parent. The circumstances of the parents do not allow them to realize the importance of education. It is important to educate the parents also regarding the significance of education which can lead to the development of their lives.

The government provides the students with uniform, text books and a moderate lunch. But the parents are so poor that they cannot afford note books and shoes for their children.

Fortunately, the situation is gradually changing with the presence of various engineering colleges in and around Rudraram. The presence of the engineering students acts as a motivation factor for these children and they began to realize the value of education.

2Vaddera community people are professional well diggers.

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The Zilla Parishad Primary School building without a compound wall and unusable toilets.

The authors with Class III students of Zilla Parishad Primary School.

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3. METHODOLOGYThe no. of students who enrolled in these primary schools in the last 5 years:

Academic year Zilla Parishad Primary School, Rudraram Village

Mandala Parishad Primary School, Rudraram

2011 – 2012 22 332010 – 2011 27 292009 – 2010 18 232008 – 2009 25 232007 – 2008 25 492006 – 2007 29 43

It has also been observed that all the students who enroll in these Primary schools do not complete high school. Many studies have proved that the students of government schools rarely complete their education and also the schools do not have basic facilities. In the course of the study, we met the teachers in these two schools and discussed their teaching methods and the efforts they put in to educate these primary school students. We also deliberated upon the problems they face in terms of infrastructure, paucity of funds and limitation of authority. We also talked with some students and their parents regarding the problems they face in government-run primary schools.

4. DISCUSSIONThere are various reasons for the pathetic conditions of the government run primary schools. It is not clear whether the authority to make necessary changes in these primary schools lies with the Gram Panchayat or the District Education Officer. This is the main reason nobody owns up the responsibility when it comes to implementing changes in these schools. The school buildings are in a dilapidated condition and there are no facilities either for the students or for the teachers. Basic necessities like benches, fans, proper teaching material, classrooms and staffrooms, lunch rooms and toilets are not provided in many schools. Three education methods were identified which could help the government-run primary school students perform better. They are:

(i) Montessori education is developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori and is practiced by approximately 30,000 schools worldwide. This form of education addresses students’ psychological development and technological advancement of the society and helps the students develop independent nature within limits. This method would by far be effective for government run primary schools as the classrooms consist of students belonging to different ages and students can choose their activities and completed them in an uninterrupted timeframe. In this method, trained teachers use specialized education materials developed by Montessori and her associates to impart “Constructivist” education where students are taught concepts through working with materials unlike direct and indifferent3 instruction in the present teaching methodology. Montessori education methodology essentially helps the students to develop as independent individuals. But again there is contradiction here as the children are used to a “prepared environment.” It is necessary to contemplate whether this

3 The teachers are unaware of the levels of understanding in the students and helpless due to the time constraints and lack of training.

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will also help the students to behave appropriately in an “unprepared societal environment.”

(ii) The world’s largest alternative education movement, Waldorf education which is also known as Steiner education was initiated by Austrian philosopher, Rudolf Steiner. The first Waldorf school was started in Austria to serve the children of Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, Germany. At present there are more than 2,000 primary schools in over 60 countries all over the world. This education method recognizes three stages in education where each stage covers seven years. In the first stage, practical and creative activities are encouraged. In the second stage, artistic and analytical expressions of the students are developed. This stage also helps them to acclimatize to society as well. In the third stage, secondary education focuses on building up critical understanding and promoting confidence and values in the students. The outcome of this method is students, who are independent, ethical, reliable, social and integrated individuals. The disadvantage of this system is the schools are totally autonomous and doubts are also raised on the curriculum’s inclusion of sciences like religion, spirituality and homeopathy.

(iii) The third teaching methodology identified to help the government run primary school students is Reggio Emilia approach. Started by Loris Malaguzzi, in Italy, it addressed some specific needs of war-torn Italian children to develop them as competent individuals. This approach acknowledges the importance of a student per se. Students play an important role in planning their learning through utilizing their senses and creatively expressing themselves.

This method also takes into account the parents of the students as collaborators in imparting constructive education. Parents are respected as a student’s first teacher and are included in every aspect of planning the curriculum. The major plus point of this education method is its inclusion of the community in the development of the child.

Practically, these three methods are not feasible to the Indian rural environment as we cannot separate knowledge from socio-cultural wants. A teaching methodology which encompasses the best approaches of the above mentioned highly acclaimed and tested teaching methods should be developed by expert teachers, conscientious academicians, parents and members of the society so as to nurture a talented and ideal generation.

5. CONCLUSION:Education is an art which moulds our future generation. Imparting language education should be sensitive to the learners’ needs. Learning should be filled with fun and ultimately provide a rich learning experience to the students. Teaching should enable the students to cherish their childhood and early educational practices. Teachers, therefore, should be highly responsible and treat the child as a unique creative individual. Teaching methodologies should stress on the overall growth of the child in spiritual, mental, physical and psychological aspects. The teachers should be trained to impart the significance of nature and the overall development of the student. Arts like music, dance and drawing should be compulsory for the students. Methodology should be designed based on international methodologies to tap the creativity of the students at a young age. Montessori, Waldorf and Reggio Emilia educational systems are known to be student-friendly and are practiced by some International Primary Schools abroad. If the government primary teachers are also imparted training in these educational methods, the children could develop on par with Central Government School children.

To sum up, in the modern world, where rapid changes are taking place in technology and economy, it is essential for the Government and the society to take necessary steps to reinforce the government-run schools to be on par with private schools. To envisage a

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future India of global standards in education, employment and lifestyle, it is imperative to include the vernacular student community in the mainstream education.

6. RECOMMENDATIONS:1. Zilla Parishad Primary teachers should be trained in a teaching programme which includes

the best practices of Montessori, Waldorf and Reggio Emilia teaching methodologies.2. Arts should be made mandatory at primary level itself. 3. Teachers’ role in the development of the nation is being neglected. They are pathetically

equipped to build a budding nation. Regular training programmes for the teachers will benefit the students. Faculty Development programmes, faculty training workshops, guidance to parents should be conducted to promote quality education.

4. The Andhra Pradesh State Government should give clear-cut responsibilities to the Gram Panchayats with regard to planning and implementing primary education programmes.

5. Teachers who work in rural and tribal areas should be given special allowances and promotions to encourage teachers take up rural posts.

6. Regular inspections should be conducted to check maintenance of infrastructure and progress of the students.

7. Conducting awareness campaigns and development programmes for the benefit of the teachers and parents may result in the required change.

8. The responsibilities are not clearly mentioned in the GO. Hence, adequate staff should be provided to the Panchayats and their roles clearly defined so that they are accountable to the Panchayat.

9. Measures should be taken to transfer funds immediately for the village level plans implemented by the Panchayat.

10. Indian Government needs a systematic and organized system of building capacities at both Panchayat and Gram Sabha so that the members can carry out their new responsibilities effectively.

11. Society should come forward to play an important role to improve Zilla and Mandal Parishad Primary education. Industries, organizations and individuals should take moral and social responsibility to improve the education of our future citizens.

REFERENCES

1. Bajpai, Nirupama and Sangeeta Goyal: Primary Education in India: Quality and Coverage Issues; CGSD (Columbia University) Working Paper No 11, February 2004.

2. Government of India. 1997. Selected Educational Statistics. New Delhi: Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, GOI.

3. Primary Education and Panchayati Raj Institutions. PRIA (Participatory Research in Asia)http://pria.org/publication/Primary%20Education%20and%20Panchayati%20Raj%20Inst itutions.pdf 13th Sept., 2012

4. Vimala Ramachandran and Madhumita Pal. Teacher Motivation in India. http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d/PDF/Outputs/PolicyStrategy/3888Teacher_motivation_India. pdf, 4th October, 2012.

5. Yash Aggarwal. Progress towards Universal Access and Retention. NIEPA, New Delhi.http://www.dise.in/Downloads/Publications/Publications%202000-01/ar2001.pdf, 4th October, 2012.