Schooling in Kerala: A bunch of dichotomies
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First of all, government schools should start looking good. Infrastructure and related facilities need to look a little more advantageous and presentable. Secondly, teachers themselves should feel that the students who study under them are as good as their own children,…….

Not many government school teachers in Kerala want their children to study in government schools. A number of teachers who enroll their children in government schools do not want their children to be in the very same school where they (parents) work if the school is not famous for good results. Though a sizable amount of these teachers’ salary goes to management schools by way of fees of all types ranging from building fund to beautification drive, many teaches find it worth doing so. And the management school industry is thriving with turn overs peaking to millions.

How about the teaching that takes place in this industry? Since the parents of most students are highly educated and working, (some of them are teachers themselves) take care of their children’s studies, and the management school teachers instruct these parents through the diaries and notes sent to the parents on a daily basis. And since these parents are obsessed with the results of their kids, they go to any length to see that the portions are covered on their own and their children are prepared to face the exams. Paternal tuitions, maternal tuitions, individual home tuitions, guides, schoolmasters and materials managed from the market are doing the job of teaching children.

Eventually, children get taught and they face the exams and pass out with flying colours. And results speak volumes about the reputation of the school. Budding parents, including teacher parents, look at these credentials and they, in turn, feel confident of sending their new children to such schools. The story gets repeated year after year and, as a result, government schools get undermined and private and public schools steal the show in the long run. This is known to all, including teachers, parents, academicians, education policy-makers and even some sane students themselves. But their cries are nowhere heard. Schooling is such a big an industry here and its lobbying is so insurmountable that the poor schools under the government bear all the brunt and are forced to remain helpless.

Unfortunately, the teaching community in the government schools is the crème of the teachers available in the workforce. These teachers go through a range of tests, screening and interviews before they are enrolled as government teachers. First of all they have to clear graduation or post graduation with minimum second class marks depending upon whether they are going to teach at primary schools or high schools or plus two schools. There should be a B Ed degree with no less mark than second class marks, and they have to clear SET (State Eligibility Test) if they are to teach at upper classes, and finally they have to appear for a personal interview conducted by the Public Service Commission.

But in government aided private schools, these teachers postings are sold out for a minimum of a million rupees these days. Here the candidate has to meet the minimum requirements stipulated by the State government. But the post is a real commodity sold out to the biggest bidder. There is no pressure for one to find oneself in the rank list of a highly competitive recruiting organization like the Public Service Commission nor is there a nail biting personal interview conducted by a board constituted by the PSC itself. The appointment is rather a foregone conclusion.

But it is pleasant to note here that there are hundreds of brilliant born teachers doing excellent jobs in the schools funded by the government. These teachers have been able to clear all the recruitment ordeals though extreme hard work and preparation and they equate this hard work with a minimum of a million rupees: that is the market value of a high school or plus 2 teacher’s position). Obviously, there is no doubt about the quality, merit and preparedness of government teachers. But at times these teachers themselves are not ready to find their children study in their own schools. Is it not a sorry situation? It is. It is the most senseless and unbecoming behaviour of teachers. This has to change if there needs to be some changes in schooling as such.

First of all, government schools should start looking good. Infrastructure and related facilities need to look a little more advantageous and presentable. Secondly, teachers themselves should feel that the students who study under them are as good as their own children, and many of them are in their schools just because they do not have the means to go to those so called hi-fi schools.

And when these teachers send in their children to private and public schools, they should remember that the qualifications and merits they themselves have should be utilized for the betterment of those students who happen to study at government schools. Unfortunately, some school teachers who have got their children studying at public schools do not show any interest in putting in their best efforts for the betterment of the schools that pay them and the students who protect the teachers from division fall. All these dichotomies notwithstanding, many teachers find it worth sending their children to paid schools, not to free schools.

So the onus lies on teachers’ behaviour. They should show to the public that government schools have great teachers, and the schooling is much better than what is available at private schools. This can be done simply by enrolling their children in their own schools, or nearby government schools. This will make great impression in the public about the quality of government schools and teachers.

Since a competition with hugely funded public schools is not on the cards of these government teachers, the only way out is to show great confidence in their own credentials and potentials and put in their best efforts to uplift the lost glory of government schools. This will go a long way in making great shifts in people’s attitude to both government schools and private schools. The best thing a qualified government school teacher could do the coming generation is to have the confidence to enroll his or her child/ren at the very same school where s/he works.

Please remember, teaching community, especially those ones under government sector, has a great say in deciding the future of a generation. The public have great faith in you. Why don’t you reinforce that faith by keeping your children under government schools? Just do it for a few years, you will get your due share of reputation sooner than later. Good luck teachers!