SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURES IN INDIA

SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURES IN INDIA

What is the difference between schools in metropolitan cities and schools in villages.

When it comes to infrastructures, there is a complicated issue that needs to be considered from different points of view:

1)    Gap between metropolitan cities and rural villages.According to the Census 2011, there are 6.4 lack villages in India and about two-third of the whole Indian population lives there.

2)    Gap between government schools and public schools. Indian families can choose what kind of education their children will have, depending on their financial resources. In short, both government and public schools are in villages and in cities. While government schools are free between the 6^th and the 8^th class – and between 9^th and 12^th you have to pay a nominal fee – in public schools there is always a fee to pay, even if in villages is cheaper. Another difference is the quality of teaching of course. On the other hand, in public / private school (Village ,semi urban & semi rural )teachers just have to have passed a 12^th class to obtain an assignment.

These factors affect education, opportunities and children’s future and more in general the country growth. In particular, it is clear that government schools in villages are the problematic ones. Lack of infrastructures is the issue. For instance, 53% of total government schools, which form majority of schools in rural India, have electricity connection:

When it comes to hygiene facilities, according to the Towards UEE-Flash Statistics, NUEPA & GoI, 2005-06 to 2015-16 11% of the schools in our country do not have toilets. More than 2 lakh schools do not have toilets for girls. 49% of the schools don’t have hand wash facilities near the toilets. About infrastructures, according to DISE Elementary flash 2014-15, 40% of schools do not have playgrounds. 23% of schools do not have kitchen sheds. Furthermore, usually in villages there is an agricultural economics. For this, during certain periods students are busy with field works.

As NGO, we strongly believe that we are the only ones can provide concrete aid and supports to rural villages. We also are of the opinion that government should do much more. Since 2010 Heeals

is strongly concerned in programmes with villages and rural communities about Wash; Menstrual Hygiene and Health. Many contents have been produced: films and documentaries that we have been screened in schools; booklets and photos; distribution of sanitary pads and soaps about every month. As far as infrastructures are concerned, we are involved in projects that dependent on donations. For example, we bought water filters for people in villages. Then, in order to improve quality of teaching, we bought white boards and we brought them in schools. Lastly, we are involved in a new project we recently came up with: The Wash Wall Project. We painted walls in toilets and school with messages concerning hygiene, hand wash and menstrual hygiene. We believe that this is a good and impact full way to communicate with children.

- Nancy 

(WASH Intern )

Sources:

http://www.mahindraconstructionequipment.com/blog/the-role-and-importance-of-rural-infrastructure-in-india-and-mahindras-contribution-to-it

https://www.financialexpress.com/education-2/why-rural-india-still-has-poor-access-to-quality-education/1393555/

http://www.dise.in/Downloads/Paper_on_Physcial_Facilities_(Draft_prepared_for_CABE)_-_Report.pdf

https://www.financialexpress.com/jobs/digital-classrooms-in-schools-is-rural-india-ready/401931/

WHY DON’T YOU LET ME HELP YOU?

Today, we are analyzing the link between NGOs and Governmental schools in India.

First of all, it is useful for a better understanding of this article, review rapidly what are the NGOs. As we told previously, they are easily defined as nonprofit entities independent of governmental influence. Moreover, NGOs activities include, but are not limited to, environmental, social, advocacy and human rights work. They can work to promote social or political changes on a broad scale or very locally. As a matter of fact, NGOs play a critical role in developing society, improving communities, and promoting citizen participation.

Secondly, we must try to understand the scholastic Indian system, particularly the difference between the private or public schools and the governmental ones.

Doing that, we can consider three fundamental points:

1.      At infrastructural level, the differences are very visible: as a matter of fact, the construction of a public school is often new and well maintained, while that one of the governmental s is more critical, because it is marked out for a lack of basic services, such as electricity, water, sanitation items and facilities. In addition, this substantial diversity is more evident in village area.

2.      As far as it concerns the tuition fee, in a governmental schools there is no need to pay fees or taxes in order to attend, and also schools uniforms and materials (books, exercises book and pens) are freely provided by the government. On the other hand, broadly speaking, the private school are expensive for families.  So obviously, poorest people tend to send their children to governmental schools, and children form middle and upper classes use to attend the public ones.

3.      Finally, we have to point out the different possibilities for the students. The huge amount of money,invested in private schools, allows to students not only to live in a more positive and competitive environment, but also to have the chance to enjoy some extracurricular activities. By contrast, in governmental schools students often do not receive a brilliant education, and if they can do some extracurricular activities, these are only developed with the purpose to improve student's livelihood, making them more aware.

Having said that, the contest where local NGOs, and among those HEEALS, tend to work is clear. Normally, NGOs have also the permission from the designed authority for working with young students in governmental schools, because the benefits that they bring are remarkable. Although that, currently there are some principals that promote that cooperation and others who simply disagree.

For example, this morning we went in one governmental school with the intention to do our workshops, about both #STOPCHILDMARRIAGE and Menstrual Hygiene Management, but the principal of that school did not allow us to do them and also to leave sanitary pads and other stuffs for the students without a specific reason.

At this point the question is:WHY? The students were enthusiasm to see our team, and for sure they could appreciate the products of our work. However, we had to leave. The big deal is that only for the will of one person, who should think about the wealth of students, we could not help those young guys. Definitely, that is not fair and for the moment we can not do something. Anyway, it easy to change mood, returning to be positive and happy. We have only to think that the majority of the governmental schools, and their principals and teacher, are very grateful for the work of HEEALS and that one of other NGOs in general.

To end up, surely the Indian public system is very complicated and also sometimes unjust. Nevertheless, if the grassroots NGOs, like HEEALS, can work freely, they will improve the student’s condition, allowing to the youngest to grow properly.

 -Martina 

WASH & MH Coordinator