Ranked the third most educated state in India (after Kerala and Delhi) on the Education Development Index of the Delhi-based National University of Educational Planning and Administration, the southern state of Tamil Nadu (pop. 62 million) prides itself upon providing easy access to school education, and boasts 99 percent enrolment in government primaries. There is also no dearth of programmes such as the free midday meal, free uniforms and textbooks to attract children to primary schools. Moreover there are several corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of private companies aiming to improve the quality of primary education in the state. Nevertheless, a sizeable number of the 53,000 government primary schools in Tamil Nadu, particularly in urban slums and rural hamlets, lack basic infrastructure with the result that the quality of education provided to the state’s 15 million children in the four-16 age group leaves a lot to be desired.
Rather belatedly, the ruling DMK government has become aware that setting right decades of neglect is a task beyond official capability. Therefore last year it introduced a lacklustre School Improvement Scheme (SIS), under which it half-heartedly invited private sector participation for upgradation of government schools, without much effect. This year too, the state government has invited public-private partnerships (PPP) with domestic and overseas institutions to finance much-needed K-12 infrastructure in the state.
One outcome of the latest PPP initiative is a memorandum of under-standing (MoU) signed by the state government and the US-based not-for-profit Tamil Nadu Foundation (TNF), under which the parties will work together to strengthen the state’s K-12 infrastructure and address the issue of school drop-outs. As per the MoU, TNF will invest in different areas including uniforms, notebooks, and stationery; computers and furniture, remunerating teachers acquiring computer skills; educational aids and play materials; and construction and repair of school toilets; water supply and students counseling.
TNF’s track record in successful implementation of school projects undertaken by it, suggests that the Tamil Nadu government-TNF partnership has potential. Established in 1974 by four non-resident Indian medical practi-tioners in Baltimore (USA) to promote the economic and social welfare of the underprivileged in Tamil Nadu, TNF boasts eight overseas chapters and a fully-fledged TNF Technology Centre in Chennai. Since its promotion 36 years ago, TNF has executed over 500 projects in Tamil Nadu, and currently runs a pilot project in six panchayat schools of Madhurantakam taluk near Chennai. “Our office in Chennai has full-time employees who can monitor, audit and execute projects anywhere in the state. We identify schools, study their needs and administer projects funded by Indian and overseas donors,” says Markandeyan, executive director of TNF, Chennai.
However, given past experience of similar PPP initiatives, monitors of the education scene are unimpressed. “Bureaucrats responsible for distribu-ting resources dole out funds to government schools without a care about their utilisation. This recklessness is compounded by the fact that head-masters/headmistresses of government schools are frequently transferred and cannot be held accountable. There is huge wastage of resources given total absence of proper monitoring of projects,” says Saraswathi Raghunathan, headmistress of the government aided Children’s Garden School, Chennai.
Until now the role of private sector partners was merely to dole out vast sums for the government to leak and fritter away. However, in a major departure from past practice, this time round the state government has given TNF full freedom to monitor the construction and administration of all schools endowed by TNF-connected companies and individuals. This major concession to TNF isn’t likely to go down well with Tamil Nadu’s educracy. But it’s a belated step in the right direction.
Hemalatha Raghupathi (Chennai)