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I read the cover story titled ‘Reality Check: India’s crumbling elementary education system’ (EW September). It’s upsetting to read the abysmal statistics of elementary education in India. The feature highlights the blatant disregard policy-makers have for assuring even minimum standards in elementary education. It is characteristic of India’s central planners to ignore the basics and build weak foundations for great enterprises. The assurance given by prime minister Manmohan Singh on Independence Day to improve elementary education is an overdue step in the right direction. But there has to be thorough revision of school and teacher training curriculums to ensure more than cosmetic reforms.

Our leaders make loud claims that India is on the threshold of becoming a superpower. But the dismal state of our elementary education indicates just the opposite. If a determined national effort is made to improve our primary education system, it will create a domino effect improving the entire education system.

Congratulations to Puja Awasthi for her insightful special report on India’s 1,226 hitherto unknown Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (EW September). There is no doubt that KGBVs have the potential to radically transform the lives of girl children in rural India. Girl children from scheduled castes and tribes and Muslim communities are routinely prevented from attending school by their families for several reasons which include poverty and gender discrimination.

However I was dismayed to read that most of the KGBVs EducationWorld correspondents visited are poorly equipped. A school should provide the basic amenities required for learning to happen: viz, well-equipped classrooms, books, drinking water, hygienic toilets and qualified teachers. Since KGBVs are fully residential schools, they must also provide comfortable housing and nutritious meals to students. It’s unfair to condemn girl children from historically oppressed communities to sub-standard learning and living conditions. If the government doesn’t have money, the least it can do is to publicise the KGBV scheme and invite sponsorships from corporates and wealthy private individuals.

Thanks for the August issue of EducationWorld. All the topics covered in your magazine, as well as messages from knowledgeable educationists and academicians, are very interesting and informative.

I especially enjoyed your cover story featuring the EW-IMRB survey of India’s most respected schools. The survey seems to be well researched and extensive. It gives us pleasure to note that the Tagore International School is ranked 11th in the north zone and third in Delhi. We have taken cognizance of the areas that we need to work on. We hope to be ranked higher next year.

Madhulika Sen
Principal
Tagore International School, Delhi

I don’t know the parameters taken into consideration for ranking India’s most respected schools in the EW-IMRB survey (EW August). But the absence of schools from south India in the top ten makes it very suspicious. Highly-reputed schools such as DAV, Gopalapuram and Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan in Chennai have produced national leaders and their alumni not only excel in academics but also in sports and extra curricular activities. I won’t acknowledge this survey for two simple reasons: one, the average pass percentage of students is higher in south India; two, everybody knows that Andhra Pradesh contributes the most number of students to IITs.

Obviously there is some kind of error that needs to be addressed by the surveyors.

Sabari Girish on e-mail

Most surveys of education institutes (EW August) have no credibility value. The sample size is invariably very small and big claims are made in presenting the results and conclusions.

In the case of the EW-IMRB survey of India’s top schools (EW August) not a single school from south India figures in the top ten. The respondents’ sample seems to be highly biased. It is high time the media discouraged such surveys.

Prof. V.S. Holla on e-mail

It’s a big shame that some of the best schools in India which are sited in Ooty and Coonoor are not in the league table of India’s top ten schools published by EducationWorld. It is universally acknowledged that schools in Ooty and Coonoor provide excellent learning environments and world class facilities. I suspect these schools were not even considered for the survey which was conducted only in cities.

But that doesn’t mean that only cities have good institutions. Students who graduate from schools in the Nilgiris have every qualification world class professionals need. They learn everything from etiquette, discipline, extra curricular activities to good communication skills, academics, etc.

Sara on e-mail