Round The States
New
Delhi, 13 August, 2016
Schools Sans
Teachers
POOR IMPLEMENTATION
IN STATES
By Insaf
The Central Government’s grandiose plans of
Teach One, Teach All seems to have crash landed. Most shockingly, a report on
single teacher schools has thrown up alarming statistics of the dismal
education scenario in the country. Whereby, a single teacher is running the
shop in as many as 1.06 lakh Government elementary and secondary schools.
Worse, BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh tops the list with 17,874 such schools followed
by Ulta-Pulta UP with over 17,000
single teacher schools and saffron Rajasthan has 13,575. Andhra, Jharkhand and Bihar too join the infamous ranks, according to a Union
HRD Ministry report tabled in Parliament. Alas, no State can boast off having
no single teacher schools. The only silver lining is that Union
Territories like Daman and Diu, Pondicherry, Chandigarh and
Lakshadweep fare better with no single teacher
schools. That education is being given short thrift is apparent when in Haryana’s
urban smart city Gurgaon 41 primary and middle schools are one per cent wonders
with teachers doubling up as administrators, clerks, caretakers, wardens,
mid-day meal severs, nurses and crisis managers. What happens to Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan?
Worse, ever since the Bihar
School Examination Board merit scandal broke out, it has opened a can of worms
with problems galore afflicting the State's education sector. Most
scandalously, the latest shocker is that some colleges are being run from
peoples’ garages, while others claiming to have 20 classrooms on paper had, in
fact, just three or four rooms and lacked basic infrastructure. Appallingly,
out of 213 colleges 158 have violated affiliation norms. More. Student
enrollment and faculty strength in these institutions were also only on paper.
Yet, all boast of three common denominators: Affiliation to the infamous Bihar
School Examination Board, whose kingpin is now cooling his heels behind
bars. Two, all are experts in guaranteeing
high scores for their students, if not toppers in all subjects. Last but most
important, all are managed by politicians.
Education Bihari-style, what?
* * * *
Iron Lady Breaks Fast
After 16-long years, Manipur’s iron lady Irom
Shrmila bid an emotional farewell with honey to her blockbuster fast against
the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Even as the political
establishment both at the Centre and Manipur heaved a sigh of relief at Irom’s
decision. Her family and the locals have not taken kindly to the fact that she has
backtracked from her mission. Needless to say it took her these many years to
finally reconcile to the fact that fasting would not achieve the desired
results, withdrawal of AFSPA from the State. The celebrated civil right
activist’s who made it the Gunnies Book of World Records has now decided to
join mainstream politics, contest elections and wants to be Chief Minister.
Primarily, as she has realised that it is the only way forward to fulfill her
aspirations of getting Manipur out of the Army’s tentacles. This is not all. In
the event the people reject her, she will happily settle down in matrimony. Ensconced
in the hospital in Imphal she is getting ready for her next battle at the
hustings.
* * * *
States 'Selfie' Danger Zones
With India in the grip of ‘Chal Beta Selfie Lele Re’, the Centre
wants States to ensure ‘selfie’ control. This comes against the backdrop of
several fatalities by youngsters who in their craze for a perfect shot on their
mobile phones have paid the heavy price of life. Shockingly, at least 54 people
have lost their lives since 2014 in the country, 15 alone last year out of 27 worldwide
thereby setting a world record. To block this craze the Union Tourism Ministry
has asked States to identify ‘selfie’ danger zones, install warning signs for
visitors along-with barricades in areas which are risk prone. Notably, Maharashtra and Karnataka have got off to a flying start,
with the Mumbai police identifying 16 danger zones in the city. It remains to
be seen whether it will strike a death knell for this attention grabbing
activity especially on Face book.
* * * *
Mamata Warns Gau Rakshaks
What’s in a name?
Everything. Against the backdrop of Prime Minister Modi coming down heavily on anti-social
elements masquerading as Gau Rakshaks,
West Bengal’s cow protectors have donned a new
avatar calling themselves Gau Vikashaks.
This follows a Union Home Ministry advisory to State Governments to take strict
action against these 'self-styled cow vigilantes'. The first of the
mark is Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wherein she has got the police to
register a complaint against two cow protecting groups for fomenting ‘communal
tension' in Midanapore. Gau Vikashaks
or Gau Rakshaks either which way they
need to be on their guard!
* * * *
Heartless Delhi
Amidst the acerbic war of words between Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, lost in the diatribe is
that Union Capital Delhi is an indifferent and heartless city. The latest
incident to underscore this heart wrenching fact is of a man hit by a tempo
left unattended bleeding to death on the road for over 90 minutes. Even as a
rickshaw driver stole the injured man’s mobile and nonchalantly rode away.
According to CCTV cameras at the accident cite over 181 motorcycles, 140 cars
including a PCR van, 82 three wheelers and 45 pedestrians crossed the victim
but did not stop to help him. Primarily, because citizens who have been good
Samaritans in the past by bringing accident victims to hospitals are needlessly
harassed by police authorities. The Delhi Police now plans to launch a Good
Samaritans Scheme wherein it will reward those who take road accident
fatalities to hospitals. It’s another matter that this proposal has been
floated many times before but languishes in Sarkari corridors. Meanwhile, Delhi continues to earn
the ignominy of being a city which has no value for human life. ----- INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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