Education

Harish Rao gets a reality check of Telangana school education

The Indian Institute of Technology’s Hyderabad campus is located in Kandi in Sangareddy district. But the presence of this institute of excellence has had nil effect on the educational system in Kandi. Finance minister Harish Rao got a taste of the abysmal state of education at the Kandi government High school when he decided to drop in as a surprise visitor. 

Even though just two months are left for the Class 10 Board exams, Harish Rao discovered to his shock that students were unable to recite multiplication tables of 12 or 13 that he asked. He then asked some students to write the names of their teachers in Telugu, English and Hindi. Barring one student, the others failed the test. They did not pass muster even with basic general knowledge questions. 

This is a sample of the quality of education in the interiors of Telangana. Despite a fancy KG to PG programme, it has remained only only on paper and only a political slogan to brag about. There is clearly a gap in the recruitment of quality teachers and more importantly, educators who feel inspired to take students to the next level. With political interference in teacher appointments, it is often not the best guru who gets to enter the classroom. Outside talent does not wish to get recruited as they do not wish to stay in remote areas. 

The only way Telangana can bridge this huge gap is by encouraging digital learning. The state needs to invest in education by getting quality educators to record the lessons in the digital format and broadcast them in the classroom. Though it is still not the same as a human interface, a quality teacher taking care of basic concepts – even though virtually – will ensure against producing educated illiterates. It should be for the class teacher thereafter to take care of the follow up and make sure the students are up to speed.  

In this particular case, it is obvious the government has invested in the infrastructure in terms of a well-lit classroom, decent building and blackboards. But all that comes to nought without having the men and women who can teach well and with sincerity. 

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