-Jivan Bhusal
Why There is no Educational Reform in Community Schools?
Concerns over the declining quality of education in community schools can be heard today. With the exception of a handful of schools, the condition of other schools is worrisome. On the one hand, the quality cannot be maintained and on the other hand, the number of students is declining. This raises questions about the future of community schools. Although the number is small, the quality of education is declining instead of improving. There have been superficial discussions, debates and propaganda for quality improvement. However, serious discussions, debates and interactions have not taken place yet. At this time, the stakeholders are busy in the practice of blaming and escaping from one side to the other. Parents, students, the community and the government are blaming the teacher. Such repetition has further weakened the debate on educational reform.
The real situation of community schools is very worrying. Judging by the number of students who have attended school regularly throughout the year, even 10 percent of the students will not be able to pass the exam. It is a shame to even talk about a student’s learning ability. Winning the trust of parents and the community is essential for a good school. But our community schools have not been able to earn that trust. The trust of parents and the community towards community schools is declining day by day. There are a number of reasons why community schools are so fragile that they seem normal but have serious implications. The main responsibility of improving a school is in the hands of the headmaster. Community school teachers who are responsible for shaping the bright future of millions of students feel that the future of their children in community schools is not bright. In this context they send their children to private schools.
Leaders and activists of the political parties who do politics consider community schools as the center of politics. They make it a playground to do politics. They need their own cadres to be in SMC, in teachers but they do not need that school for their children and they DO NOT teach there. The most surprising thing is that SMC, whose main job is to supervise and manage the community school, does not want the children of SMC members to be educated in that school.
All of the above have a vested interest in community schools, but ironically that interest is for personal gain rather than for educational reform and development. There are many other reasons why these are just representative reasons, which is why the condition of community schools is deteriorating day by day. The situation behind the right to secondary education at the local level is even more frightening. Most local levels do not prioritize education.
The people’s representatives do not want to invest in education as they believe that the development was done by demolishing the hillside by using dozers. Supervision and other works have not been done and there is no environment to work independently even if there are employees. Employees have been the victims of intimidating interference. Due to these and other reasons, discrepancies and inconsistencies are on the rise in community schools. Why don’t the concerned parties think in time?
– The author is a government School Supervisor
