Improvement of government schools

There is no dearth of trained and experienced teachers in the government schools. Perhaps many of them are better trained than their counterparts in private schools. They also get better remuneration. Even after they quit the service, their hands will not be empty. So, they have a far more secure future than their counterparts in the private schools. But the teachers in government schools are often blamed of being lazy and irresponsible. Many people believe that they have started to become less sensitive to their professional duties and are more active in political activities. They have converted themselves into cadres of different political parties and their corrupt leaders. So, they are no more worried about the future of the children they are teaching.  

On the other hand, the private school teachers have to perform Herculean task to earn money just enough to solve their hand to mouth problem. They are usually exploited. Nevertheless, their teamwork often seems to be yielding good results. The private schools also try to maintain proper sanitation along with English medium in teaching and learning, regularity of classes, variety of extra and co-curricular activities and regular monthly and terminal examinations. Therefore, most of the parents who are sincere to their children’s education are attracted to private schools.

Recently, the government schools have started to imitate private schools. They have made tie, belt and shoes compulsory in school uniform. It has helped to boost up, though a little, confidence, dignity and enthusiasm among the students of government schools. It has also given the parents the government schools’ promise to improve the quality of education in an effort to save many going-to-be-closed schools due to the lack of students. Yet, majority of the parents choose the private schools because they see them safer than the government schools for their investment in their children’s future.

Only the imitation of the uniform of private schools doesn’t help to improve the quality of education in government schools. For this, the teachers must be more committed to their professional duties. They must not be lazy in utilizing their experiences and skills in the classroom. The teachers must regularly keep in touch with the parents so that they can make them bear more responsibilities for their children’s education. They must be regular and punctual in the class. The school management must practice impartiality in teacher selection process. They must get rid of sycophancy, favoritism and corrupted politics so that the right persons get the job.        

(Published in The Kathmandu Post on 9 December 2010)