Education for Sale

November 13, 2013


There was a time when every child enjoyed going to the school, sling bag full of books, with torn dress, without slippers to wear, sharing the umbrella with the elder brother or sister, one hand dangling with the weight of a small aluminium tiffin carrier filled with rice porridge, walking for miles together to reach the school. The auto never came to your door step, or the school buses never waited at the street corner honking for you. Nothing was free. Everyone, poor or rich, had to pay the school fee and get into the school. Government never gave you free books or uniform. Mid-day meal facility was out of the question. You ate the meal only if you carried it to school or your house was nearby. Government never distributed bicycles to students. The parents decided the school and sent their children to that school.

Education then was not easy. If the student did not pay attention or did not study or was lazy to study the teacher tried his/her best to teach the particular student. Sometimes he/she cajoled him, sometimes pampered him or sometimes never hesitated to cane the student till blood oozed out of the tender skin. The student would role on the floor while getting beaten up, pleading the teacher not to beat, and at the same time beg loudly on top of the voice for forgiveness, assuring not to repeat the mistake again. Even after this if the student did not improve the teacher would teach a life lesson to the student by making him repeat the same class not once but twice if need be. This whole exercise was a part of education. Everybody respected it and especially the parents used to feel proud of such teachers for they knew that whatever they did was good for their own children.  I am a product of such a system and very early in my life I understood how sacred and serious this whole system of education is.

Time changed and the education system too changed beyond one's understanding. Education was made compulsory for all. In order to attract the children to schools, needless to say to appease the future voters, government introduced schemes like free education, free uniform, free books, free mid-day meal, free bicycle, free milk etc. Nobody has any objection to this. The objection is to the system which does not reach all. Some of the schemes are extended only to the government schools and colleges and not to the private ones. For example in the college level free education is given only to government college girl students and not to the private college girl students. The poor student might have chosen a private college because the college is close to her home. Is it her mistake to choose this college and thus forgo the facility? If the government is providing facilities to the students it should reach all students and not to the selected few. Apart from this the new system of education demands the schools not to detain any student in the class. However poor he is in his studies he has to be pushed to the next class. By the time such brilliant student is out of the school, he may not even know to read and write a single sentence in English.

Since the government doesn’t extend these facilities to the privately managed schools and colleges, education has become a commodity in such institutions. In the big cities, hold your breath, the annual fee for LKG is just Rs 2 lakhs, that too if you book, that too if you book a seat a year in advance. In the “glass house” schools and colleges, with its centralised airconditioned, without even a playground and a proper library, the annual fee is something around one lakh. The story of the professional colleges is something different. The more rich you are the more is the chance to get a seat in “esteemed” institutions. For a medical seat you cannot enter into the college office without having your bag stuffed with Rs 75 lakhs or more. The student should be, to avoid this situation, hardworking to get through the entrance examinations.

When you gauge an institution’s merit with the money that you pay as capitation fee, what standard can one expect from that institution? Can an institution which has charged seventy, eighty lakhs to a student, afford to fail such a student however poor he is? If at all it fails the student, will it get new customers? So education means you pay and get the certificate. The only thing that should console you is that you are not paying bribe. 

 

Vincy, Pamboor Archives: 

 

 

By Vincent Alva (Vincy, Pamboor)
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Comment on this article

  • education for sale, shaikh

    Sun, Jan 12 2014

    well written !
    Excellent!!
    Keep it up with such articles , Sir.
    Hats Off to you

  • Rita, Germany

    Thu, Nov 21 2013

    We complain that children sit in front of PC. or TV.dont go out to Play.otherside are we not as parents a bit part in it?How much time we spend with our children?Either we are in out of the house to work.children with grandparents, or we self are on the Computer,tv.Tv channels know very well how to attract the People with programs.Suppose when we dont allow children to TV:s and PCs next day children will come from the school and complain other children are Mobbed them or mocking.And in Schools also playing ground is almost None fallen to big builders.when children come home they are burdened with home work and tuition,music,and what not.Nowadays children have a lot to study ,carry and pay also.

  • Shalini Quadros, Udyavara

    Mon, Nov 18 2013

    I definitely agree with Mr. Alva.

  • Wilson Saldanha, Shirthady/ Kuwait

    Mon, Nov 18 2013

    Very well written. I am also a product of such a system. I miss my childhood. I don't see it even in my children.
    Those days of play time in an open ground.....Hearty laugh with parents, siblings and cousins...... climbing the trees..... falls and rises......playing in water.....swimming in rivers.......helping our parents........ gardens at back yard.....that little puppy.......... small kitten........bathing in a traditional bathroom.....No TV...... No mobiles......no PC.... Not imprisoned inside four walls........Sky was the limit......earth was our playground.......Lot of real friends to play........toys made of coconut branches.....Balls made of dry banana tree.....Music from those empty metal boxes......Bamboo flutes......borrowing pen/ pencils of friends.....sharing tiffin........Running to and pro school.....beatings from Masterji......Masti at school ground.....Pulling girls hair.......and finally making susu in line at bushes and trees during school break time.....
    What happened to present generation children specially of Gulf....???
    They are spending their childhood inside four walls....They have TV, computer and mobiles as their companion.....Busy parents.....Friends on Facebook and What's app......pressure of studies.......tuitions.......
    I don't understand whether I miss the childhood in them or they don't know what is childhood.

    I am sad not because I miss my childhood. Because childhood is missing in the present generation.......

  • Freeda Suares, Katapady/ Muscat

    Mon, Nov 18 2013

    Interesting article, very well written. A true picture of Indian education system, yet we all feel proud to run this race and be a part of it.

  • John DSouza, Mangalore

    Sun, Nov 17 2013

    The true fact is that the number of educated youngsters is growing rapidly, by hard work or through commercial mode.
    Do we have any plan of job creation for multiplying the output of enormous academic institutions?
    Or just going on arguing and blaming the education system is the only solution?

  • A. S. Mathew, U.S.A.

    Sun, Nov 17 2013

    Mr. Rudolf Rodrigues: Thank you for your kind response. What you have said is very true. It was very sad that not even a single University in India was not listed in the list. India is making headlines on the $ 1 billion home and the sales of a Rolls Royce-Bently-Benz-BMW-Rollex and expensive restaurants to eat a lunch like $ 150/meal or more etc. From the Gulf countries, they send the vast majority of the students to study in the finest Universities of the Western world. Even hiring people to work in their educational institutions, they give high priority to have the teachers from the top notch Universities of the world. First of all, both the parents and teachers must instill the habit of reading among the students from the very early part of life, also to create a habit of
    "self-study" instead of teachers giving them notes and swallowing that to pass the tests to have a degree, then get a job thus the end of learning.

  • Rudolf Rodrigues, Mumbai/Mangalore

    Sun, Nov 17 2013

    @A S Mathew, now do you believe these rating agencies that they cannot be influenced by money power? Everybody is involved in this game!!

    Of the country you referred to getting four universities in the list, you have to see their own docs having very high qualifications from most top Western institutes not even being able to speak proper English, the language in which they have imbibed their education!!

    Today's world is totally materialistic and nobody is insulated from it, may be in our country it is blatantly hence more demonstrable!!!

  • A. S. Mathew, U.S.A.

    Sun, Nov 17 2013

    Mr. Eric Coelho: You are very correct. Among the ranking of the 500 top Universities of the world, in the top 10, 8 were U.S. and 2 were
    British (Oxford and Cambridge). In the 500 list , 4 Universities of Saudi Arabia were listed, but even the IIT of India was not listed. So, that is shedding light about the very slothful educational system in India which has turned like other fast food business. If that doesn't change, in these hard and very competitive world, millions of educated students with their big degrees will not find any job in the world market, simply wasted money from the parents.

  • Rita, Germany

    Sun, Nov 17 2013

    How true !Today education is pure Commercial .who gives more donation he Comes in first line.As I went to Govt.school and high School as there were no privat Schools in Belman in 50 s there were some teachers who really good teachers and some only to attend.but I enjoyed the School even though was not a brilliant one.But nowadyas when I hear the amount to be paid,I dont think ever I would be able to go to School.and this donation System started from us mostly People coming from kerala big shots.or not?I wonder where this donation Money is going?now it is in catholic and other institutions there like a Virus.very sad.

  • A. S. Mathew, U.S.A.

    Sun, Nov 17 2013

    Mr. J. Dal: You are exposing another side of money machine's function under the banner of education. It is like going to some doctors for a minor cold and cough, but after collecting the fees, he or she will refer to the friend specializing in allergy, and the doctor will get his/her share, then refer to the hospital for a battery of tests. Today, our children dread education due to its overloaded assignments, so under greater stress every day.

  • Veronica & Pascal Mathias, Pamboor, Dubai

    Sun, Nov 17 2013

    Good article. Very true...

  • John DSouza, Mangalore

    Sat, Nov 16 2013

    Yes, everything has become expensive. But why we are still carrying and moving the bullock cart on wheels, with expensive fuel force?
    While the bulls can pull and move the heavy loads on carts at ease, why not we can correct a silly error of automobiles and have a rapid surface transport revolution, instead of pulling on with a lengthy evolution and facing severe problems?
    Whereas mobile is enjoying amazing benefits, why auto-mobiles are suffering severe problems?
    Why our one million engineers, who are seeking jobs, cannot think about this?
    How can we ignore an opportunity to save a huge volume of fuel (billions of dollars), eliminate pollutions, reduce costs and multiply capacities?

  • J Dal, BVR

    Sat, Nov 16 2013

    Even after paying fees in lakhs school is not responsible for making the student a genius without going to tuition classes... Today children have no freedom from studies.. Get up by 7.00 reach school by 8.30-9.00.. come back home en the evening by 5.30 pm and then reach tuition classes by 6.00..

    My question why the present children have to be punished like this? why the school authorities/management cannot promise that their student do not have to attend the tuition classes if the children joins to their school...
    The situation created now a day is you got to school for eating and drinking milk.. for studies you join tuition classes...
    Fashion of Indian education....

  • harry monteiro, ranipura

    Sat, Nov 16 2013

    Very well mentioned Mr. Vincy. Nowadays inflation shoots up like anything. When I married in 2002, the MCs charges were Rs. 2, 000/- , but now one of a friend's wedding he charged 15, 000/- & so on in the list.

  • Rudolf Rodrigues, Mumbai/Mangalore

    Sat, Nov 16 2013

    Very nice and bold article!! Very true education is totally commercialized and the quality has gone down substantially at the cost of quantity!! Shocked to learn that more than lacs of seats in engg. colleges in interior areas are going abegging due to lack of students willing to join them!!

    Today if you ask any XIIth pass out what you are doing, the most probable answer will be engg.!!!

    Just cannot imagine students who score 45% marks passing out in the first attempt from a tough 4-year engg. or pharma course and second and third rung colleges achieving 100% results year after year, can this be achieved under normal circumstances??

    As rightly said less than 50% of passouts are capable of joining the work force!!

    Even very recent institutions have been given deemed univ status surprisingly!!

    Interestingly recently there was a demand that medical doctors who pass out from management quota by giving hefty donations should pass the Foreign Medical Graduate test before getting a licence to start practicing because of the clout and influence they could wield with the money power to literally buy degrees!!! Jai Hind!!

  • gabrial dsouza, kunjagudde/sharjah

    Fri, Nov 15 2013

    wise article. very true.. in my old day last days of school and before the exam, teachers use to give special classes on saturdays and late at evening even though their duty finish. they dont get extra money .. what a sacrifies and dedication towards the student. they dont look for money, their aim was to bring 100% results to the school. we walk 4 kilomiters by bare foot and carry a tifin for our luch. we never went to extra classes by paying tution fees. we slept in the school reading at night by group. our principal. mr l. mendonca and the shirva parish preist waked us 4 a.m. good support for us.. great people, they polished us. today we are here because they feed us a good moral and good education free of charge. i salute them... my salute to all the teachers too...

  • Eric Coelho, Mangalore

    Fri, Nov 15 2013

    There is nothing special I can talk, write or comment about Indian Education. The present education system followed in India is totally commercial. In Mumbai 47% of Engg. Grads are not employable in any sector because of their poor English and cognitive skills. They say the biggest asset of an Indian is his brains but its lack quality. Let us take all aspects that education help us but that has not been used for its logical purpose. - Engineering Level - Mechanical/Electronics/Civil- Have we produced 1 high end car, have we produced one high end electronic item, have we produced one quality building that we talk about.

    Let us take the infrastructure, let us the residential and commercial buildings which are all flouted in terms of FSI. REcent incident is of Campa Cola. Our education has not been able to meet the International standards which countries like Japan, Europe, Canada, USA etc. Let us take Singapore which is the size of South Kanara. Look at its development in all angles and compare only Mangalore - disgusting. Corruption at all levels from birth to death is visible in India. Look at our legal system that we have to wait for 3 to 4 decades for a judgement. TAke our doctors who suck sick people's blood to recover their capital cost. These are few points which has corrupted our education system totally. To end Education in India is for Sale.

  • RTN MICHAEL MATHIAS SHIRVA ROTARY, PILAR SHIRVA

    Fri, Nov 15 2013

    Nice article.it is true

  • Joe Saldanha, Santhekatte

    Fri, Nov 15 2013

    Sir, I took note of your concern on commercialization of education. Keep up the good work. What we need is a quality in education. In India politicians own colleges and schools in many states. When some well known universities want to tie up with Indian universities they act as a barrier. Khan Academy and ABCmouse showed us there are tools available to educate the masses. Government should get out of education once their objective is met.

  • Gopal Sherigar, Udupi/Mumbai

    Thu, Nov 14 2013

    Excellent elaboration of the hardships the students faced during their education in mostly remote places in earlier days. Today as rightly said Education has become a commodity and people tend to go along for the sake of fame. But the education imparted in these highly sophisticated schools upto the standard. We can see MBA passed students who cannot speak a line in English. The situation is utterly disgusting. The conclusion of this write up is not satisfactory since there is no solution for the problem faced by parents. What is the solution to keep our tradition of producing excellent brains?

  • Naveen mendonca, Pamboor / Bahrain

    Thu, Nov 14 2013

    Nice article Vincy. It's very true.....

  • vassu, kudla

    Thu, Nov 14 2013

    Please dont generalize your statement about medical seats. There is no dearth of brilliant students getting admission in medical schools of the country purely on merit. As for the capitation fees, even engineering colleges sell seats at a price. Otherwise how can a state afford to produce over a lakh engineering graduates a year. There are cases where the student has failed to clear plus 2 in first attempt, or have cleared with abysmally low marks, still they manage to get into engineering colleges. No one writes anything about that.

  • Jerry Fernandes, Mumbai

    Thu, Nov 14 2013

    Very Good article its an eye opener for all the Parents who wants their child to get degree......Keep up the good Work...lol

  • Joseph, , Kallianpur

    Thu, Nov 14 2013

    Thought provoking and apt write up for the current times., I suggest the title of DEGREES FOR SALE and not an EDUCATION FOR SALE because the Schools and Colleges do not educate you at all but only prepare you as a product for the job market. Lord Mcauley changed the Gurukul System of education to today's Convent Education System as they wanted clerks and servants to serve them. Even Medical degrees are up for sale making patients fear to approach young doctors from certain parts of our country. You have the money, you can have any degrees.

  • Melwyn, Pernal

    Wed, Nov 13 2013

    Good article sir..!!
    So called premier institutes of our country commercially running the business in the name of service, which is very bad for the health of the society. The outcome is technically illiterate and the heat is already sensed by the so called graduates. The other reason for unemployment is no growth in the economy too ����

  • A. S. Mathew, U.S.A.

    Wed, Nov 13 2013

    Very true. Among the great surprises evolved during the last four decades in three noble factors of the society medical care-education and religion, it is very hard to believe the misdirected
    and misfired targeting. The material game plan "money" replaced everything so nobility-spirituality-service attitude and compassion are totally disappeared.
    See the writing on the wall, its aftereffect would be far detrimental.

  • Thomas Crasta, Mangalore - Dubai

    Wed, Nov 13 2013

    Good article. It's true.

  • Ted, Mangalore

    Wed, Nov 13 2013

    Great-write up-Vinci,

    Agreed-in-the-name-of-quality-Education-cost-has-gone-through-the-roof.

    However-one-needs-to-understand-the-overhead-costs-involved-in-running-a-school-has-also-gone-through-the-roof,-coupled-with-ever increasing-inflow-of-children.

    Compared-to-Gems-or-other-institutions-overseas-private-education-in-india-still-costs-a-fraction-of-what-one-pays-overseas.

    Worldwide-education-is-kept-expensive-to-maintain-the-standard-of-teaching.

    At-the-end-of-the-day-economics-of-demand-and-supply-is-at-play-in-pricing.

  • Manu, Mangalore

    Wed, Nov 13 2013

    hai, vincy,
    i feel that those who are in the education line understand the system better. it is really shocking to know where the present education system is leading the parents and the students alike!!!
    the dedicated teachers will have tough time to cope with the system!!!

  • John DSouza, Mangalore

    Wed, Nov 13 2013

    True, the time and style has changed, but not the meaning and value of education.
    Education is priceless and hence it cannot be bought. It is experience, knowledge and wisdom, with no compromise or bribe.
    Perhaps qualification is possible either by talent, hard work or money power and either for career or for position and dignity purpose.
    Due to new economy, fast and dynamic, the educational qualification is presented as attraction for ion, just like the dance and body building is essential requisites for actors today.
    As copy, cut, paste, present, compare and compete tactics have become the fashion and style of life today, education (credentials) also being altered and customized, as per situation.
    In fact, the education is a hidden (unexploited) treasure, which needs to be discovered.
    It cannot be for sale, but the degrees and certificates can be manipulated and traded.

  • jacintha, mangalore

    Wed, Nov 13 2013

    Tale of other cities is not known. But, Mangalore is leading in commercial education, isn't it? We set the business rolling. It was a prestige to be in one of Mangalore education factories then, and to some extent even now.

    Then others saw the lucrative business education is, and started it small and big in other cities too.

    I hope, someone like Hazare, or Kejriwal rises against this kind of commercialization, and gets education back to the state it should be.

  • Education for sale, Padubelle

    Wed, Nov 13 2013

    nice article .keep it up


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