The Hindu : New Delhi News : School managements sore over `interference'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 16, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

School managements sore over `interference'

By Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI, OCT. 15. It seems that the Directorate of Education is turning into something of a "dictatorial body'' rather than an agency for pursuing educational reforms and reducing the burden on students. A spate of circulars issued by it in the recent past have angered the managements of a number of schools who are now up in arms against this "sudden interference'' in their affairs.

The Directorate of Education's stand seems to be going against the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit's philosophy of non-interference in the functioning of public schools and reducing official diktats. Instead of reflecting on its "performance'' and improving its track record, the Directorate appears to be putting hurdles in the path of those involved in the education sector. And surprising even the Chief Minister and the Education Minister, Arvinder Singh Lovely, are shying away from arresting the rot. Not surprisingly then that representatives of public schools have now been forced to plead their case with the Delhi Lieutenant-Governor, B.L. Joshi.

The latest circular from the Director (Education), Rajinder Kumar, relates to marking of attendance by teachers and principals on computers. When a large number of schools are running from tents and semi pucca structures (SPS) and where computers or telephones to connect Internet are not function, Mr. Kumar wants the entire teaching community to go online. It is another matter that Ms. Dikshit, Mr. Lovely and Mr. Kumar overlooked the large number of complaints from their own principles and vice-principals on the issue of extension of the computerisation programmes in government schools and awarded the contract in a controversial manner.

Another circular issued in the wake of the Kumbakonam tragedy in Tamil Nadu was on fire safety norms in public school. If the Education Minister and Mr. Kumar make field inspections of their own schools they will discover that they not only lack fire safety standards but also basic civic amenities like drinking water and clean toilets. Interestingly, Mr. Kumar's own office in the Old Secretariat Complex does not meet the required fire safety norms. Another circular states that cooking of food in school canteen kitchens should not be allowed. When it should be addressing issues like educational reforms, tackling complaints of sexual harassment, working to bring down the absenteeism in schools, tracking the origin of the examination paper leak and improving the quality of education, the Directorate seems far removed from ground realities.

It is no secret that the present Director of Education's relationship with the elected representatives is far from smooth. There have complaints galore about his "indifferent attitude'' and tendency to brush aside the views of the party MLA. However, Mr. Kumar continues to survive in his position due to his proximity to the powers-that-be despite resentment seriously building up against him within the Congress Legislature Party.

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