IAS Diaries Part 18 - Education Reforms in Rajasthan

Ever since we joined as Assistant Secretaries in the Department of School Education and Literacy, HRD Ministry, we had been showered with impelling tales and snippets about novel Education reforms underway in the state of Rajasthan. And recently we were fortunate to get this opportunity to travel to Jaipur and to see for ourselves, what these reforms actually were and what impact they were making on the ground. And as I sat pondering before embarking upon the return journey, I was more than sure that whatever had been said till now, was simply not ample. There was so much more to it that other states must know so that they create their own models to rekindle their education setups.

On our way to the Govt. Sr. Sec. School Nimodiya, Tonk Road, I was reminded of my travels during the district training in Sonitpur, Assam. Multitude of small Primary Schools mushroomed across the landscape of the Bramhaputra Valley with petty enrollments. There were even some single-teacher schools devoid of optimal functioning. But given the limitations of the central pool of resources, more outlets meant less for everybody. Few years ago even Rajasthan was grappling with similar issues where they had several such schools with single digit enrollment. And then came the idea of restructuring of schools eventually paving the way for a harmonious integration process.

Imagine Scenario A  where you have several Primary Schools in the vicinity with 02 teachers only and abysmally low enrollment. Apart from that you have a Secondary school with 4-6 teachers. The Primary Schools are structured in such a way that there would be no Head master/Principle to monitor and mentor the teachers. The monitoring is done by the Block level officer who sits far across and has too much on his plate to effectively deal with all these schools. The teachers of these Primary Schools have no one to look up too. Since the school base is low, so would be the resources at hand. The parents also would be constantly haunted by the apprehensions over migration to a Secondary school later as the kids progress in isolation.

Now Imagine Scenario B, where all such smaller Primary Schools in a Panchayat which are located nearby are merged together along with the one Secondary/ Sr Secondary school. Now you have the Head master/Principal of the Secondary School looking after all the teachers including those who were part of the stand alone Primary Schools. Now you have the common set of resources to be shared and utilized optimally by all these schools. Now you have junior and senior teachers interacting and facilitation of cross-learning happening across peer groups. Now you have the convergence of SSA and RMSA funds enabling them to innovate beyond. Moreover, it streamlines the migration of students from primary to secondary so that we minimize the dropouts. In a larger setup, the students also gain confidence to communicate better as it gives them the opportunity to interact with the senior classes. Restructuring process in Rajasthan is about moving from Scenario A to Scenario B. These integrated schools are envisioned in every Panchayat and they are being tagged as Adarsh Schools.

Along with the branding of these integrated schools, an array of other initiatives had also been undertaken. Now the Head Masters/Principals of these schools had suddenly the task of handling an enhanced number of students and teachers across platforms. For that, they were empowered with high level leadership modules conducted at the state level to ensure they have the necessary tools to administer this new role effectively. But there was a more fundamental predicament to effective monitoring that had been the major irritant in the past as well. The control of all these schools from the block office was a lost battle already. The sheer gigantic volume and the geographical spread made it almost a non performer.. Here came an important structural change which would decentralize monitoring to the Panchayat level. These Head Masters/Principals were also made the PEEO (Panchayat Elementary Education Officer). Now since they only had 4-5 other schools to look after and the fact that they were all close distance, monitoring process was revolutionized. The principals also felt empowered with these additional responsibilities which raised their morale to a new high.

In one of these Adarsh Schools, we sat listening to the Principal, Shri Om Prakash Vijay Ji,  who so proudly and enthusiastically enlisted the several other smaller steps which have supplemented this reform story. He insisted that we take a detailed look at this online portal "Shala Darpan" made by the state itself to facilitate data inputs for decision making. He swiftly takes out a Portable Wifi Device from his pocket, connects it to the desktop in his office and logs in into that portal. As he explained to us how he uses all these information tools, I was overwhelmed by the penetration of technology even in these rural interiors and how it is empowering people like him to be more effective in their pursuits. Shala Darpan portal has been slowly developed step by step and it is interesting to note that no formal training sessions were imparted. The principals and teachers have learnt it on their own as it is such an useful and user-friendly interface.

On one wall of his room, there was this large poster with photographs, educational qualifications and other details of all the teachers and staff in the school. This brings transparency and helps the parents to know who are the teachers nurturing their children. There were several other small posters on the other walls regarding the Parent-Teacher meetings where in you see large scale publicity of these meetings. Rajasthan has innovated this new model for these meetings wherein they make it a state level festival by scheduling these meets on the same day across the entire state. And therefore, riding on the colossal fervor of its grandeur, almost all parents attend these meetings. A great solution to ensure participation.

Outside his room, there was this box labelled Akshay Petika mounted on a little table securely locked over it's two tinny latches. It is meant to facilitate local level donations for the schools wherein the parents, visitors and simply anyone can go and put in any tiny amount for the development of the school. The locks are opened in the supervision of the School Management Committee (SMC) and thereafter they also decide how best they could utilize these funds for the betterment of the schools. There are several other Principals from across the state who are putting in special efforts to take their schools forward. They are creating alumni databases and are contacting them  with the issues faced by their Alma mater. Recently one such school got a donation of 5 lacs INR from one such alumnus.

Another wonderful reform is the conceptualization of SIQE (State Initiative for Quality Education) which is a state level modification over the several existing systems of evaluation and continuous learning prescribed at the national level. The fundamental idea behind is that a single framework of teaching does not fit all. All the students are different in terms of their capabilities and their strengths lie in varying domains as well. Ergo in this setup, an initial benchmarking of students is done and they are divided into several grades such as A, B, C and D etc. This classification is kept confidential as far as the students are concerned but of course the parents are made privy to it. The students from the lower grades are given extra support so that they can come onboard with the others. The number of students idling in the last grade is linked to the performance assessment of the teacher which in turn incentivizes him to do the needful.

On the note of integration of schools, one additional facet that needs to be highlighted is the inclusion of Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) in these schools. Often we come across isolated AWCs where the basic amenities are missing. Sometimes even the physical structures are absent and they are run in the houses of the caretakers.There was no way to ensure that they were functioning as per prescribed norms. Under this intervention, those AWCs which did not have the infrastructure and were within a certain distance from these schools, where hence given space inside the school campus itself. This is doing wonderfully well for several obvious reasons. The caretakers are feeling motivated to be part of a larger setup where they are getting all kind of support and guidance from the teachers and principals. The kids are motivated as their elder brothers and sisters are also around. Moreover, the facilities of the schools can also be shared with the AWC. The admission into the Primary school would become streamlined as the prospective kids are already in the loop. This structural innovation is also being replicated across India by taking inspiration from Rajasthan.

Apart from the regular schools, we have these Swami Vivekanand Model schools conceptualized for every block having the highest standards of teaching, infrastructure and opportunities. These are fully funded by the state itself in terms of the recurring expenditure and given the commendable performance in recent years, there has been a reverse migration of sorts from private schools. In one of the classes, when we asked them how many came from private schools, almost all of them raised their hands. They showcase the kind of magical results you can realize when you provide the best of facilities to these talented young guns of the rural localities. With shades of the JNV model, these schools come as boon to the low-icome group parents aspiring quality education. Similar role is being played by the KGBVs and the Sharda Girls Hostel scheme ensuring that the girls do not drop out because of household chores.

Towards the conclusion of our enlightening voyage, we also got the opportunity to interact and listen to Naresh Gangwar Sir (Education Secretary, Govt. of Rajasthan) who is the man behind this revolution in school education Rajasthan is witnessing. To read more about his education initiatives, CLICK HERE. At the very outset, he shared this brilliant anecdote which perhaps relates not only to education but to everything in the government or otherwise. Every problem can be reduced to the Highway-Car-Driver analogy. We have a bad road in front of us, a worn-out vehicle and an unskilled driver. And most of the time, we try to solve the issue by replacing the car as that's the most convenient thing to do. But the road is still damaged and the driver hasn't gotten any better. We need to upgrade the highway and we need to skill the driver. Of course it would take many fold the effort that would go to replace the car but there is no other way. So let's get our acts together and let's mend our Highway.

Inspired by the positive winds of change Education is witnessing in Rajasthan, I quote John F. Kennedy...

“Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.” 

For reading more on IAS Diaries, CLICK HERE.

Dunkirk * * *

We, the people, the people who love non-linear screenplay more than anything else, the people who were knocked down by the likes of Interstellar and Inception, the people who owe their allegiance to House Nolan and the people who would bend the knee to Sir Christopher Nolan, first of his name, had waited long, for more than 2 years. I will be pretty blunt here with Dunkirk, it does not give you the complexity of Mememto or Inception, it is devoid of the character building of the Batman Trilogy and in no way it can match the spectacular expanse of Interstellar. But, it does offer something entirely new. The perspective of war without the noisy gun shots, bloodshed and stereotype heroics.

His earlier creations were mostly complex temporal conundrums, heroic manifestations or superlunary voyages. And each of them, irrespective of the underlying theme, was resplendent in itself, in all possible echelons. These moments represented freakish quantum of creativity and imagination. They were so convincing that at times reality wasn't good enough for us. Ergo, the cult and hence the baggage of expectations. And when it was revealed that Sir Nolan is working on a World War project, we couldn't help but speculate, the possibilities. But it is far from what anyone could have imagined. And frankly wouldn't be fair to be prejudiced when you go in for this one. So it is important that first you initiate Operation Clean Slate.

Dunkirk perhaps, cannot be classified as anything. Not a movie, not a documentary nor any other cinematographic jargon you can think of.  Because he transports you to the place itself and you no more can feel the comfort of the recliner in the multiplex. You find yourself strangled on that beach, thirsty and anxious. And suddenly you are inside a boat waiting for the tide but what comes for you is a bullet from nowhere, poking a hole into the oblivion of hope. Water splashing in, the air gushing out and the inmates struggle for survival. Desperation, depredation and ostracism. And the next moment you are in the spitfire dog fighting the bombers and watching over your vulnerable requisitioned civilian flotilla.

All that pre-release murmur about how Sir Nolan would structure a war movie was a sham. It is not a war movie. There is no war anywhere to be seen. There aren't any Germans around. This is perhaps best described as that moment between battles where you simply survive. And the entire length of 106 minutes is a celebration of that epic survival. Nothing less than a miracle for those 300,000 souls. There is no buildup either. Right from the first screen till the last, it is all intense. There are variations in that intensity but never a dip.

And perhaps rightly so, there is no characterization, you don't get to know who they are, what their names are. You don't get to make that emotional connect with anyone. You are never sure if the person in the present frame was the one from the last sequence. Because perhaps Sir Nolan wanted this movie to be about the event. It does not matter who they were as individuals. It was that moment that was to be understood and experienced. It was about those fearful sorties of those hawkish bombers, those untraceable U-boats and their piercing torpedoes and the inexplicable savageries of violence.

On the world premier, when Sir Nolan was called on the stage to address the gathering, he showed everyone this button someone gave him while they were filming on the Dunkirk beach. They told him they keep getting such stuff from the sands. Perhaps from the tunics of those who were stranded and annihilated. He was carrying that as a remembrance to those who made the sacrifice. And then what he told the audience is exactly what I have in mind for you all, "I would not ask you to go and enjoy the movie but go and experience it".

The verdict over the internet seems to be unanimous in calling it remarkable work. But I would share my reservations at the cost of being tagged as a cynic. Given the magnanimity of his previous works, I expected it to be more intense, much more detailed and full of figures to inspire us. There was disappointment on all these fronts. And hence, towards the end, amidst the appreciation for taking us back to history, I felt this void. Perhaps I should not have imagined Dunkirk from the lens of Interstellar or Inception. Perhaps the heroics of the capped crusader weren't even needed. The soul of it had sufficed, the Dunkirk Spirit shall prevail above all. 

IAS Diaries Part 17 - Singapore

It was perhaps the longest kept secret in the history of the academy. No Officer Trainee had the slightest of idea. Even Varys's little birds would have failed to fathom anything beneath the surface. The question haunted the Officer trainees for long. What was in store for them during the most awaited stint of training? Was it the glitter around Orchard Street or the party district of Itaewon?

Was it going the be the Merlion at Marina Bay or the skyscrapers at Yeouido? Was it the elegant serenity of Clarke Quay or the majestic Seongsan Bridge? Was is Singapore or South Korea?

Some even thought that they would only be told once they board the respective flight. Some even expected the possibility of half batch getting airdropped over Singapore enroute Korea. But it wasn't that bad. The pandora's box was opened a few days before departure and we all knew to which country's GDP we were to contribute soon in ways we could only fantasize. As yours truly was earmarked for Singapore, the rest of the story would be about the White Lion splashing. 

Everyone loves to exploit someone with a forthcoming foreign trip and given the size of our groups, the vultures drooled to inundation. The bank folks offered travel cards with stories of how earlier batches struggled with their domestic debit cards. They did not tell us how easy it was to enable international usage on our own cards. The telecom told us it is pertinent that we take a new sim card as if it was a matter of life and death. They simply ignored our idea of WhatsApp calls. And then there was the lie about the quintessential universal adopter. It was only when we were in the foreign soil that we realized, all this was a sham. 

The moment finally arrived when our Maharaja embraced the touchline. In spite of the drowsiness courtesy sleep deprivation, our eyes were wide open, our minds ready to grasp, the unknown. The airport seemed like our very own T3 and one could already feel the prejudices in some unfortunate souls. But their conjecture was soon banished as we boarded the bus. Were we in some kind of simulation depicting a near-perfect world,  I pondered in amazement. The road discipline exhibited by the vehicles was almost like a symphony, the artificially induced greenery in every nook possible was as natural as it can get and cleanliness was ubiquitous, unblemished and unsullied. And already, in this short span, we were head over heels.

Our sojourn was to be in Hotel Orchard, perfectly equipped with everything under the sun. They served pretty decent Indian food which was a relief for all the veggies. But it was only later that we realized the location was more of an asset than the hotel itself. In the late hours of the gloomy midnight, figures would masquerade in the vicinity apparently enticed by the voluptuous mannequins. The so called Tower was much more than a commercial edifice for the young and the restless- an enlightening and empowering trance of sorts. One shot of ale was never so rewarding before.

There is ample to learn from Singapore but if you ask me to choose one, I would say adherence to agreed order and beyond. One could actually feel the deterrents working when you see the drivers, shopkeepers and vendors reminding tourists of the austere enforcement of regulations. During our travels in the Metro or elsewhere, we observed on escalators people would always stick to the left side leaving the right side free. This voluntary alignment would allow those in hurry to rush from the right side. And amidst the oozing applause for their orderly behavior, I entertained the Utopian thought of seeing this in our country where apparently everyone's in a hurry.

Walking through the zillion hawker centers or basement Food Courts in several Shopping malls of Singapore, one would notice many old people working as cleaning staff or as helpers. Intrigued, I tried to get some answers from them on why they had to still work? For some it was to avoid boredom and for others it was the will to continue to contribute to the society. For very few, it was about the money. Whatever be the reason, you would surely be blown away by their energy. Overwhelmed by their perpetual industry, we slowly perhaps unfolded the prime mover of these Tiger Economies. Another intriguing observation was the silence on the roads. During the 8 days of our stay in Singapore where we traversed the length and breadth of the city-state, never did we hear a vehicle horn, the pedestrians were accorded the highest precedence and everyone exhibited exemplary road-discipline. That moment when the absence of entropy gives you goosebumps. 

As we stood on the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands, we were dumbstruck at the engineering marvel that Singapore is. A country half the size of our capital with no natural resources at all has turned it around in style. Amidst people gyrating to the loud rock music, I couldn't help but notice the city-state moving ahead silently but swiftly. One would learn more about optimization and opportunity cost by taking a stroll here than pursuing a Masters Degree in it at some prestigious university. They have an education system wherein students are allowed to study what they like in depth and other things are kept at minimal. 

Their vocational training institutions are infra-structurally superior than many of our premier institutions. Their public housing is super impressive with 80% of population living in it and more than 90% owning their own spaces. Their water recycle facilities are something we need to learn from urgently.  To address the road congestion the certificate prices to buy vehicles are extremely expensive and the critical roads have executive road pricing discouraging people to use them. All their public transport can be availed by a single card and all of it is planned keeping in mind the probable movement of people from one place to another. 

So what would it take for us to reach where Singapore is? Perhaps some visionary like Lee Kuan Yew who could also enforce Rule of Law. Perhaps inculcation of voluntary compliance by the populace. Perhaps a more empowering and flexible education system. Perhaps a more cordial and cooperative relationship among communities. Perhaps the triumph of merit over bias, Or perhaps, all of these. Opportunity is slipping beneath our feet. We must get our act together now, its about time.

Researching over how Singapore achieved so much in such little time starting from scratch, I came across these words by Lee Kuan Yew which I feel suffice to quench my thirst, "I always tried to be correct, not politically correct".


For reading more on IAS Diaries, CLICK HERE.