Frustration with government education policies may surface November 20 | Mumbai News

Over the past two to three years, there has been growing frustration among parents, teachers and students due to a number of policy changes that have disrupted student learning and impacted their overall well-being. These changes have affected students in more than a million government and government-aided schools in the state, 80% of which are Marathi medium institutions. The changes that have received the most opposition are the One State, One Uniform policy, Aadhaar requirements for enrollment, changes in the mid-day meal scheme and changes in the curriculum.

Ramakant Lungare, a parent from Nashik district, said, “It is very difficult to keep assuring your children that they will get good uniforms, good teachers and good food. Due to changes in government policy, they are deprived of all this.”

The ‘One State One Uniform’ policy introduced in the academic year 2024-25 aims to standardize uniforms across all government schools in Maharashtra. The uniforms, which were supposed to be distributed by June 15, were delayed due to supply chain issues, resulting in students starting the school year in old uniforms or civilian clothing. As of mid-term, only 40% of the uniforms have been distributed.

“After the Ganesh festival, my 11-year-old son asked me why he couldn’t attend a private school instead. Currently, he is forced to wear a torn uniform and does not receive quality education,” Lungare added.

Where new uniforms were distributed, they were of poor quality. Parents and teachers said that in the past, local school management committees purchased uniforms, which allowed for quality control and customization. Under the current centralized system, students are forced to wear unsuitable and poor quality clothes, said Mahendra Ganpule, former principal of a government school in Junnar.

The concerns of parents and students extend to other areas of the education system. Among them is the incomprehensible decision to add blank pages to textbooks. “We still don’t know why this was done. What did it achieve, asked Ganpule.

The government’s midday meal scheme has been riddled with problems and controversies over the years. In remote areas, contractors are reluctant to provide meals due to low reimbursement rates, resulting in students receiving poor quality meals. The push for more nutritious food options has run into funding challenges, making it difficult for schools to improve the quality of food they serve.

To make matters worse, not all schools covered by the scheme are able to meet their obligations. “In remote, hilly areas where the number of students per school is less than 20, contractors are not willing to provide midday meals due to very low wages,” Ganpule explained.

Another controversial policy is the requirement to require Aadhaar cards for student enrollment, despite the Supreme Court ruling. The requirement was later relaxed for a year after protests from teachers’ unions, but its introduction nonetheless created unnecessary barriers for thousands of families. Many rural families find it difficult to access government offices to obtain Aadhaar cards, complicating the already complex registration process.

Teachers in government schools, on the other hand, are frustrated that they are forced to perform non-educational tasks. Administrative duties, data entry, and compliance with ever-changing policies take focus away from teaching. In some schools, especially in rural areas where staffing is limited, teachers are also responsible for school maintenance, food supervision, and other non-teaching duties. “I have at least 18 work-related mobile apps and I need to send data through most of them on a daily or weekly basis,” said a teacher from Thane district. “If I don’t provide the data, the group training officer will force us to do it.”

Ajay Bhoyar, a teacher and education activist from Nagpur who campaigns for the preservation of Marathi schools, said the government’s approach to education discourages parents from considering government or Marathi-medium schools for their children. The policy of hiring contract teachers has also adversely impacted thousands of young aspirants wishing to pursue a career in teaching,” he said.

Bhoyar, founder of the Ladha Marathi Shalancha (Save Marathi Schools) association, uses social media to connect with parents and spread awareness on various issues. He said the appointment of contract teachers and the closure of schools with fewer than 20 students had prompted young voters and parents to consider these concerns before voting.

He highlighted the impact of school closures on the future of students, especially in rural areas. “We have made significant efforts to persuade the government to reconsider some of its decisions, but our attempts have not been successful. Now voters will have to think about these issues when they vote,” he said.

These controversial policy changes resonated with experts. Educator Kishore Darak described the One State, One Uniform policy as “another decision that reaffirms the neoliberal, right-wing nature of the state by centralizing decision-making, even in choosing the color of clothes for poor children.” He said the government should never implement policies in haste and without taking into account local conditions and the practicalities of implementation. The broader problem, he said, is a symptom of insufficient preparation and a disregard for ground realities.

Some experts noted that changing any education policy requires careful consideration and planning. “However,” said Vasant Kalpande, former state education director, “the Maharashtra government never initiates dialogue with stakeholders before taking important decisions.”

JM Abhyankar, recently elected to the State Legislative Council from the Mumbai teachers’ constituency, criticized the increased workload on teachers and the pressure on students. He said: “This growing discontent has led to calls for a reassessment of the government’s approach to education. As it stands now, the state’s education system risks continuing to struggle, leaving students, parents and teachers in a state of constant frustration.”

Taking Pune-based education activist and director of a non-profit organization Geeta Mahashabde a step further. “Voters need to reflect on the education policies introduced over the past three years as they systematically push for the closure of public schools, degrading their quality. This will affect over 1.5 million students currently studying in government and government-aided schools across Maharashtra,” she said.

She argued that if one examines the pattern of policy implementation in recent years, it can be seen that it tends to exclude disadvantaged communities from quality education. “If the present government remains in power, blind obedience to central policies is likely to continue, which will consequently push poor students out of the education system at various stages in the near future. Voters should consider these issues carefully before voting,” she added.