D.K. Malviya

As India moves towards becoming a knowledge society there is a growing realization of the need and importance of education in almost every section of society. Particularly, the last one decade has seen an unprecedented expansion of educational facilities and improvement in quality of education.

And Madhya Pradesh, enjoying the distinction of being the Heartland State of the country, next only to Rajstahan in terms of geographical area, is no exception. Having been dubbed as an educationally backward state for a long time it is now emerging as an education hub. There are some very remarkably important features of this unprecedented phenomenon. First, is the easy access to education to all sections of society even in remotest pockets of the state. Earlier, education was more or less restricted to certain privileged classes that too, mostly in urban and semi urban areas, leaving a major chunk of population condemned to an indignant life accentuated by ignorance. Second, awareness is growing about girls’ education. Third, now the people are not satisfied with mere ordinary education, but there is an insistence on quality education.

The changes in education scenario of Madhya Pradesh have come thick and fast over the years. School education forms the foundation of one’s future. This sector has changed dramatically for the better thanks, mainly, to enhanced awareness on the part of government as well as the people.

This is brought out by the fact that while the enrollment has considerably increased the dropout rate has come down. In year 2003 at total of 7 lakh 74 thousand children of school going age were out of school. The state government conducted special enrollment drive to admit them in schools. Ministers, MLAs, panchayat representatives, other public representatives, officers, employees and teachers went door to door, motivating the parents of such children to send them to school. The response was very positive as a result of which now only 65 thousand children are out of school. Efforts are continuing to enroll them in schools next year.

At present, there are 95 thousand 517 primary schools of which 81 thousand 335 are government and remaining are private ones in which 1 crore 12 lakh 74 thousand children are enrolled. These include 59 lakh 41 thousand boys, 53 lakh 33 thousand girls of which 20 lakh 8 thousand belong to scheduled castes and 27 lakh 22 thousand to scheduled tribes. Similarly, the state has 35 thousand 899 middle schools of which 24 thousand are 293 government and remaining are private. A total of 42 lakh 53 students are enrolled in them. They include 7 lakh 51 thousand from scheduled castes and 8 lakh 5 thousand from scheduled tribes.

A very encouraging fact that has come to light is that the high school results of government schools have improved considerably over the years. In year 2003-04 the result was 22.44 percent, which increased to 49.36 percent in 2006-07. A very notable thing is that out of total 36 students who figured on the merit list of 2007 high school examinations, 11 were from government schools. It may be mentioned here that majority of students in government schools come from very poor and backward families, particularly in rural areas. Another important thing is that in 2006-07 examination the high school results of government schools were better at 49.36 percent than the private schools which reported only 46.55 pass percentage.

The Gross Enrollment Rate (GER) at primary level was 101.7 percent in year 2003, which has increased to104.6 percent this year. At middle level, the rate was 74 percent, which has gone up to 95.3 per cent this year. Similarly, the Net Enrollment Rate (NER) at primary level was 82 percent in year 2003, which has increased to 95.9 percent while at middle level, it has increased from 66 percent in 2003 to 88.2 percent this year.

The dropout rate at primary level was 25.6 percent in 2003, which has gone down to 17.6 percent while at middle level it has decreased from 26.6 percent to 16.3 percent.

A very important factor responsible for progress in school education is that now primary education facility has become available within a radius of one kilometer and middle school facility within three kilometer.

Proper attention has also been paid to develop infrastructure for quality school education. Next year there would not be a single primary school without its own building. In year 2003, there were 26 thousand 411 primary schools without building. So far, construction of buildings for 22 thousand 272 of these schools has already been completed and work on remaining 4 thousand 139 ones is in progress. Similarly, there were 2 thousand 166 middle schools without building. With the addition of 13 thousand 536 new schools from year 2003 to 2007, the number of such schools rose to 15 thousand 522. Of these, buildings for 14 thousand 976 schools have been sanctioned. Construction of 5 thousand 567 of these buildings has already been completed and work on 9 thousand 409 is going on. Thus, only 546 middle schools would remain without building. The buildings for these would be sanctioned next year. The government is going to carry out a special campaign from September this year to ensure proper toilets, drinking water and other facilities in the schools.

Special stress has been laid on quality of education that has led to a marked improvement in the results of annual examinations over the years. Last year a total of 76.68 percent students passed in the primary certificate examination. Of these, 23.47 percent passed in first division. Similarly, 64.40 percent students passed the VIII examination last year of which 21.19 got first division.

To improve the teaching level an ambitious programme christened Operation Quality is being implemented for imparting training to about 96 thousand untrained teachers. To enable children of the state to compete better at national level, teaching of English language has been started right from I standard. Special remedial classes are held for weak students. Last year special teaching and learning classes were arranged in about 47 thousand schools.

The state government has promoted girl education in a big way. A number of special measures have been taken in this direction. There was a practical difficulty that forced a majority of girls to discontinue their education. It was non-availability of middle or high school in their own villages and they had no means to get to the school in other villages. The government decided to provide bi-cycles free of cost to such girls who have passed the VIII and got admission in IX in a school in some other village. From this year, this facility has been extended to girls of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes getting admission in VI in the school located in some other village. A total of 2 lakh 16 thousand bi-cycles are being distributed this year. In last three years about one lakh 90 thousand girls have already been provided this facility.

In addition to this, free textbooks are being distributed to about 80 lakh 18 thousand girls studying in I to VIII. In 280 educationally backward development blocks free uniforms are distribute to girls in government schools under National Programme of Education for Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL). In remaining 33 blocks the state government distributes uniforms from its own resources. This year 55 lakh girls are being given uniforms.

Girls who drop out mid way from middle schools are motivated to continue their education through open school and their fee is reimbursed under girls education programme. Besides, 1084 residential Bridge Courses are being conducted for over aged girls in rural areas to prepare them to get admission in classes in accordance with their age. This year, 3768 non-residential Bridge Courses are being started from October 2. Apart from this, residential arrangement is being made with 185 middle schools for girls of families living in scattered habitations sans educational facility.

In order to motivate meritorious rural girls to pursue higher education, Madhya Pradesh government has launched a unique scheme christened Gaon Ki Beti. Under this, girls of all villages passing the higher secondary examination in first division are awarded a scholarship of Rs. 500 per month to pursue higher education. This year the number of beneficiary girls is likely to cross 15 thousand for which a provision of Rs. 9 crore 52 lakh has been made.

One important factor that reassures one of a brighter future of Madhya Pradesh is that the children of this state have been rated as the best learners in a report of an independent appraisal agency. The learning capacity is reported to have increased considerably. “ Pratham”, a voluntary institution of national repute in its report on national status of education for year 2006 has given this conclusion. The Vice Chairman of the Planning Commission of India, Shri Montek Singh Ahaluwalia released this report.

In yet another major initiative, the state government has linked its Ladali Laxami Yojana to education of girls. Under the scheme a certain amount is deposited in the Post Office in the name of a newborn girl, which would increase to Rs. 1 lakh 18 thousand till she grows to be 21 year old. When she passes V examination she is given a sum of Rs. two thousand and on getting through VIII Rs. four thousand. A sum of Rs. would be given to her on clearing X examination and Rs. 200 per month as scholarship on passing XI and XII examinations. With this, the parents would not consider the education of their daughters a burden.

However, it would be naive to conclude that all is gas and gaiter in school education in Madhya Pradesh. A lot still remains to do. But the achievements over the years augur well for the future of Madhya Pradesh.