THE education minister has recently urged the opposition political parties not to hold any programmes that disrupt academic activities, saying hartal hampers the education process.
No one is in favour of hartal but is it the only factor hampering education. If we look at our educational institutions, what do we see? Merit and competence do not seem to have any place in teachers’ recruitment. Teachers are recruited either on partisan consideration or in exchange of hefty bribes paid to people associated with the ruling party. Overall, teaching positions at educational institutions are being filled with incapable individuals.
It has also been alleged that those who do not get jobs elsewhere are getting jobs in educational institutions, particularly in non-government schools and colleges. There are exceptions, of course, but very few.
The education minister, perhaps, needs to be reminded that more than 98 per cent institutions in the secondary and higher secondary level are non-government.
So, does the education minister still believe hartal alone puts education in a terrible state?
A concerned citizen
Via e-mail