Lokesh lives in a 400 sq.ft house with his wife and young daughter. He wants to enrol his daughter in a CBSE board for Grade 1. He hopes it will lay a strong foundation and reap rich benefits in the future. The fee structure more than double of what he pays at the current school. As a single earning member, education expense itself takes close to 30 per cent of his salary. With the rest split between rent, supplies and others, little is left to save. If only the free education offered was of high quality, he would be able to plan a better future.
Economics of education
Education is the backbone of any economy. The current union budget made the highest ever allocation for education at an outlay of Rs 112,899.47 crore. Yet it is just about 2.9 per cent of the GDP and it has stayed stagnant for the past four years. This is nowhere close to the prescribed 6 per cent of GDP mentioned in the National Education Policy (NEP) released in 2020.
While Lokesh is elated that his daughter has secured the admission to grade 1, he is equally shocked to look at the fee challan. Books, uniform and tuition fee add to more than Rs 40,000 per annum and the school demands payment of an additional Rs 30,000 to a trust. God knows what trust! He has to make ready the amount that is more than twice his monthly salary and that too within two weeks! The fee for private schools vary largely. There is no set rule as how much should be charged. For the same class, different CBSE schools’ charge between Rs 40,000 to Rs 80,000 per annum.
Lokesh has also applied for a central government run school and its admission process starts later into April. If he gets admission in this, there is no question of tuition fee. He is strewn in a dilemma now. Should he continue in the current system or wait for the CBSE admission in either the government or the private school where he has received an offer.
Availing the Right to Education (RTE) is another option. The RTE Act which came into effect in 2010, mandates 25 per cent of seats in private schools to be earmarked for students from economically and socially disadvantaged backgrounds.
How old should be a first grader?
The application of RTE starts much later. To apply for Grade 1 through RTE in Tamil Nadu, the child must be born between 31 July 2015 and 31 July 2016. That makes the age 7+ for grade 1. Lokesh cannot wait for this as his daughter is already eligible for grade 1 in CBSE norms. Enrolling through this RTE will put her two years behind current peers.
Education is a state subject in India. Syllabus, admission and structure vary largely. The NEP tries to address it but it has not been welcomed by several states. Now, the age for grade 1 ranges between 5 to 7 years. The month from which the age is calculated also varies between states. The NEP mandates 6 plus years and the centre has yet again reminded the states to implement the age in uniformity. But it is easier said than done.
Even if Lokesh crosses this hurdle, he knows his battle never ends. As his child progresses and goes to college, the woes would increase. Though the government mandates a caste-based reservation, it is too late to offer peace after 14 years of neglect in school education. While the reservation aims to bring equity, the faltered education system displaces several midway.
Education is a true weapon and when wielded rightly, it wipes out poverty and brings in growth. Denying such power, even in this century is highly condemnable.
