Students From Marginalized Sections In Govt. Schools Should Be Provided Quality Education At Par With Pvt. School Students: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court on Tuesday expressed serious concern over the quality of education imparted in government schools and observed that students from marginalized sections and rural students studying in Government schools should be provided quality education on par with students studying in private schools.

The Bench of Justice N. Kirubakaran and Justice T. V. Thamilselvi was presiding over a writ appeal filed in connection with the service conditions for getting promoted as headmasters of Govt. primary schools.

The Court opined that though Tamil Nadu is the hub of higher education, the standard of school education especially in the rural areas and Government schools is stated to be substandard.

But, the Court noted that since the matter relates to Primary School Head Masters, it is appropriate to look into the conditions of the school students who are studying in the Government Schools especially in rural areas.

"Lack of infrastructures in the Government Schools and poor quality of education being provided to the Government School students are the reasons for less admission of students in Government schools," added the Court.

Issues regarding Government school teachers

The Court observed that even though the Government School Teachers are paid handsome salary when compared to Private School Teachers, who get very less salary and work more hours, education being given to Government School students cannot be compared with Private School Students.

Importantly, the Court said:

"Infrastructures including labs, libraries and toilets are properly provided in the Private Schools. Due to poor quality of education the Government school students could not get admission in medical colleges, the Government was compelled to provide 7.5% special reservation for the Government School students in medical admission"

The Court noted that many cases have come up before this Court, involving Government School teachers, who have not attended Schools for days together, thereby affecting the education of the students.

"Though there are very many committed teachers, who have to be appreciated and applauded for their sincere devoted teaching are working in Government Schools, the number of erring teachers, who are not committed to the teaching are increasing," the Court added.

The Court was also of the view that there is lack of enthusiasm among the teachers in the rural areas to impart education to the students as many of the teachers are stated to be involved in various other private avocations and concentrate on them.

Court's orders

The Court batted for taking of urgent measures to improve the quality of education by providing required infrastructures, appointing qualified teachers at the school level and advocated for a constant vigil on the teachers, so that the education is imparted to the students properly.

In view of the above position, this Court hoped that a committee would be constituted with experts and academicians to look into the reasons for poor quality of education in Government Schools and suggest corrective measures or the Government on its own taken any other corrective measures to enhance the quality of school education in Government schools.

Therefore, the Court directed the Government to ask the industries to adopt one or two Government Schools so that infrastructures and the standard of education would be improved.

Lastly, the State Government's Counsel was directed to file a status report with regard to the constitution of the committee as suggested by the Court or any other measures taken by the Government on its own to look into the factors affecting the school education in Government Schools, especially in rural areas and suggest appropriate measures to improve the quality of the education and the implementation of the order passed by the Madurai Bench of this Court directing provision of toilets in every school and construction of compound walls on the next date of hearing.

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