Friday, April 13, 2012

RTE: Smoke and Mirrors

People of our generation are getting a masterclass from the politicians on how to stay in power without doing any serious work.

RTE is another episode in the series.
Watching a debate about  25% reservation in all schools for poor children was a revelation on how to take the focus away from something under public scrutiny.
The state has very calmly turned the attention from the dismal condition of Govt. schools to private schools requiring to reserve 25% seats in class 1 for 'poor' students.

The lesson: hide your failings behind a controversy.

Explicitly single out poor students and thrust them into the middle of a 'rich' private school. The RTE hopes this will lead to 'sensitisation' and a 'dialog' between children. Maybe this will also lead to world peace and an end to war!
What this is likely to lead to is resentment and a high pressure atmosphere for all the children. I am worried especially for the children of the weaker segment as this can lead to creation of deep rooted complexes.

Instead of forcing all schools to have 25% reservation the Government should open new or upgrade existing Government schools and make the centers of excellence. A school with facilities at par with a mid level private school, concentrating on education, providing a conflict free atmosphere for children to learn. In such a school all the seats should be reserved for children from the weaker segment.
Centers of excellence at the school level, reserved for the weaker segment.
What I would like to see is everyone else demanding that this 100% reservation is reduced and normal segment students can come in as well.
:)

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