Basic educational rights only for the elite? By Agastyaa Goradia, Age 12, India
This week, the world that was….
The news this week that struck a chord with me is of a girl named Roshni Bhadouriya from Madhya Pradesh.
As we are well aware, students in rural parts of India are not new to hard work but when these hard workers do something good it leads to many positive events and that was the case with” Roshni Bhadouriya” a class 10 student, Ajnol village, Bhind district, Madhya Pradesh.
In a village with a population of 1200 citizens this 15- year- old had to cycle to Mehgoan, a village 12 km away. She did it every day, notwithstanding the harsh conditions and poor roads. She ferried 24 km a day to and fro every single day for her basic right to education. Well, it all paid off when the state board class 10 results were announced. She scored a mammoth 98.5 % standing at number 8 in the merit list.
Super Proud of Roshni for her fantabulous achievement and so, so happy for her proud parents but devastated with the thought “why do students have to travel so far to receive basic education?” Shouldn’t each village, or town, or city, have a basic educational structure that can be provided by the government ?, can basic education not be provided from the exchequer for a better tomorrow? Instead of giving job reservations and food relief stimulus why can’t the government put the funds where they are needed the most. Basic Education, clean water, 2 meals, and day and Health facilities are undoubtedly the right of every citizen. Can as a Nation we do not provide these necessities even after 76 years of independence?
Educated youth will help the nation prosper. When we talk of “Atma Nirbhar” it is your educated masses who will contribute to the growth of the economy. Is it so difficult to understand? With a total population of 1.36 bn India is the 2nd largest populated country. Just marginally behind China. Or should I say “Soon to Dethrone China from №1 position?”
The educated youth can be integrated into the workforce immediately hence this can make India as one of the largest workforce Nations.
They say “Illiteracy breed Illiteracy, overpopulation and Poverty”. In a nation where the birth of a child is still considered “Bhagwan ki Den” or God’s Gift, It’s only education that can break this vicious cycle.
Every individual should have the right to education. As per statistics, only 74.02% of children get primary education compared to developed nations like the USA’s where the percentage of primary education is a whopping 99 %.
Some thoughts need to be given to how we can improve our literacy ratio. I give my 2 cents as follows:
• Lower the cost of education
• In poor neighborhoods offer free education and spread awareness campaigns
• Use stimulus packages to manpower-intensive industries [ these industries will be motivated to employ more people thereby positively contributing to the GDP]
• School Curriculum needs to be vocation driven rather than textbook driven
• Like in Medical Stream, Medical Practitioners need to serve the rural area for 2 years before they get government jobs in cities. Similarly, can we think of qualified teachers too? can they not give one-year compulsory rural teaching to ensure quality education is imparted to rural India
• I also want teachers to be paid better. You can’t pay a pittance to a nation builder and expect a prosperous nation
• E-Education should be promoted to be able to reach every corner of the country.
The list can go on and on….. In all of this let me not forget where it all started, Roshni Bhadouriya Congratulations, way to go, girl …… You are the future
