Education - India's Development Challenge

India’s Development Challenge

Enrolment in primary schools plunges 2.6 million in 2 years

1. It is a lesson in misplaced enthusiasm. While the Centre has been busy tom-tomming its efforts to send more children to school, enrolment in primary classes across the country has, in actuality, dropped since 2007. Between 2008-09 and 2009-10, enrolment in classes I to IV in Indian schools dropped by over 2.6 million.
The biggest setback was witnessed in Uttar Pradesh, where admissions plummeted by over a million in the last two years, according to the latest data released by the ministry of human resource development.
Thousands of students, including girls, from hundreds of villages in the district have to cover a distance of over five kilometres to reach their primary and secondary schools.

2. As per the records of education department, the girls of 381 villages have to cover a distance of more than five kilometres to get education of upper primary level while the girls of 963 villages cover this distance to get secondary-level education.

Schools still remain distant for girls

Varanasi

The records state that 1,062 villages have primary schools while the kids of 109 villages have to cover a distance of 1-3 km to reach their primary schools.
The girls of 320 villages and boys of 198 villages travel 3-5 km to reach upper primary schools.

'Only 12 of 100 kids in civic schools reach Std X'

The Centre may have implemented the Right to Education Act, aiming for a 100% literacy rate in the country, but the ground reality in the state is rather disheartening.
According to a survey conducted by a non-government organization, of every 100 students admitted to a municipality school, only 12 reach Std X. Clubbed with the high dropout rates, the educational course in civic schools is also highlighted with the abysmally low pass percentage.
"Every year, the Bombay Municipal Corporation spends around Rs 40,000 on each student. Still, 15 of the 24 wards in the city showed an alarming rise in the number of students who have dropped out of school this year," said Nitai Mehta, founder and trustee of Praja Foundation that conducted the survey over the past three years. "What about the development of these children?"
"One of the major problems lies in the fact that most BMC schools are only till Std VII. Almost 1,242 such schools exist in Mumbai as compared to 42 schools which have classes till X. As a result, most of the children do not study beyond that level," his is another reason why students drop out of schools after class VII," said panelist Farida Lambay, founder of NGO Pratham.

Rural kids voice their disappointment over lack of schools in their vicinity


CHENNAI: B Nagaraj (12) and P Munniaraj (11) saw trains for the first time on Sunday. As the first members of their families to journey beyond their home in Gulati village deep in the reserve forest at Denkanikottai in Krishnagiri district, both boys are here on a mission: to talk about how the lack of infrastructure in their village makes it impossible for them to attend school.
Twelve-year-olds N Nagavijay and M Pandian from Thovakudu village in Ramanathapuram and Mandavaikuppam village in Villupuram respectively travel a distance of six km and eight km each to reach school everyday. While Nagavijay dropped out last year because of the distance, activists convinced him to go back this year. "It is unbearably hot during the summer and inconvenient for us to walk six km during the rain with our bags on our backs. I go to school because my parents say I need to work hard and study, become successful and serve my land when I grow up," he said.
Until class V, P Chitra (15), from Kadamanravu village in Kodaikanal district, attended a state-run residential Adi Dravidar school which operated out of a group house where teachers would come in for an hour. "I dropped out for a year and was admitted to class VI at a higher secondary school 35 km away from my village. While children my age were in classes VIII and IX by then, I was stuck in a lower class. I could not cope with the lessons. Also, the food served in the afternoon would have worms in it, so I dropped out," she said.

Only 57 per cent children going to school: RTE Act report


The euphoria over the spurt in India's literacy figures has all but overshadowed the poor progress of the Right to Education (RTE) Act in its first year.The landmark law, mandating free and compulsory education for all children, was enforced from April 1 last year.

But a reality check shows that even as the gross enrolment ratio is an astounding 98 per cent at the primary school level, actual attendance of students in schools is far lower.Another area of concern is the large number of "out of school" children. Government data shows that at present, over 81.5 lakh children don't go to school and are a difficult segment to reach out to.

Educationist Vinod Raina, who was involved in the drafting of the RTE Act, said: "While the gross enrolment ratio stands at 98 per cent, attendance in schools is only about 57 per cent. A lot needs to be done if children are to be actually put into school.

"Kapil Sibal focuses on bringing GER to 30%


Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education which is presently hovering at a mere 13%, a whole 10% below the world average.

Taqawa is What You Eat

Hazrat Jaabir [radhiallaahu anhu] reported that Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said: "Flesh which has grown out of unlawful things will not enter Jannah, but hell is more fitting for all flesh which is grown out of that which is unlawful."

Hazrat Saad bin Abi Waqas [radhiallaahu anhu] said, "O Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] make dua that Allah Ta'ala, makes me of those whose prayers will be answered." Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] replied: "O Saad keep your food pure and halaal and you will become of those whose prayers are answered. I swear by Him, in whose hand Muhammed[sallallaahu alayhi wasallam]'s life lies, that when a man casts one morsel of Haraam food into his stomach, The righteous deeds of his shall not be accepted for forty days."

Hazrat Abu Bakr [radhiallaahu anhu] reports that Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said: "A body which has been nourished by unlawful things shall never enter Jannah."



Then he mentioned (the case of) a man, who, having journeyed far, is dishevelled and dusty and who spreads out his hands to the sky (saying): O' Rabb! O' Rabb! While his food is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful and he is nourished with unlawful things. How can he be answered?

Hazrath Abu Bakr [radhiallaahu anhu] and a soothsayer's food: Hazrath Abu Bakr [radhiallaahu anhu] had a slave who used to give him a portion of his daily income as the master's share. Once he brought him some food and Hazrath Abu Bakr [radhiallaahu anhu] took a morsel out of it. Then the slave remarked: "You always enquire about the source of what I bring to you, but today you have not done so."

He replied: "I was feeling hungry that I failed to do that. Tell me now, how did you come by this food?"

The slave said: "Before I embraced Islam, I practised sooth-saying. During those days I came across some people for whom I practised some of my charms. They promised to pay me for that later on. I happen to pass by those people today, while they were engaged in a marriage ceremony, and they gave me this food."

Hazrath Abu Bakr [radhiallaahu anhu] exclaimed: "Ah! You would have surely killed me?"

Then he tried to vomit the morsel he had swallowed, but could not do so, as his stomach had been quite empty. Somebody suggested to him to take water to his fill and then try to vomit. He sent for a goblet of water and kept on taking water and forcing it out, till the morsel was vomitted out. Somebody remarked: "May Allah have mercy on you! You put yourself to such trouble for one single morsel." To this he made reply: "I would have thrust it out even if I had to lose my life. I have heard the Prophet [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] saying. 'The flesh that is nourished by haraam food, is destined for the fire of Hell.' I therefore, made haste to vomit this morsel, lest any portion of my body should receive nourishment from it."

Unveiling French hypocrisy - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

Unveiling French hypocrisy - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

• Hypocrisy............this is truth about all .................. when women and first women goes naked it is their human right, but when women decide to cover it is explotation. Truth is that, French and their values.........the so called great values want everyone to get naked ............ don't cover it is not your right. Only right is go naked........... shame on such people.

• If they talk of human rights then yes....... this is right of every women to live with dignity......... Those who talks of rights needs to understands others do have rights.......... not only them............ equatable right and justice. No one has right to hurt sentiments...... right to open speech does not mean you on street and start throwing abuses on others and others sentiments.




• Soooooooooooooooon Mr. President will learn much more about the truth................... the naked truth....................




• Truth will prevail.......... falsehood will go.............. and falsehood is made to go.

India's Development Challenge

India's Development Challenge - Safe Drinking Water

• It is more than 60 years India got its freedom from colonial masters.It is a long battle before India is called developed nation. It is growing and growing fast for those who can afford. More than 9% per annum.


• There is long struggle still awaits nation with 40% below poverty line, or less than a dollar a day. No sanitation and clean drinking water, and yes no education and employment. Freedom struggle is far from over. Before we achieve Swaraj and Suraj. India of Baapu's dream.


• This looks very good. India has fasted growing millionair and billionair in the Forbes list of richest India.


• This is half truth and battle for freedom is half fought.


• After 60 years of independence, there is no safe drinking water in Villages and this number is very high. India has more mobile phone than toilets.


• There is no safe drinking water even in our metro's. Delhi is a classic example and today it is in global media.


• What about our slums, Dharavi in Mumbai. Is it anything better.


• NO Villages are far away from safe drinking water. The situation becomes worst in summer, when tabs and well goes dry.


• Ganga and Jamna are more poluted than before, when all industrial affluents goes into it without processing.


• Everyday more than 1600 children die from lack of clean water.

• Challenges are many......... struggle is on.

Gambling with the planet - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

Gambling with the planet - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

• Quran Surah Rahman Ayah 7- 9 “And the Firmament has He raised high, and He has set up the Balance (of Justice), In order that ye may not transgress (due) balance, so establish weight with justice and fall not short in the balance.” Quran Surah Rahman: Ayah 7-9:

• Allah has created this world in balance and justice but our deeds dis-balance it. These deeds vary from personal life, our social behaviors, our economic and political activities. If we see at the financial crisis world is in, I think it is just because of two things “Greed” and”virtual financial product”. Financial world created virtual economy and product which does not exist, known as “Derivatives” traded on them, not only traded but also gambled on them and everyone now feel the hit. I believe in sharing in risk. Today people wants to transfer the risk, this will never work. What we are in “Financial Crisis” is ultimately result of not sharing the risk but transferring it to other. This is because we transgressed our limits on balance and justice. If we want to change, we need holistic approach to change our lives, then and then only justice and peace can come to the world. Almost aII the commentators have interpreted mizan (balance) to mean justice, and '...set the balance" to imply that AIIah has established the entire system of the Universe on justice. Had there been no harmony and balance and justice established among the countless stars and planets moving in space, and the mighty forces working in this Universe, and the innumerable creatures and things found here, this life on earth would not have functioned even for a moment. Look at the creatures existing in the air and water and on land for millions and millions of years on this earth. They continue to exist only because full justice and balance has been established in the means and factors conducive to life; in case there occurs a slight imbalance of any kind, every tract of lift would become extinct. but weigh things equitably and skimp not in the balance.




• *8 *8 That is, "As you are living in a balanced Universe, whose entire system has been established on justice, you also should adhere to justice. For if you act unjustly within the sphere in which you have been given authority, and fail to render the rights of others, you would indeed be rebelling against the nature of the Universe; for the nature of this Universe does not admit of injustice and perversion and violation of the rights. Not to speak of a major injustice, even if a person fraudulently deprives another of an ounce of something, by giving him short measure, he disturbs the balance of the entire Universe.-This is the second important part of the Qur'anic teaching that has been presented in these three verses. The first teaching is Tauhid and the second is justice. Thus, in a few brief sentences the people have been told what teaching has been brought by the Qur'an which the Merciful God has sent for the guidance of man."




• 7th April One More Shock