Education in India

Free education for single girl children: CBSE proposes, legal advice disposes, but silver lining emerges

CBSE's experiment to promote the education of girl children by ordering all CBSE-affilated schools to provide free education from classes VI-XII to girls who are the single child of their parents has come to an end even before it could be implemented. The CBSE has watered down its order and made it optional for private CBSE-affiliated schools to consider offering free education to single girl children in classes IX-XII, apparently after being provided with legal advice that indicated that its original order may not be defensible in court. But it is a story that ends well with a silver lining emerging in the form of government funded scholarships of Rs. 500/- per student per month given to single girl children in classes IX-XII in all CBSE-affiliated schools.

In future, I hope the Government floats such ideas first to be able to get a pulse of the both legal and public opinion, before making it an order or law. The CBSE could have saved itself a lot of trouble if it had floated the idea and asked for feedback from all CBSE-affiliated schools as well as legal opinion on whether such an order would be defensible in court.

Here's how the CBSE in its circular dated October 15, 2005 to heads of CBSE-affiliated schools described its reasons for imposing its order and the how it was to be implemented.

Sir/Madam,

You may be aware that in many countries available indicators show that the girl child is discriminated against from the earliest stages of life, through her childhood and into adulthood. It may not be out of place to mention here that India is one of those countries in the world in which men outnumber women. The reasons for this can be attributed to, among other things, indifferent attitudes and practices against girl child including their health and well being. It has generally been observed that girl child is discriminated against in the matter of education also. The ratio of drop outs for girls at different levels of education is more than that for the boys

To remedy the situation, the Central Board of Secondary Education has already made a provision in its Examination Bye-Laws that girl candidates, who are bonafide residents of the National Capital Territory of Delhi can appear in Class X and Class XII Examinations of the Board as Private Candidates.

In order to further promote education for girl child, an amendment in the Affiliation Bye-Laws of the Board has now been made that all the affiliated schools will grant full waiver of all fees (including tuition fee and all other fees under any head except the meals and transportation fee) charged by them from class VI onwards to each girl student who is also the single child of a parent. Similarly, it will be appreciated if the schools also consider extending 50% concession in these fees for every girl student who is one of two daughters who are also the only two children in a family. In addition to above, the school on its own can also waive such fees like transportation and meal fee (as applicable).

It has been decided by the Board that the above provisions will be made applicable to all schools affiliated with the Board. However, already affiliated schools will have a choice to implement these either with immediate effect or from the next academic session commencing from 1.04.2006. In case of schools seeking affiliation with CBSE, the implementation will be with immediate effect.

For implementation of these provisions, it is advised that the schools may accept the status of the girl children on the basis of a simple affidavit sworn by the parents. Such parents may also be informed very categorically that they shall intimate the school immediately about any change in the single status of girl child/children in the family, if and when it occurs, and it shall be their sole responsibility. The schools may also intimate to the parents that in case it is detected at any time that the affidavit sworn in by them was false, appropriate action will be taken by the school against them, and the CBSE will also consider withholding certificates.

In the light of the above, the Managements & Heads of the Institutions of all the affiliated schools are requested to take appropriate action, and to submit their 'Quarterly Report on Fee Concession', as per enclosed format. The schools who have applied for affiliation with the Board are also requested to be in readiness for implementing the above provision for promotion of education for the girl child from the month they receive affiliation with the Board and start sending quarterly reports in the format. To start with, the report for the quarter ending September 2005 may be sent to the Joint Secretary (Affiliation), Central Board of Secondary Education, Delhi before 30th November 2005. It is hoped that all the affiliated schools will take the pride in the implementation of above provisions in the interest of education of girl children, and non-implementation of these provisions will attract necessary action under Affiliation Bye-Laws of the Board.

Not only was the CBSE asking schools to provide free education to single girl children, it was also asking schools to submit a Quarterly Compliance Report - more paperwork for the schools. There was strong resistance to this move from CBSE-affiliated schools and a minority unaided institution, Carmel Convent School, moved the Delhi High Court saying that the circular is violative of Article 30 of the Constitution (right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions). In January 2006, the Delhi High Court stayed the implementation of the order and Justice Vikramjit Sen issued notices to CBSE, the Centre and the Director of Education of the Delhi Government asking them to file replies to the petition within four weeks and posted the matter for further hearing on March 27.

Just a week before the next hearing in the Delhi High Court, the CBSE in its circular dated March 22, 2006 has chosen to water down its previous circular by making it optional for private CBSE-affiliated schools to consider extending waiver of fees to single girl children studying in classes IX to XII. But all single girl children studying in government run Kendriya Vidyalayas would be given a fee waiver from class VI onwards, with the government picking up the tab. It has also introduced a new scholarship scheme for single girl children who secure 60% or more marks in their class X Examination for the year 2006 onwards. These children would be given scholarship of Rs. 500/- p.m. for studying in classes XI and XII in schools who charged tuition fee of not more than Rs. 1,000/- p.m. during the academic year 2005-06.

The Delhi High Court has subsequently disposed off the case (Civil Writ Petition No. 778/2006) on March 27.

This is what the CBSE says in its superceding circular dated March 22, 2006.

Sir/Madam,

In supersession of circular No.CBSE/AFF/2005/22817-30743 dated 18.10.2005 on above-mentioned subject, the following decisions have been taken by the Board for promotion of education for Girl child in the school:

1. A new scholarship scheme has been introduced from the academic session 2006-07 for single girl child studying in the schools affiliated with the Board. As per the new scholarship scheme all single girl children who secure 60% or more marks in their class X Examination for the year 2006 onwards would be given scholarship of Rs. 500/- p.m. for studying in classes XI and XII in schools who charged tuition fee of not more than Rs. 1,000/- p.m. during the academic year 2005-06.

   The detailed guidelines for availing the scholarship will be issued shortly.

2. All the Kendriya Vidyalayas would continue to give fee waiver to single girl children (except meals and transportation fee) from class VI to XII as per the scheme already introduced by the Board.

3. Further all the private independent schools affiliated to CBSE may also consider extending waiver of school fee (excluding meals and transportation fee) to single girl children studying in class IX to XII.

The above modifications are subject to the final outcome of the writ petition pending before the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi in this regard.

For implementation of these schemes including scholarships, the status of single girl child will be accepted on the basis of an affidavit sworn by the parents. Such parents may also be informed very categorically that they shall intimate the school as well as the CBSE immediately about any change in the single status of girl child/children in the family, if and when it occurs, and it shall be their sole responsibility. The schools may also intimate to the parents that in case it is detected at any time that the affidavit sworn in by them was false, appropriate action will be taken against them, which may even include withholding of certificates.

In the light of the above, the Managements & Heads of the Institutions of all the affiliated schools are requested to take appropriate action, and to submit their 'Quarterly Report on Fee Concession' as per enclosed revised format if they are implementing. It is also requested that the modifications made to the scheme especially the scholarship component may be widely publicized among the students/parents of your school so that they are able to take maximum benefit.

Further in order to enable the Board to grant scholarships at the earliest all the schools are requested to submit the following information to the Board:

(a) List and Roll No of single girl children who appeared in AISSE 2006 of the Board latest by 31.5.2006 and

(b) List and Roll No.of single girl children secured 60% and above marks in AISSE 2006 latest by 31.7.2006.

It is hoped that all the schools affiliated with the Board will cooperate in implementing the modified scheme successfully.

The revised proposal of offering a scholarship to all single girl children studying in all CBSE-affiliated schools (not just Kendriya Vidyalayas) makes eminent sense. The Government ought to pick up the tab and has rightly chosen to do so. With a minimum requirement of 60% marks in their class X exams and limiting the scholarship to those schools where the tuition fee is not more than Rs. 1,000/- per month, the CBSE is targeting the really needy and promising single girl students.

Not only is it targeting the right students, it is also providing a very strong incentive for schools to enroll single girl students since they will get Rs. 500 per month per child from the government. In effect, this is a voucher model. Any single girl child can take the scholarship and go to any school he/she wants and encash it there. Schools will now be competing to enroll single girl children.

What is the objective of schooling? Helping children learn or helping children crack exams?

The Hindu reports on an "experiment that paid off for a school in Madurai", which brings to fore two important questions.

1. What is the objective of schooling? Helping children learn or helping children crack exams?
   
2. Do our schools focus largely on the bottom segment of students (those on the borderline between passing and failure) to help them pass and the top segment of students who are already quite good to help them do even better and end up ignoring the average performing students, who with proper help and attention have the potential to do much better? This is especially important since many of the average performing students tend to be first generation or even second generation learners with their parents not being able to provide much help or support at home.

According to the report in The Hindu,

It is the beginning of the new academic year and the atmosphere in the TVS Lakshmi Matriculation Higher Secondary School here is warm, welcoming and, most of all, upbeat. The school bagged all top three slots in this year's matriculation examinations.

This was no accidental success. The school's experimental PEP programme, geared to coach top students to excel, paid off. The PEP (Public Examination Preparation), brainwave of a team headed by the principal and the vice-principal, aimed at giving the bright students an extra boost.

"In their anxiety to help slow learners, the brilliant ones go uncared for," explains A. Sudhakaran, principal. "They have the basic potential; all they need is guidance."

Five students each from eight sections were selected for the programme. Being selected was motivation in itself, he says. The chosen ones, 40 in all, were given an introductory pep talk.

The PEP package included in-depth guidance on class work, advice and feedback on presentation style, home tests, extra examinations and discussions. All this, exclusively for the top 40.

"The PEP's doors are always open to all, provided they make the grade," says the principal. The school's `life skills' course, open to all irrespective of grades, hones a range of skills, from reading and writing to decision-making, time management and goal setting.

Mind mapping helps

"Mind mapping really helped me," says M.A. Uttara, who secured the first rank in the examinations with 1,068 out of 1,100 marks. "We were taught how to remember information as a `track fan', that way all the main points come to mind when you need them," she says.

The second and third rankers, V. Swarna (1,067) and A. Rukma Krithika (1,064) agree with her. They believe that working smart is as important as working hard and approach exam-writing as one would approach a craft to be mastered.

"Impressing the evaluator is important," says Mr. Sudhakaran. Recognising this, the students were given training in presenting their answers, using diagrams, and even selecting colours for diagrams.

Inspiring competition

"The competition within the school was fierce and inspiring," says Swarna. The toppers made the top three even in the revision examinations, with the order slightly altered. "Most importantly, these children took it casually and never got nervous," says Mr. Sudhakaran. The toppers never went to extra classes barring the odd math tuition. "There is an illusory fear that the student is missing out, if he or she doesn't attend tuition classes." The students' success is proof that one can work well without going to extra class, provided the school offers the necessary inputs, he says.

Some observations:

• Schools like the TVS Lakshmi School seem to define their role largely as to help students score the maximum marks in the examinations. Techniques like "mind mapping", "selecting appropriate colours for diagrams" etc. are touted as innovative ways of helping children maximise their marks in exams. Are we missing the wood for the trees in this process? Are we emphasising preparation to crack the exams at the expense of learning per se? It is quite possible to crack exams even if one hasn't really learnt the basics of a subject properly, with the system aiding and abetting this through the standardised exam questions and a rigid pattern of setting examination questions.
  
• It is good to find TVS Lakshmi School encouraging those with high 'potential' to achieve even more than they have done. Most schools tend to pay more attention to the bottom segment (those on the borderline between passing and failure), to help them pass (and thereby ensure the schools have a 100% pass record). Some schools (like the TVS Lakshmi School) also pay attention to the top segment who are already very good to help them do even better (and thereby help them become rankholders ensuring a positive ruboff for the school). But what of the middle segment - those who are sure to pass, but are at the about the 50% performance level? Are they being neglected and left to their own devices? With some encouragement and attention, they can be helped to rise from the 50% level to the 70-80% level. When the Principal of TVS Lakshmi School says "The PEP's doors are always open to all, provided they make the grade," isn't there a built in exclusivism which shuts out and neglects the average students (50-60% levels) altogether? Isn't it the school's job to help the average students "make the grade"? Many first or even second generation learners tend to be average students not because they don't have the potential, but because they come from backgrounds where their parents are not in a position to provide them with help or support in their learning at home, and end up losing out at school too.

Costs of formal schooling in Chennai - 2

The Chennai Chapter of the Indian Liberal Group (ILG) has published a report on its study of Costs of Formal Schooling in Chennai (December 2003). An earlier post on ILG's study, described the fee amounts charged in the various schools surveyed in Chennai.

While the ILG has done very well by raising relevant issues, the report is verbose and confusing in use of terminology. The observations are largely superficial and include a few sweeping generalisations. A more thorough study with proper justifications presented to back up the observations would have been good. Similar (but statistically sound) surveys with thorough analysis in different cities across India would be useful. Here are some excerpts from ILG's report.

The received classification of the costs of schooling is public costs and private costs. Since the proportion of schooling in terms of the number of seats available in the 'public sector' (that is government and government-aided institutions) is shrinking and the preference of parents is also increasing away from the public sector to the private (self-financing) sector, our focus is on the private costs of schooling. The private costs of schooling in turn consist of institutional costs and individual (parental) costs. As far as self-financing schools are concerned, there are no institutional costs: institutions only generate surplus from the fees collected from the parents.

It must be stated at the outset here that the range of the costs of schooling in the private sector is very wide indeed, as also the quality of schooling. Again, it must be stated that the cost and the quality are not exactly proportional. Even within the private sector - for that matter, within one and the same city like Chennai - there are schools where the costs are relatively quite low but the quality is high. When the costs are high it is often that quality is not low, but is not proportional to the costs. Much depends on the internal efficiency of the organisation and the 'surplus' generated. Our impression is that the law of diminishing returns begins to operate above a given cost threshold.

Before they rush to high profile schools which charge indiscriminately, parents who bend over backwards to secure admission for their children in them must know the findings of the famous study commissioned in the United States (The Coleman Report titled Equality of Educational Opportunity, 1975). It was a nation-wide study and covered a wide variety of schools, range of costs, facitlities and children studying in them. The finding was that the variance in academic achievement explained by school-related variables was much smaller than the variance explained by home-related variables.

In other words, the home contributes more to the education of the child than the school - however wonderful the school may be. So parents, expecially the educated ones, would do well to spend more time rather than money on educating their children - in a broad sense of the term - informally at home.

Most of these high profile schools screen the children seeking admission for the significant home-related variables - like the educational level of the parents, the mother's competence and availability for coaching her child etc., which implies that the schools' contribution to the child's achievement is just marginal. When children above a particular IQ level are assembled into a school classroom, the IQ level of the fellow pupils contributes enormously to the development of the child. Thus the children who assemble in the school paying high fees contribute to the quality of fellow children and not the school itself - except in the vicarious sense of being instrumental in bringing them together. This is an advantage hospitals do not enjoy!

The direct tangible and major inputs for quality of schooing are teacher quality and infrastructure. Of these two, again, teacher quality is the more critical one. There are in turn two components in teacher quality: teacher competence and teacher motivation. Both these teacher related componentns depend upon the compensation and ambience.

The private costs incurred by parents for schooling can be classified as 'Indirect' and 'Direct'. Those under 'Indirect' can be further classified as 'Optional' and 'Compulsory'. In 99% of the cases, the indirect expenses - particularly the compulsory ones like uniforms and books - are also incurred through the school. The 'Direct' expenses are fees paid to the school in the open for which receipts are issued and other amounts for which no receipts are issued. The heads under which fees paid to the self-financing schools, which fall under the 'Direct' category in the open, are:

1. Admission Fees
   
2. Special Fees
   
3. Tuition Fees

.
See the earlier post which described the fee amounts charged in the schools surveyed.

The categories under which money is collected without receipt are

1. Building Fund
   
2. Development Fund
   
3. Donation

Some schools collect a reasonable amount as interest-free deposit, which is refunded in full when the child completes his/her education. Most often the parents leave the deposit behind by their sweet will and pleasure as a donation, as a gesture of goodwill towards the alma mater of their child.

In order to understand the overall economics of schooling, we must have a look at the other side of the picture namely, the costs to be incurred by the institutions to provide schooling. However, for the present we can only classify the possible heads under which they fall and cannot have access to the actual data. Being entities registered under the non-profit cateogry, these data must be readily accessible to any member of the public - certainly to the parents, the stakeholders. If the present statutory provisions do not provide for access to the same, they can and must be changed towards rendering the economics of schooling transparent to the stakeholders.

The costs to be incurred by the institution to provide schooling are:

• Non-recurring
  • Building
  • Infrastructure
• Recurring
  • Depreciation
  • Upkeep
  • Operating costs
    • Salaries
      • Teaching Staff
      • Non-Teaching Staff
    • Materials/Supplies

A study of the total revenue and the total costs and the differences between them will indicate the surplus generated. Even a rough reckoning will indicate that the surplus is enormous. There are complaints that most of the schools pay veyr low salaries to the teaching and non-teaching staff. Low salary, heavy workload and severe demands to show 'results' drive teachers to drive the students in turn which has begun to result in suicide on the part of the students.

If the surplus exceeds a prescribed threshold in terms of revenue:surplus ratio, then the institution must be declared to be a for-profit organisation and treated accordingly. Such a reclassification has the advantage of bringing it under the Consumer Protection Act.