School is a perfect place for inclusion where children from different socio cultural backgrounds get educated under one roof. We acknowledge school as a means of social inclusion where all categories of children study and interact. School is also considered as a miniature of society for the reason that it provides ample opportunities for children to socialise and grow.
The social development of children will be optimum and healthy if children from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds are together learning under one roof. But, if we analyse the patterns of enrolment of children in the schools functioning under different managements in the state, a contrasting picture is emerging.
There is no doubt that te enrolment share in government schools is high in spite of stiff competition posed by private schools. The total enrolment of children who are studying from 1st Standard to 10th Standard in all managements in the state during 2015-16 was 101.14 lakh. Out of this, 48.86 lakh (48%) children are in government schools, 15.14 lakh (15%) in aided schools and 36.15 Lakh (37%) are in un-aided schools.
Since aided schools are funded and supported by the government, the total enrolment of children in government and aided schools together constitutes 63% (64 lakh children) of total enrolment. But, it is matter of concern to see the decline in the enrolment share of children in government schools. This has been established if we see the enrolment of children during 2006-07.
There was a decrease of 15.59 lakh children in government schools in a span of 10 years and un-aided schools have increased their enrolment to the tune of 13.97 lakh children. In aided schools, the loss of enrolment of children was about 0.77 lakh.
It is interesting to analyse the enrolment share of children from SC, ST and Muslim community. As per the Census 2011 figures, the population share of SC, ST and Muslim Community at the national level is 16.2%, 8.2% and 12.2%, respectively, where as the population of share of SC, ST and Muslim Community at Karnataka is 16.2%, 6.6% and 12.2%, respectively.
In comparison with the population figures at both national and state level, the enrolment share of children studying in 1st to 10th Standard from SC, ST and Muslim community during 2015-16 was 19% (19.25 lakh children), 7.7% (7.80 lakh) and 14,57% (7.80 lakh), respectively. The enrolment of children in these categories is higher when compared to their population share in the state.
The interesting phenomenon noticed is the enrolment share of children from SC, ST and Muslim communities are alarmingly high in government and aided schools when compared with unaided schools. The enrolment of children from SC community is 64% (12.25 lakh) in government schools and 16% (3.06 lakh) in aided schools which together amounts to 80% when compared to 20% (3.84 lakh) in un-aided schools.
SC and ST communities
The proportion of children belonging to ST community is more in government and aided institutions than SC children.
The enrolment share of children from ST community in government and aided institutions constitutes to 82%; 69% (5.38 lakh) in government schools and 13% (1.02 lakh) in aided schools. Surprisingly, the enrolment share of children from Muslim community in government and aided schools is less when compared to their counterparts.
The enrolment share of children from Muslim community in government schools is 43% (6.30 lakh) and 17% (2.46 lakh) in aided schools which together constitutes to 60%. Considering the fact that Muslim community is also vulnerable along with SC and ST communities, there enrolment share in aided schools is considerably high in un-aided schools. This indicates that SC and ST communities are far lagging behind in terms of socio-economic status.
The imbalance in the proportion of enrolment of different social groups can lead to long-term effects. The condition that the majority of children from vulnerable communities are in government and government-supported aided schools is not a healthy social sign and may create deeper ramifications in future.
A situation prevails where in people are being identified by the type of schools their wards are studying in. One of my teacher friends was recently commenting that if you are encountered by question where are your children studying and if you answer ‘in government schools’, the person who has asked the question will start guessing your financial position.
There are measures to provide opportunities for children from SC, ST communities to study in private un-aided schools of their choice under Right To Education. The brand image of government schools should also be improved in order to attract all categories of children to government schools to reverse the present trend.
It would be great for children to get robust social experiences if they get opportunity to study in an inclusive school setting. Can all of us think and act to overcome the hurdles to achieve this?
(The writer is with the Department of Pre-University Education, Bengaluru)
Published 27 January 2017, 18:14 IST