JOIN USRamdas stumbles over private tuitions
Ramdas faced some embarrassment during an interaction with the media wherein he announced that he intended to convene shortly a meeting of representatives of private tutorial centres. The minister’s rationale for convening the meeting was the poor II PU results in the district despite the existence of numerous coaching centres.
However, the minister was unable to give a satisfactory reply when he was asked if the system of private tuition, particularly private tutoring by school teachers which has an unethical aspect to it, since students who cannot afford or unwilling to go in for tuitions can be penalised by teachers.
Taken aback, Ramdas said they (private tuitions) are accountable for the current scenario and he had some plans to rein them in.
He also failed to give a convincing reply to the question whether holding a meeting with coaching centres did not amount to recognising and dignifying such activity.
The minister went on to add that he would also constitute a two-men committee to study the reasons behind the poor show in II PU exam.
Reacting to the minister’s remarks, Prof R Indira of Department of Sociology, University of Mysore, said the “very meeting is absurd”. She termed it as “funny”, holding a private party, who did not come under the legal ambit (to an extent) responsible for poor results.
“Instead, the minister could have thought of concentrating on improving the facilities at the government-run institutions to ensure fair education for all,” Dr Indira said.
Prof R N Padmanabha, who retired as HoD, Journalism, Maharaja’s College, criticised the minister’s proposal to hold private tuitions accountable for the exam results. Instead, the minister should see to it that the facilities offered at the coaching centres match the huge fees they charge the students, he added.