The YSR Congress Party that stormed to power with a landslide in the elections, has set on the task of implementing the ‘Navaratnalu’, the nine major initiatives promised by party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to the people at the time of his State-wide padayatra.
Of them, the educational programme ‘Amma Vodi’ got entangled in the throes of a debate that refuses to die. While the government claims it to be a game-changer, not all stakeholders agree with it. The final guidelines and parameters for implementation are not yet in place as the scheme comes into effect from January 26, 2020. But an overview itself has triggered constant discussions and dissensions.
Under this scheme, a cash transfer of ₹15,000 will be made to women with school-going children from families with a white ration card. The amount is fixed regardless of the number of school-going children she has. The beneficiaries will include children from class 1 up to Intermediate or plus-2 level.
Funds to the tune of ₹6,455.80 crore have been sanctioned for the scheme envisaging that it would benefit 43 lakh mothers.
Lack of clarity in the initial stage over the State plan did benefit the government schools, which reported a sudden increase in the number of admissions this year. But an official statement from Chief Minister’s Office clarifying that the programme will be implemented in both government and private schools, is reported to have led to some parents pulling out their children from government schools and joining them in private institutions at some places.
State general secretary of United Teachers Federation (UTF) P. Babu Reddy, cites the case of a private school in Pathipadu mandal of Guntur district where its owner is said to be distributing pamphlets promising total fee waiver and free bus facility to children joining his school till January.
The UTF and other teachers’ associations have been opposing inclusion of private institutions in the realm of ‘Amma Vodi"
They want the government to first focus on development of the State-run schools which have been languishing for want of proper infrastructure and teaching staff. Citing norms of the Right to Education Act, which mandates the States to take care of a every child’s free education till 8th grade, he said the government was "shirking responsibility’ by merely paying money to the mothers and not addressing the real issues.
The teachers’ unions have also disputed HRD Minister A. Suresh’s claim of a 35 % increase in the budget allocation for education sector. They argue that out of the total budget of ₹2.27 lakh crore presented by the government, education has received ₹32,618 crore, which amounts to a mere 14.31%. Moreover, the Amma Vodi scheme makes up nearly one-fifth of the budgetary allocation. "This means that the actual increase in the budget allocated for the education sector is a mere 7.89%," said Mr. Reddy.
The private school managements, meanwhile, have an axe to grind. "Not all private schools are ‘one-management-and-multiple-schools’. We are small, budget schools in ‘one-management-one-school’ category. It is not fair to use same yardstick to judge everybody. We want the government to create a separate category for private budget schools. Small private schools in rural pockets are being included in the list of corporate institutions," rues K. Tulasi Vishnu Prasad, general secretary of Andhra Pradesh Private and Un-Aided Schools Management Association (APPUSMA).
Amidst a raging debate, the Jagan Mohan Reddy government faces the Herculean task of developing infrastructure facilities and fill the 30,000 vacant teacher posts without further delay to do justice to the targeted group of the programme — children from the marginal sections who are out of school.
VISAKHAPATNAM
Better days ahead, feel govt. officials
The announcement of Amma Vodi has led to an increase in enrolment in government schools in the district by 30 to 60%, a majority of them in rural areas.
Attributing the high turnout of students to the scheme, officials of the Education Department are hopeful that there might be more admissions in the coming years.
"Enrolment of students in government schools has definitely increased. After the cheques are distributed in January next year, we expect more parents to enrol their wards in government schools from the next academic year," said an Education department official.
According to teachers and members of the management committee of a few private schools, lack of proper communication regarding the scheme last month resulted in a many parents shifting their wards from private institutions to government schools.
"In the first week of June, the government announced that ‘Amma Vodi’ is applicable only to government schools. That is when many parents started pulling out their children from private schools. Later, the government announced amended norms stating that the scheme is applicable for students studying in private schools also. While a few students returned, many did not," said K.S.N. Murthy, chairman of Andhra Pradesh Private Schools’ Association.
Mr. Murthy said small private schools would bear the brunt, while it might not make a difference to high-end corporate ones.
While government officials attribute Amma Vodi for the increase in enrolment, a few opine that good results and better infrastructure are the major reasons for people preferring government schools.
"Consider the case of Chandrampalem ZP High school at Madhurwada. Even before Amma Vodi was launched, the school has been much in demand and student enrolment is in thousands owing to the developed infrastructure and its capacity to cater to other educational needs," said a member of AP Government School Teachers’ Association, on the condition of anonymity.
CHITTOOR
Urban areas see rush to govt. schools
Amma Vodi has come as a shot in the arm for government schools in the district with new admissions crossing 20,000.
The new admissions are a unique phenomenon in urban areas compared to the rural belt. According to officials, the scheme would benefit about 2.75 lakh students whose families possess a "white ration card".
While some hailed the development as "revolution in government schools", critics maintain it would only mess up the administration and quality of education in the long run.
The impact of "Amma Vodi" was more in municipal and government schools in Tirupati and Chittoor municipal corporations, and the municipalities of Madanapalle, Palamaner, Nagari, Puttur, Punganur and Srikalahasti.
A majority of the students had migrated from private schools.
The new admissions are likely to create new problems in balancing other schemes such as mid-day meal, distribution of books, uniforms, benches and digital teaching.
District Educational Officer K. Panduranga Swamy said the scheme would definitely benefit a number of parents, particularly the poor and middle-class sections. "Going by statistics, it is clear that many parents in urban and semi-urban areas are unable to adjust to the high fee structure of private schools. There may be some delay in extending the benefits of uniform and books to the new students, but there is absolutely no issue with mid-day meal or quality of teaching. The admissions are more in high schools," he said.
Meanwhile, some parents deplored that their children were not given admission in government schools in urban areas, saying that there was no vacancy. Responding to this charge, the DEO said that wherever there was an issue with shortage of classrooms, "we have tried our level best to adjust the new students in other government schools of the same corporation, municipality or mandal headquarters."
Some senior headmasters, on the condition of anonymity, observed that the scheme would not auger well for government schools in the long run, as the facility was also extended to private schools.
ANANTAPUR
Private schools close shop
The number of students seeking admission into government schools in Anantapur is picking up at a fast pace with 9,690 of them shifting from private schools to government-run schools in the district till Thursday.
Popularity of government-run schools has increased so much that schools in Dharmavaram, Guntakal and Anantapur city have been rejecting new admissions. In the last month, many private schools such as Netaji School in Anantapur have folded up as all the students had left for government schools.
While the announcement of Amma Vodi scheme by the YSR Congress Party government from January 26, 2020 played a significant role, better infrastructure and quality of education in rural pockets has prompted people to opt for government schools.
Against a target of 5,84,494 students to be admitted into schools in Anantapur district, 5,57,361 have got admissions, while the process will continue till July 31, District Education Officer K. Samuel told The Hindu . Of those enrolled in schools this year, between 65% and 70% of them are in government schools. Interestingly 98,953 students have migrated from private schools to government-run schools all over Andhra Pradesh, and of them 9,690 are in Anantapur, but only 941 of them left government schools and got admission in private ones, most of them in urban pockets.
The concept of Vidya Volunteers was done away with and there was a shortage of at least 500 teachers in government schools, but despite that the results had improved and the quality of teaching or infrastructure is superior compared to many private schools. While Mr. Samuel said books distribution had been completed, in Prabhakarji Municipal Corporation Primary School in Anantapur only 100 of the 195 (last year strength 135 students) had received books and uniforms.
School Headmistress G. Umadevi looked jubilant as there was good demand for their school in the heart of the city, but for five classes (Classes 1 to 5) there were only four classrooms, four teachers and the classes take place under a neem tree on the school compound.
KURNOOL
‘No admission’ boards
Owing to seasonal migration, 22,488 children dropped out of schools across the district in last academic year, earning Kurnool the dubious distinction of topping the State in terms of the total number of drop-out children. However, the ‘Amma Vodi’ scheme may give parents the required incentive to send their children to school.
The migration generally begins around November after the end of monsoon, when thousands of families leave the district in search of jobs either as agricultural labourers or construction workers. This seasonal relocation forces children to drop out of school, as they are forced to accompany their parents.
However, the promise of ₹15,000 for every mother who admits her children to school may just be incentive enough to retain children in schools. "The scheme will decrease the number of dropouts by a significant margin," said municipal school headmaster, T. Venkata Reddy. Mr. Reddy, who is also Municipal Teachers’ Union State treasurer, claims that most of the schools had been putting up ‘No Admission’ boards.
As of Thursday, 6,55,015 children have been admitted to government schools for the current academic year. Experts suggest there would be an immediate reduction in the number of students dropping out, and the trend would continue, as long as the government implements the scheme properly.
"There could be a 100% reduction in dropouts. But the onus is on the government for the delivery of the scheme," Mr. Reddy said.
Apart from the ‘Amma Vodi’, the authorities have identified over 145 seasonal hostels, which would be functional from November. According to data acquired from Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan (SSA), 7,452 children would be accommodated in these hostels.
Speaking to The Hindu , district co-ordinator of SSA, P. Maruti said the highest number of dropouts was observed in high schools, and after removing the children over the age of 15, about 9,551 had dropped out of schools in the past year.
With the combination of ‘Amma Vodi’ and seasonal hostels, the district authorities are equipped with two important tools which would aid in combating the rampant dropout rate. However, though the expectations are high, it is to be seen as to how many people choose to keep their children in school.
— Reports from P. Sujatha Varma, Ramesh Susarla, Harish Gilai, K. Umashanker, and Tadi Vidura
