Mumbai: After analysing the budget proposals for the education sector announced on Saturday, students and teachers have termed the budget as superficial and rather distant from the ground realities. Teachers of Maharashtra have raised the issue of unpaid salaries, pensions and permanent employment role, while students highlighted the need for a practical skilled-based curriculum at the secondary school level.
Following the budget announcement, teachers are taken aback with no plans for teacher training, improving the quality of teaching-learning, changes in salary structure or payment of pending dues. Sunanda Ghodke, a teacher of a state-run school in Andheri said, “We have not received our due salaries since the last four months. Some of us who are retired have not received their pensions. We expected the budget to propose reforms for the financial upliftment of teachers but the government is far away from the ground realities.”
Filling up of vacant posts, elimination of temporary employment and provisions for teacher training were other expectations that were not highlighted, according to teachers. Aman Vora, a senior teacher said, “The education sector needs good quality teachers but how is that going to be possible without any teacher training? Both the central and state governments have not filled the vacant posts of teachers. Apart from salaries, teacher training is the need of the hour, with changing patterns of technology.”
Students stated the government has claimed to touch only the periphery of education without diving into the foundation of school education. Pramod Apte, a student of Class 11, said, “How can the government expect us to unlearn everything in higher education with practical focus, field work and research projects when we learn a rudimentary curriculum in school? Instead of introducing new plans for higher education, there should be practical skill based learning at the secondary school level.”
It does not make sense to learn things in a confined manner in school for almost 16 years and then unlearn and be practical in higher education, claimed Maitri Devasi, a student leader of the Mumbai University (MU). Devasi said, “We find it so difficult to work on projects and complete practical field work in college and university because we are never exposed to such projects in school. The government claims to encourage skill based learning but there is no point in introducing it at the higher education. Instead, practical learning should be inculcated right from the secondary school level.”
