Gujarat polls: Enrollment high in schools, what about quality

Although enrollment in schools have climbed in Gujarat, the quality of education imparted in government schools is far below the expected levels.

CNN-IBN’s Citizen journalist Sharvari Raval, who visited a municipality school, found the apathy in the classrooms shocking.

“I saw a boy whose uniform was in really bad shape. His shirt did not have a button even. Of course, his parents could not afford a new shirt. It is obvious that the students are attending schools only for the mid-day meal scheme. The quality of education is well below the mark,” Raval said.

In October, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh while releasing the Human Development Index report credited the Centre for programmes like Sarva Sikshya Abhiyan and the implementation of Right to Education Act for improvement in the education sector in Gujarat.

But the truth is the education scenario in Gujarat is still far away from being satisfactory.

The state goes to polls on 13 and 17 December. The counting of votes is on 20 December.