A Dream or a Reality- Affordable Education in India...???

India is a country with a rich cultural heritage and a country where Goddess Saraswathi, the Goddess of learning, is revered very much by Hindus. Yet affordable education has always been a dream in our country because despite having attained independence in 1947, the gap between rich and poor has only widened over the years. With rising income levels among the middle class and with the increase in the levels of  dual incomes, education in India has become an expensive proposition. The lower and upper middle classes do not seem to mind because they perceive any expenditure on education to be an intelligent investment.Which, in any case, is a fact. However, rising costs of education has made it very difficult for the poor and those who live below the poverty line. India is also notorious for engaging child labour which is a direct result of poverty and poor families lacking the  wherewithal to educate their children. This is indeed sad because as per our constitutional framework, education is the fundamental right of all Indian citizens.

Today’s children are going be to the citizens of India tomorrow. So, it is important for the   authorities to develop the concept of affordable education by engaging experts in the field of education, literary scholars and experts from the education department.

The authorities can bolster their efforts to upgrade the existing infrastructure in Government schools so that teaching in Government schools becomes an attractive proposition for teachers. Subsidised school fees, free distribution of text books and note books and school uniforms can make education more affordable for the children living below poverty line. Philanthropic individuals, software industry and NGOs like Akanksha, Pratha (to name a few) can join hands to sponsor the education of poor children. Sometimes, it is virtually impossible for the Govt to set up schools in every nook and corner.Hence, it  is essential to strengthen the hands of NGOs who are doing commendable work in the sphere of education. Children should take to learning as a fish takes to water, so it  is vital  to revamp the syllabi and course curriculum in such a way that learning becomes less of a mundane affair. At higher levels, vocational education and training must be made compulsory.

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