Government School

Students marching and playing music at morning assembly

On Thursday, we visited a Government school, which is state-funded with free admission, uniforms, and meals for the children. The students were very polite and friendly. The teachers are trying their best in a situation in which they have little to no support. Supplies are minimal, as is professional development, and accountability is very low. The pay is quite high, but jobs are very difficult to obtain, and usually require what our host Maya referred to as "political influence" to get. The school is in two different locations, one for the primary school (through 7th grade) and one for the upper school (through 10th grade). After 10th grade, students can text for and apply to higher education; there is some talk of adding eleventh grade to government schools, but the logistics still need to be worked out.

The principal with two students

Students are eager to learn at all grade levels, and obviously want to be in school. Learning is almost exclusively by rote, with a great deal of verbal repetition and utmost adherence to a single text.

One of the best classes we observed was the art teacher's embroidery and sewing class. The children seemed to enjoy being there, and she observed that sewing is almost a form of meditation for these students, as they are still and have their hands busy. Absenteeism on the part of teachers is common, and students cannot always come to school. One of the reasons for this in recent times has been a lack of running water due to drought. Girls and other family members are required to stay home to fill containers from tanks supplied by the government.

Exquisite hand embroidery work done by students

Students at work in embroidery class. Most of them are boys.

Hindu and Muslim students seem to work well together, side by side.

On the way to the school, we saw many children on the streets who are not attending school at all.

All in all, given the lack of resources and modern equipment, these schools are working hard to provide their students with a brighter future. Government schools now have a great deal of competition from private schools, whose instruction is in English. Parents want to send their children to English-taught schools, since English is the unifying language in a country with hundreds of languages and dialects, and is the language of business. This government school is beginning instruction in English in the lower grades, and working their way up to the higher ones. For now, most instruction is in Kannada, the State language of Karnataka.

            Handmade Gifts from the Students

Icons of Ganesh, the god of success, Saraswati, the goddess of learning and the arts, and Krishna, god of peace, in the Principal's office/reception area.