Dr Vrinda Datta is a professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and the president of the Association for Early Childhood Education and Development. DNA spoke to her about the lacunae in the current admission process and what alternatives parents have in the current circumstances. Excerpts:
How would you describe the current admission process?
There is a lack of sensitivity to the child’s needs and abilities. Peer pressure and anxiety can have a negative impact on the child’s psyche. It’s a vicious circle. Parents blame the schools for putting such demands upon the child during admissions and schools blame parents for putting their child through such a strenuous preparation. Ultimately it is the child who’ll have to undergo this. There are many children who reach their development milestones, but only because they lack the ability to perform in public and on-demand, they are not given the same consideration.
What do you think is the role of the government in light of the monopoly of private educational systems?
The problem is not just with private institutes, but with the system of education as a whole. Education remains an unregulated field, with different entities such as individuals, trusts, franchises and large corporations backing them. Admission needs to be programme-based and the norms that are being set up should be examined. The guidelines should be such that they cannot be over-ridden by loopholes, for example a school that was banned from taking donations started taking them at the pre-school level instead. We should know who we are addressing with the norms, only then will they be effective. Only then can we do justice to a sytem that is overflowing with stakeholders.
Are there any educational alternatives available to parents outside the system?
Some parents also opt for alternative schools with a different approach, some opt for home-schooling. It’s a parent’s choice to make the best decision for their child, but it should not be one made perforce because the educational system is inadequate. The effectiveness of alternative systems needs to be investigated; they might be a good option in the initial stages, after a few years the question of how the child will be integrated back into the system arises. There are successful cases, but there needs to be a further understanding of how to go about it. The state’s responsibility for education of every child cannot be rejected.
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