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Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
As Uttar Pradesh merges schools, longer walks, safety fears keep some away
Unlike Class 3 student Manoj Yadav,7, who is sitting at his assigned seat at the Patti Kalyanpur primary school in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur on a weekday afternoon, his sister Laxmi, 7, also a student of Class 3, hasn't been attending classes since July 1. On July 1, the sole primary school in their village Abbas Nagar, 1 km away, was 'paired' with the bigger Kalyanpur school. While Manoj walks with a group of students from their village to the Kalyanpur school daily, his parents feel the path is unsafe for Laxmi. In line with a recent directive by the Basic Education Department under the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, which emphasises greater collaboration, coordination and sharing of resources among institutions, since July 1, over 10,000 government primary schools across Uttar Pradesh have been 'paired' with nearby schools with better facilities. While similar exercises aimed at rationalising resources have been carried out in other states too, UP government officials insist the schools in the state are not being merged but 'paired'. 'Unlike mergers, where schools cease to exist, paired schools can be shifted back to their original buildings in case of overcrowding at the new ones,' said a district-level education officer. However, the Opposition — from Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati — has opposed the move, saying it will 'deprive' future generations, particularly those from the backward, Dalit and minority communities, of their right to accessible and affordable education. The policy has also prompted protests from teachers' associations and parents, with petitions being filed against it in the Allahabad High Court. Upholding the state's decision, the court had on July 7 said the move did not violate Article 21A (right to free and compulsory education for children aged six to 14). The court also said the move aimed to provide children with quality education and equal opportunities since resources in small schools were scattered, depriving children access to adequate teaching staff, libraries, sports and digital learning facilities. Kanchan Verma, Director-General, UP school education, says, 'Of 1.32 lakh government schools in UP (with nearly 1.48 crore students), 10,784 primary schools are being paired.' Officials said these pairings were done keeping in mind multiple factors, including low enrolment and poor infrastructure. Yet, since the recent pairings in UP, teachers say some of their students, especially the girls, haven't been attending classes. While the Abbas Nagar school had 41 students, the Kalyanpur school had 115 students and five teachers, including two Shiksha Mitras, before the pairing. Only 14 of Abbas Nagar students were present at Kalyanpur during a recent visit by The Indian Express. 'Twenty-seven of my students — 16 girls and 11 boys — have not been attending school since the pairing. A few have joined private schools, but most are sitting at home,' says Shiv Kumar, the former head teacher at Abbas Nagar school who now reports to the Kalyanpur school. Staff from old schools have been reporting to the new ones since July 1. Sitting near a bundle of freshly cut fodder, Manoj and Laxmi's aunt Meera, 48, says, 'Manoj went to school, but Laxmi does not want to go.' 'Beech mein jungle hai (there is forest on the way),' Laxmi explains sheepishly. Though the family is yet to take a call on Laxmi's education, Meera says her parents are farm labourers and can't afford to send her to a private school. Like Laxmi, Meenaksi Yadav, a Class 4 student from Abbas Nagar village, has not been going to school since July 1. On a school day, she sits next to her mother Radha, 40, a farm labourer, who says, 'Door pad gaya (the Kalyanpur school is far). She would walk alone to the local school. What if someone does something to her in the woods on the way to Kalyanpur?' A senior education department officer in Lucknow said efforts are on to encourage the students to attend the new schools and that all grievances of parents would be addressed. He adds, 'No one is forcing parents to send their children to the new schools. They can send them to their old school.' However, when The Indian Express visited the Abbas Nagar school at noon on a weekday, its main gate was locked. The government's move has triggered similar fears in Lucknow, where nearly 154 primary schools have been paired. At Paharpur in Malihabad tehsil of rural Lucknow, the primary school has been paired with the school in Baka, nearly 3 km away. With the Right to Education Act mandating that the primary school must be in a 1-km radius of the child's residence, Ram Pravesh, Basic Shiksha Adhikari, Lucknow, says, 'We have asked Block Education Officers to carry out a ground-level feasibility check, including schools located far from a neighbourhood.' Till last year, the Paharpur school had just 28 students. After its three teachers — two assistant teachers and one Shiksha Mitra — started encouraging families to send their children to school, the number rose to 54 this year. Though the Paharpur school was merged with one at Baka due to its 'poor infrastructure', none of its 54 students have been attending school. In Paharpur village, the families cited several reasons for keeping the children away from the Baka school — from increased distance to aggressive stray dogs near a gaushala en route. Before the pairing, Mula Devi's grandchildren, Class 2 student Kunal, 7, and Class 3 student Payal, 8, walked barely 500 metres from home to school. 'We took them to the new school one day, but a stray dog attacked us on the way. We decided the children can't walk to school. If the government doesn't reverse its decision, we will either send them to a private school or they will stay at home,' says Devi, 62. Paharpur teachers say they are trying to encourage the students to attend the new school. 'We started ferrying some students to school on our motorcycles, but the arrangement wasn't sustainable,' says Vijay Kumar Bajpai, the former teacher incharge of the Paharpur school. Even the primary school in Bargadhi, which had 14 students, has been paired with the one at Baka, located around 1 km away. Rahisa Khatoon, an assistant teacher at Bargadhi, says all 14 have been attending classes in Baka. In Malihabad tehsil's Datali village, the primary school had just 39 students. Since it was paired with the school in Bhulsi, located around 2 km away, only 12 have been attending classes. Assistant teacher Farhad Kamal says, 'We are persuading parents to send the children to Bhulsi, but they have their own constraints.' An education official said infrastructure from the merged schools will be used to set up Bal Vatikas (pre-primary schools) across the state. 'Anganwadi centres from nearby areas will be shifted to these Bal Vatikas, which will have one Early Childhood Care and Education teacher, child-friendly furniture, outdoor play areas, learning materials, etc.,' the officer added. Back at the Kalyanpur school, Manoj is among the first to line up outside the gate after the final 2 pm bell. As he waits for the others, he says, 'I try to teach my sister Laxmi what I learn in school, but I forget quite a bit by the time I reach home. I liked going to school with her. I hope our old school reopens soon.' Led by Class 5 student Rachit, the senior-most, all Abbas Nagar students form a queue, hold hands and sing songs as they follow him over a narrow pagdandi (trail) through the fields and a thickly wooded area. 'Agar koi gum gaya, toh sabka school band ho jayega (Even if one of us gets lost, none of us will be allowed to attend school),' says Rachit. Asad Rehman is with the national bureau of The Indian Express and covers politics and policy focusing on religious minorities in India. A journalist for over eight years, Rehman moved to this role after covering Uttar Pradesh for five years for The Indian Express. During his time in Uttar Pradesh, he covered politics, crime, health, and human rights among other issues. He did extensive ground reports and covered the protests against the new citizenship law during which many were killed in the state. During the Covid pandemic, he did extensive ground reporting on the migration of workers from the metropolitan cities to villages in Uttar Pradesh. He has also covered some landmark litigations, including the Babri Masjid-Ram temple case and the ongoing Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute. Prior to that, he worked on The Indian Express national desk for three years where he was a copy editor. Rehman studied at La Martiniere, Lucknow and then went on to do a bachelor's degree in History from Ramjas College, Delhi University. He also has a Masters degree from the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. ... Read More
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Uttar Pradesh Government launches 'Learning by Doing' program to enhance practical skills in schools
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday launched a 'Learning by Doing' programme to redefine education in government schools across the state, according to a statement. "In line with the National Education Policy 2020, this programme provides students from classes 6 to 8 with practical training in diverse fields such as woodwork, metalwork, energy and environment, agriculture and horticulture, and health and nutrition," the statement said. The initiative, under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, reflects Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's vision of linking education with employability and life skills, it added. Adityanath has consistently emphasised making Uttar Pradesh self-reliant and empowered, which requires integrating skills into the education system. "Acting on this vision, the Basic Education Department has provided four-day multi-skilling training to science and mathematics teachers, enabling them to prepare students for real-life challenges alongside academics," the statement said. Additionally, with technical support from UNICEF and Vigyan Ashram, the state has developed a teacher manual with 60 skill-based activities, which has been approved by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), it added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 코인 투자금 300만원 있다면 '이렇게'해라 나스닥터 더 알아보기 Undo The government noted that in 2024-25, the programme would expand with the establishment of modern Learning by Doing (LBD) labs in 2,274 upper primary and composite schools across all 75 districts of the state. Each lab is equipped with 205 types of modern tools and apparatus. School Management Committees (SMCs) have been provided with consumables and raw materials to support these activities, it said. Earlier, the pilot phase of the programme was implemented in 60 schools across 15 districts, training 5,937 students in various trades. The government said the initiative led to a noticeable increase in student attendance and interest in learning. The government said it is working to expand this innovative programme to another 3,288 schools in the academic year 2025-26 under the Samagra Shiksha and PM SHRI schemes. "This expansion will provide vocational education benefits to lakhs of students across the state," it added. The government said that the programme not only equips students with new skills but also instils respect for the dignity of labour. A notable highlight is the active participation of girls in engineering, electrical work, and workshop activities, promoting gender equality in practical education. "The initiative is not only nurturing skilled, self-reliant citizens but also laying the groundwork for a strong and self-sustaining Uttar Pradesh, in line with the Skill India Mission," said Minister of Basic Education Sandeep Singh. PTI Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
UP launches 'Learning by Doing' programme to enhance vocational skills in govt schools
Lucknow, The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday launched a 'Learning by Doing' programme to redefine education in government schools across the state, according to a statement. UP launches 'Learning by Doing' programme to enhance vocational skills in govt schools "In line with the National Education Policy 2020, this programme provides students from classes 6 to 8 with practical training in diverse fields such as woodwork, metalwork, energy and environment, agriculture and horticulture, and health and nutrition," the statement said. The initiative, under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, reflects Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's vision of linking education with employability and life skills, it added. Adityanath has consistently emphasised making Uttar Pradesh self-reliant and empowered, which requires integrating skills into the education system. "Acting on this vision, the Basic Education Department has provided four-day multi-skilling training to science and mathematics teachers, enabling them to prepare students for real-life challenges alongside academics," the statement said. Additionally, with technical support from UNICEF and Vigyan Ashram, the state has developed a teacher manual with 60 skill-based activities, which has been approved by the State Council of Educational Research and Training , it added. The government noted that in 2024–25, the programme would expand with the establishment of modern Learning by Doing labs in 2,274 upper primary and composite schools across all 75 districts of the state. Each lab is equipped with 205 types of modern tools and apparatus. School Management Committees have been provided with consumables and raw materials to support these activities, it said. Earlier, the pilot phase of the programme was implemented in 60 schools across 15 districts, training 5,937 students in various trades. The government said the initiative led to a noticeable increase in student attendance and interest in learning. The government said it is working to expand this innovative programme to another 3,288 schools in the academic year 2025–26 under the Samagra Shiksha and PM SHRI schemes. "This expansion will provide vocational education benefits to lakhs of students across the state," it added. The government said that the programme not only equips students with new skills but also instils respect for the dignity of labour. A notable highlight is the active participation of girls in engineering, electrical work, and workshop activities, promoting gender equality in practical education. "The initiative is not only nurturing skilled, self-reliant citizens but also laying the groundwork for a strong and self-sustaining Uttar Pradesh, in line with the Skill India Mission," said Minister of Basic Education Sandeep Singh. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
IOL News
13-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Concerns over R500 million spent on outsourcing matric exam paper printing
MPs are urging the Basic Education Department to centralise the printing of matric exam question papers after it was discovered that the North West Education Department will spend more than R500 million over the next five years hiring a private company to handle the task. Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers One provincial Education Department spending more than half a billion rand on printing matric exam question papers has shocked members of Parliament. They accused some of the provincial Education departments of collapsing their printing facilities to outsource this duty to private companies. The Select Committee on Education, Science and Creative Industries Chairperson, Makhi Feni, raised the concern after the committee heard this week that the Gauteng Education Department, which had a three-year contract to print exam papers for its North West counterpart, had since outsourced its exam paper printing. After the end of its Gauteng contract, the North West Education Department signed a more than R500 million five-year contract with a private company, which was not named. 'I am not supporting that when you are having the service, you collapse the service and you run to the private service provider,' Feni said. This would mean that the North West Education Department was now spending over R100 million a year on a private printing company. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Gauteng Education Department spokesperson, Steve Mabona, declined to respond to questions sent to him regarding his province outsourcing its exam printing service. The deputy director-general of the North West Education Department, responsible for exam papers, informed the committee that in 2009, the department secured printing machines from Bytes Solutions and Altron Solutions; however, their contracts were not renewed in 2019. The province spent more than R69 million printing with the Government Printing Works (GPW) between 2019 and 2022, and also signed for R27 million to print with the Gauteng Education Department between 2023 and 2024. The latest contract with a private company, which started at the beginning of the 2024/2025 financial year and would end in 2029, contained extra security, transport, and storage features for the papers, which were available in the previous contracts. The Gauteng and North West departments had since joined the Eastern Cape in outsourcing the printing of their exam papers, while the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, and Western Cape departments still print in-house. Only Limpopo used the GPW facility. Basic Education Chief Director, responsible for the National Assessment and Public Examinations, Rufus Poliah, told the committee in a virtual meeting held on Tuesday that the law allowed the provinces to handle the printing of their exams, but that should be transparent and cost-effective. The exam papers were printed for the May/June examination for candidates who want to improve their results and adult candidates, and also for the main matric exams in October and November. Poliah said departments have three options, which are for those who print in-house but do not have the facilities to hire printing machines, outsource, and use central government facilities. He said those who insource use their staff for the printing job, while those who outsource are dependent on a private company to carry out the whole process, including providing the safety and distribution of the papers, while being monitored by Education officials. He said the GPW was responsible for the printing of exam papers for the Department of Higher Education and Training's Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. Feni expressed concern about the department spending money on private companies when the state has its printing facilities. He said insourcing would bear no extra expenditure for the safety of the papers, as they would have to be protected by the police. Feni stated that there were instances where learners would be out of transport because there was no money for that, while the money is being given away to private companies. 'They are giving away their responsibilities under the excuse that the facilities were not giving them satisfactory results. Why are you not enhancing your existing capacity to achieve your desired outcome? 'Why don't you buy your equipment? Are you telling me that the department is no longer having any technicians who can operate these particular works that you have been running, rather than going for private providers?' asked Feni. 'We must always take into cognisance the serious infrastructure backlog that provinces like the North West are confronted with. 'How does one balance the two, the infrastructure backlogs and the expenditure on this private company for printing?' said Feni. He said there was nothing wrong with outsourcing the work if the government lacks the technical ability or skills, 'but outsourcing to private companies should be necessary and there ought to be plans for transfer of skills.' 'We will not tire of making the call to the enhancement of internal capacity within departments. 'If we continue along this line, are we doing away with the functions of the state?' he said.
The Herald
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald
'It's phenomenal': Ramaphosa hails teacher assistant jobs for helping millions of young people
President Cyril Ramaphosa has praised the basic education department's teacher assistant programme, saying it has been successful in providing millions of unemployed South Africans with job opportunities. The six-month Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) — Basic Education Employment Initiative offers 200,000 unemployed young people between the ages of 18 and 34 the opportunity to be employed as education assistants and general school assistants in state schools. Phase V started in June, and successful candidates will receive a monthly stipend of R4,000 and an additional R30 for data. Briefing the media on Tuesday, Ramaphosa described the programme as 'phenomenal'. 'It is an overarching programme that covers almost all our 25,000 schools. I'm pleased that the basic education department has taken it on, working with the Presidency through the PYEI, and the labour and employment department has also assisted with the funds.' He said he wants the programme to be strengthened, adding it prepares young people for the formal job sector. 'It is proving to be beneficial in many ways. First, to the young people we bring in — young people who have not had jobs. So we bring them into formal job situations. They come into a formalised institution and they learn a lot. They gain a lot of knowledge, discipline, management skills and people skills to be able to interact with difficult young people, and they are excelling. 'This is usually empowering for these young people and we've had more than two million of them.' South Africa's unemployment rate has increased to 32.9%, with youth unemployment rising to 46.1%, leaving millions of young people out of work. Ramaphosa said while he would like the programme to be longer, insufficient resources make it difficult. Despite this, he said the programme is becoming influential globally. 'This is becoming a world-renowned programme. Many other countries are looking at what we are doing here and some of them are going to copy what we are doing, so we are trailblazers in many ways. This is one programme where there hasn't been corruption; it's been flawless and well executed.' TimesLIVE
