Failing schools and madrasas

There must be someone to clarify how such a huge amount was allocated to those institutions in the first place. Who is responsible for ensuring the standard of education in schools? Who is to be held accountable for the dismal performance of so many schools and madrasas financed by the government? It is all a tale of mismanaged schools turning out to be mere sign-boards. There is also an allegation of politically influenced registration of new educational institutions every year; and in most cases, the authorities did not even verify the credentials claimed by applicants for such schools. This practice should not be allowed to continue; a lid must be put on the wasteful expenditure.

Had the money been used by schools having an inherent potential to fare better, no question would have arisen about the misuse of funds. At the same time, had the provision for taking punitive measures against institutions which failed to live up to expectations been properly applied, then such a waste might well have been averted. In any case, the minister has promised to delve deep into the matter without so much as cancelling their registration, but we urge the government to reexamine the funding procedures more carefully and ensure that government-financed educational institutions adhere to accountability norms without fail.

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