Schooling or Struggle: A Reflection on Rural Schools | Sunit Singh

This article reflects my thoughts on education in rural India after completing my course in Sociology of Education and doing a short one-month fieldwork in a Rishi Valley Rural Education Centre, Andhra Pradesh (The school is run by Krishnamurti Foundation India) during my MA program.

What should be the aim of education? Do textbooks and exams help children? Think about your school days. Were you ever hesitant to go to school, only to be sent by your parents anyway? If you reflect on it, you’ll understand why you were reluctant. It was often due to the fear of the teacher, fear of not completing homework, peer pressure, fear of punishment, having to adhere to strict schedules, or feeling out of place.These fears often begin with the threat of punishment and grow with anxiety over tests and exams. In rural India, many children are heavily involved in agricultural work and daily chores. When they start school, the strict schedules can be very difficult for them, making school unappealing. Did you enjoy school when you were a child? How can a young child learn effectively in an environment they dislike, fear, and have no interest in?

The strict routines and pressure from exams can make children feel anxious and stressed, which hinders their ability to enjoy learning. Instead of fostering a love for knowledge, the current education system often creates an atmosphere of fear and reluctance. This is particularly challenging for children from rural areas who are used to a different daily rhythm. This situation contributes to the high dropout rate among children in rural areas (Kumar, 2017). Many children lose interest in attending school or fall behind due to prolonged absences because after they join the school after a long absence, they are unable to understand anything. Another significant factor is the shortage of teachers. Most rural schools operate with just one or two teachers who are responsible for teaching multiple grades simultaneously, leading to some students not receiving adequate attention.

Why School Dropout?

School dropout is a universal fact. Poverty, accessibility and availability are the major reasons for school dropouts in India. In some rural schools, students from grades one to seven are crammed into a single classroom, as other rooms are often occupied for non-educational purposes. In my village, the school’s premises are occupied for storing rations, and elections-related work, and are sometimes used as rehabilitation camps [1]. In other regions, schools are situated too far from students’ homes, leading to high dropout rates among girls and primary school children. The Older girls are often required to take care of their younger siblings and hence they miss school. The root cause is the lack of trust of parents in the schools. Parents are also reluctant to send their children to school because they do not trust in the school and don’t feel safe. The process of learning should not only be between the teachers and students but also parents must be incorporated in the learning process. Parents must also be included in the schooling process which is lacking in the current education system.

The schools are toxic to student learning, students are punished for minor actions such as talking too much, playing in the classroom, etc. This creates a gap and hierarchy between the teacher and the student. If young children aren’t allowed to play and have fun during class, how can they enjoy learning? Learning should be a joyful experience, not a punishment. Otherwise, children will become disinterested and eventually drop out of school. The curriculum is not relevant to the needs of the students being taught. Passive instructional strategies are being used without regard to individual student learning styles. Teachers often dictate lessons, treating all children as if they are the same, which is inherently impossible. Often, the children lose interest in their studies because the subjects are not engaging, and they lack motivation from their teachers. Too much pressure from schools and parents also causes stress and anxiety, leading many students to quit. Economic problems also force children to leave school to help support their families, with girls doing household chores and boys working jobs.

Constant failures in tests also lower their confidence, making them uninterested in continuing. In many families and communities, education is not seen as important, so children are expected to work like their parents instead of going to school. Family problems, especially in poor or unstable households, make it hard for children to stay in school. Other reasons for dropping out include difficulty getting into school, safety concerns for girls, lack of proper facilities, no female teachers, child marriage, pregnancy, and health problems. Despite efforts by the government to keep kids in school, these problems still cause many students to drop out, and more targeted help is needed

Broader issues behind the high dropout rate

It seems like we have discussed all the major issues behind the dropout rate in rural India. However, we haven’t yet addressed the underlying root cause of these issues. The lack of interest in learning and the fear of school often stems from the school culture itself. Textbooks are central to the schooling process, but in a diverse country like India, a single, centralized textbook cannot engage students effectively without incorporating local culture into the curriculum. If the curriculum were based on the local cultural context, students would find learning more enjoyable and relevant. If learning is made enjoyable and parents are involved in the schooling process, students will be more likely to continue their education, and parents will have greater trust in the school.

Another significant issue is the fear of examinations. If a student misses some topics or concepts, evaluating them based solely on these missed areas is unfair. Instead, students should be assessed based on what they have learned, not just on what has been taught. This approach may reduce anxiety and help maintain students’ interest in their education. Teachers should not hold an authoritative role. For holistic education, children must feel free to ask questions, which requires a child-centric (Dewey, 1916) classroom culture instead of a teacher-centric. Children should be encouraged to ask questions and think critically (Dewey, 1916). The use of rewards and punishments, which can create fear and jealousy, should be eliminated [2] (Kumar, 2017). Every child should be given sufficient time to learn at their own pace, recognizing that each individual has different abilities and cannot be categorized into a single level or grade.

To achieve these elements, the fear of examinations and strict discipline must be removed. Learning should be made joyful by incorporating the local cultural context into the syllabus, ensuring it is child-centric and focuses on individual learning rather than categorizing students into groups or classes. Additionally, parents and the community should be actively engaged with the school culture, which can build a sense of safety and trust in sending their children to school. Schools should be places where students learn about the entirety of life, rather than just engaging in rote memorization.

(Author: Sunit Singh, MA Final Year student, Department of Sociology, University of Delhi)

References

Kumar, K. (2017). The Child’s Right to Education: Ensuring Holistic Learning Environments in Rural Schools. Economic & Political Weekly, 52(6), 48-56.
Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. Macmillan.