Patna HC pulls up govt, says education system based on segregation

Hearing a writ petition by guest school teachers whose services were terminated, on July 13 -- the order was uploaded late on Thursday-- the bench of Justice Anil Kumar Upadhyay sought details of wards of IAS and IPS, Class-I and Class-II officers admitted to government-run schools

The Patna high court has observed that the “education system cannot be improved so long it is based on the concept of segregated system -- one for elite section and other for poor Biharis who have to remain content with mid-day meal, free books, uniform and bicycles with poor or no teaching.”

Patna high court

Hearing a writ petition by guest school teachers whose services were terminated, on July 13 -- the order was uploaded late on Thursday -- the bench of Justice Anil Kumar Upadhyay sought details of wards of IAS and IPS, Class-I and Class-II officers admitted to government-run schools.

The court was responding to the counter affidavit filed by the Bihar Chief Secretary in the present case on the issue of guest faculty teachers and the issue of qualitative improvement of education system in the state.

“The Chief Secretary (CS) ...has made tall claims and highlighted the steps taken for improvement in the quality of education, but those policies and scheme are only glorifying the records where these policy documents are maintained to understand the qualitative change and improvement. The court is of the considered view that improvement in the system can be gauged by the faith of people towards the system. Let the CS convene a video conference of district magistrates of all the districts of the state to solicit the information from them as to how many wards of the IAS and IPS and Class-I and II officers in the state service are undergoing studies in the government-run elementary and other schools. Thereafter, the CS shall file affidavit, furnishing details of wards of the elite class studying in the government-run schools, as it will instil confidence in the society,” Justice Upadhyay said.

The next date of hearing in the case is August 16. “The court hopes and trusts that honest effort will be made by the Chief Secretary and appropriate affidavit be filed for the improvement of educational system for the poor Bihari,” the judge said.

Earlier, the court had observed that the manner in which petitioners had been terminated “manifests that in Bihar, rule of law is only a slogan not to be acted upon.”