Looking overseas for ideas: Global solutions can work for Delhi’s govt schools

Govt schools can take a leaf out of the books of countries that are tackling teacher shortage, poor infrastructure and overburdened students with innovative methods.

Finland’s government schools don’t have exams and rarely give homework. Singapore raised trainee teachers’ pay to match other professionals.

Students in Finland, considered one of the best education centres globally, attend 190 school days in a year.In Delhi, students go to school 220 days a year on an average. (Shutterstock)

Some of the world’s best centres of school education are finding creative solutions to problems that plague Delhi’s government schools as well. Local problems can be solved using global solutions, say education experts.

Hindustan Times outlines some of the best schooling practices across the world.

Shortage of Teachers

Thirty thousand out of the 64,000 total posts in the 1,011 Delhi government schools are vacant. Since 2012, there have been no teacher recruitment tests.

Finland and Singapore, considered the best education centres globally by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2015 report, invest heavily in its teachers.

“Finland was a lot behind other European countries … the government decided to pay teachers as much as ministers and bureaucrats. They decided to build a public-funded education system. In a few years, they moved to the top,” said educationist Anil Sadgopal.

A teacher’s highest annual pay in the Scandinavian country is $40,160 (`26 lakh) as of 2013, according to UNESCO.

“Finland raised the social status of teachers to a level higher than most other professions … In 2010, over 6,600 applicants competed for 660 openings in primary school preparation programs,” said a report by the (OECD).

Similarly, Singapore offers trainee teachers a monthly stipend that is on a par with what new graduates in other sectors earn. England created a council of 25 representative teachers and principals in 2010 that the government consults on policy reforms.

Poor Infrastructure

Students with better access to infrastructure score higher than those who don’t, showed the 2015 OECD study conducted in 14 secondary schools in Belgium.

However, it is common to see students of Delhi government schools sit outside classrooms because of lack of space, broken equipment and crumbling buildings.

On the other hand, Latin American schools are trying to improve infrastructure to bridge the gap between private and public schools, said an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) study.

The study showed that the schools in urban areas added a library, a science lab or a computer room, while those rural areas tried to improve basics such as toilets and furniture.

Japanese schools have libraries, music rooms, art rooms, gymnasia and playgrounds.

In countries with sufficient infrastructure, the schools are working to integrate information and communication technology in education.

In South Korea, the education budget’s priority is modernise classroom facilities. In Finland, teachers and principals are closely involved in renewal and construction of new schools.

Improving Learning Levels

Over 50% of the Class 6 students in Delhi government schools cannot read basic Hindi texts, showed a government study.

Schools in Finland focus on fewer topics and teach them in great depth, said educationist Anita Rampal.

“After several years of research and consultation, the curriculum (in Finland) was changed. They said learning was not memorising, but turning students into critical thinkers. This is what we want our government to realise. Curriculum can just not be decided,” said Rampal.

The country has no examinations and the assessment is continuous. In Japan, too, promotion is automatic and not based on academic achievement.

India has similar policies, but their implementation has been challenging. The Central Board of Secondary Education introduced a Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation (CCE) system in all schools and the Right to Education law says no student can be detained up to Class 8.

“I am against Right to Education Act, but I strongly believe in the no-detention policy and assessment through CCE. Instead of the state governments trying to remove the system, they should work towards strengthening it as CCE is a good practice,” said Sadgopal.

Making Learning Joyful

Government students in Delhi attend six-day weeks and 220 school days in year. As there in no clarity on the structure of CCE assignments, students may be burdened with written tests, activities and home work projects at one go.

In Finland, students attend five-day weeks and 190 school days in a year. Home assignments are rare.

“We need to make learning a joyful experience for the children. What is the point of having homework and tests?” said educationist JS Rajput. He is former director of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), a government body on education.

Singapore also adopted a similar curriculum in 2004. ‘Teach Less, Learn More’ focuses on improving a child’s learning through art, music and physical education.