Reform to simplify

The beauty of any people-friendly system is in its simplicity. Unfortunately we have been caught in an administrative atmosphere where complexity is considered a merit. Each administrative layer, if it doesn’t add a couple of formalities, thinks of itself as inefficient. While the reverse is true, if global practices and thinking of experts on this matter is taken into account.

The point in case here is the meeting between the representatives of private schools from Kashmir and Secretary School Education Department, Ram Niwas, convened some days back. The emphasis of the representative body on a single window system to manage the necessary regime of No Objection Certificates is just genuine; it is the least the government should do.

Unfortunately, there exists a duality in our education system. The unaided schools, that are run by different trusts, a legal entity, are being considered as something adversarial to the government run schools. That is the loss of perspective. The first reform in the whole scheme of things should be to end this duality. It has done a huge damage to the education system.

What it has led to is a phenomenon of class contest. With all the inadequacies and weakness in these schools, the children admitted there are our own children. A toxic atmosphere has been built around these schools and that sets in motion responses on all sides cutting at the very root of efficiency.

Someone, here and there, raises his voice against some practice in a private school and it gets disproportionate reception. Once that happens, the lower rung administrative offices set in action, pouring in too much of stress into this space. The fall out is finally on the performance of these schools. None looks at the grand picture, when a pixel of two go viral. That is tragic.

While it is true that a regulatory framework should be in place, it is also equally true that for private institutions to work efficiently they should not be subjected to undue regulations. In case of private schools, if we only look at the number of NoCs that are to be gathered - every year, after two years, after three years – it is a case of burdening a fragile twig with tons of load.

What is very funny, and tragic at the same time, is that once you get the last NoC, the two at the top stand already expired.