essay on govt schools

10 Lines Essay On Government Schools In English For Students

1.Right to education is the fundamental right of every child.  2. Government schools provide education to all the children without any partiality. 3. They form an integral part of India’s education system 4. These are the state sponsored schools found all over the world.  5. Every country has a different system of government schools. 6. They are totally or partially financed by the taxes paid by the public. 7. Government schools are affordable and cheaper than private schools. 8. They provide the minimum required infrastructure to meet the basic needs. 9. Kendriya Vidyalaya, Army schools, Navoday Vidyalay, etc are some government-affiliated schools in India.  10. Government schools ensure quality education to every child irrespective of their caste, creed, gender and socioeconomic status.

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Government Schools vs Private Schools Essay , Debate, Speech

Government Schools vs Private Schools Essay , Debate, Speech | Advantages of Private Schools | DisAdvantages of Private Schools | Advantages of Government Schools | Disadvantages of Government Schools | Government Schools vs Private Schools Debate

Schools are the temples of knowledge and it is the place where a student grows up to be a scholar. Education is the backbone of development of a country and therefore developing this sector is always a part of great consideration by the government. However the question is that which of the two schools are better: Government or Private?

For a few students, either of the choice of school does not matter. They progress under any supervision. But in reality, differences do exist if we compare the two types of schools.

Government Schools vs Private Schools Essay

Let us talk about the Government school first. Government schools are a hope for the underprivileged sector of the society. It is those Government schools only which are within their limited capacity and affordability. Government  schools provides free and compulsory education to children up to the age of 14 years which is not under the consideration by any private institution. Government schools are setup to provide only minimum required infrastructure and quality of education. This is an important drawback of Government schools. There is no regulation of batch sizes in most of the government institutions. So, many times students suffer as a teacher finds it difficult to control a classroom or give enough attention to weaker students within a stipulated time.

Government Schools vs Private Schools Advantages – Disadvantages

Coming to the discussion of Private schools, In many ways it is wiser to enroll oneself in a Private institution as it has got some serious advantages over Government Schools . Private schools are better in approach towards psychological development of a child. Also better infrastructure is provided by them. Education in Private schools are slowly shifting into Audio- visual mode, which makes studies and learning a fun experience. While the Government schools do not take much steps in improving the quality of performance of the faculties. Many teachers just join for the good- looking salaries but do not care about their teaching and class. Also, in Private schools there are people to check how each teacher is conducting his/her classes as there must be some compulsory tests or evaluation taken each week/ month to check on the progress of a student. These ensure that the teachers are involved too. Quality of Laboratories and Sports education is a lot better in Private school. Ina Private school only a student gets the scope to learn the civilized and modern approach which is in demand in MNC culture.

Conclusion of Government Schools vs Private Schools Debate

Therefore, We can conclude that while Government institutions focus only on basic education, Private schools on other hand believe in providing better opportunities to its students as they face a competition from fellow Private schools as well.

Government Schools vs Private Schools Essay , Debate, Speech , Advantages of Private Schools , DisAdvantages of Private Schools , Advantages of Government Schools , Disadvantages of Government Schools , Government Schools vs Private Schools Debate

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Home Essay Samples Education Public School

Public School vs. Private School: Argumentative Comparison

Table of contents, public schools: accessibility and diversity, public schools: limited resources and class sizes, private schools: specialized curriculum and resources, private schools: affordability and socioeconomic disparities.

• Baker, B. D., & Welner, K. G. (Eds.). (2017). School Choice: Policies and Outcomes. University of California Press.
• Henig, J. R., Hula, R. C., & Orr, M. T. (Eds.). (2019). Educational Inequality and School Finance: Why Money Matters for America's Students. Harvard Education Press.
• Kahlenberg, R. D. (Ed.). (2013). The Future of School Integration: Socioeconomic Diversity as an Education Reform Strategy. Century Foundation Press.
• Ravitch, D. (2013). Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America's Public Schools. Knopf.
• Van Dunk, D. D., & Taylor, S. S. (Eds.). (2020). Global Perspectives on School Choice and Privatization. Information Age Publishing.

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Government vs private schools: What works better?

Aditya natraj (piramal foundation) and parth shah (centre for civil society) discuss the crucial role played by both school systems, and why they must work together to ensure quality education..

But are these numbers sufficient indicators of the performance of government and private schools? How are they perceived by parents and society at large? And finally, what do they tell us about India’s education system?

On our podcast  On the Contrary by IDR , we spoke with Aditya Natraj and Parth Shah to find the answers to these questions, and to understand the different roles played by government and private schools.

Aditya is the CEO of Piramal Foundation . Before taking on this role, he founded and led Kaivalya Education Foundation , which works entirely with the government school system. Parth Shah is the founder-president of the Centre for Civil Society , an independent public policy think tank. His research and advocacy work focus on the themes of economic freedom, choice and competition in education, and good governance.

Below is an edited transcript that provides an overview of the guests’ perspectives on the show.

Government and private schools shape ideas of democracy and social justice

Aditya : Schooling is not just a utilitarian goal for the sake of the child. I’d like to zoom out and look at schooling as a larger democracy-building project. We are a very young democracy. Just 76 years ago, we were 550 princely states. We did not have the concept of India. Public education is one of the key tools for building that concept. [Our school diaries] used to have ‘unity in diversity’, which is reinforced [as a value], because I needed to believe and affiliate. I’m from Tamil Nadu; I need to affiliate with a person from Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, and Jaisalmer, etc., whose food and culture are substantially different from mine. Public education helps in the process of creating that democracy, saying, “What are the common values by which we live? Why have we come together?”

Then there is the social justice perspective. We are a country that has huge diversity in terms of caste. There are not just Dalits and Bahujans, but also particularly vulnerable tribal groups. So for social justice reasons as well, making sure public education is accessible to everyone is extremely critical. We really need to build democracy, social justice, and the idea of India. And the public education system is very critical at this stage in the country’s growth and development.

Parth : My choice for emphasising the role for private schools is largely based on…experience of the fact that monopolies are bad. There are certain public goods such as education, healthcare, and social support—what we normally call welfare—in that category, where you don’t really want to have a government monopoly. We have had an aided school system in India from the very beginning, and even the government recognised that you need to promote different kinds of schools, different approaches to education, and different pedagogies. And, therefore, the aided school system was one way for the government to support the private sector and provide that alternative option. Actually, Kerala, which has been seen as a shining example of the education system in India, has [one of] the highest proportions of privately managed schools compared to any other state in India.

The second [reason why I think private schools are important] is parental choice. I do believe that parents should have the right to choose what kind of education their children get. And this right should not be controlled by the state by providing just one kind of schooling system in the country. The UN Charter of Human Rights has three clauses regarding the right to education. The first two are about it being free and compulsory. The third clause, which unfortunately is hardly ever talked about, states that the parents have a prior right to decide what kind of education should be given to their children.

I think the third [is] about the Indian [school] system. When we talk about ‘affordable’ or ‘budget’ private schools—my take is that those are largely community schools. These are not the schools that somebody from outside the community started. Usually, people living in the same slum, same neighbourhood thought that there was a demand for education that was somehow not being met, and this was an opportunity for them to provide education. These three reasons tell me very clearly that we need to emphasise multiple systems of education delivery.

[When it comes to] the idea of India and social justice, people normally assume that that can happen only in government schools. Even private schools are equally, if not more, capable of promoting that kind of inclusiveness, solidarity, and social justice.

The two school systems adopt different approaches to equity and inclusion

Parth : The way I think about the kind of education system we want is primarily based on the simple fact that each child is unique, and if you provide customised, personalised input to the child, then you will get a more equitable outcome at the end. The approach that we unfortunately have taken in India—which the Right to Education Act is a prime example of—is to standardise inputs. If each child is unique and you provide standardised input, you get very unequal outcomes. The thinking has been that “How can I provide equitable education to all children across a country as diverse as India?” “How could I have a school in Balangir which is as good as one in Bangalore?” Therefore, the focus in achieving that equity is largely on building the same core type of schools. But if you really believe that each child is unique, then you need to provide differential input that is suitable [for] and personalised to that child.

Private school systems do more of this. There is a lot more pressure on the system to deliver on this front and respond to parental demand, which may or may not be the right thing all the time. We know that the parents can also be misguided about what they want from the schools. But generally, over a period of time, my sense is that if you want to build a system for the long term, then you need to allow parents to play that role. Maybe the role for samaaj and sarkar is to educate parents about what makes for good education and what’s good for the children.

Aditya : I don’t disagree that equity is the final goal. The question is, how do you achieve social equity? I agree that low-budget private schools, which are just set up as mom-and-pop shops, are okay. But as soon as you go one level above that, the reality is that those private schools are less likely to admit a child with special needs or learning disabilities. I went to a high-performing government school in Delhi and interviewed the principal. I asked him, “How are you performing so well?” His school was performing better than private schools, and this is approximately 12–15 years ago. He said, “We do the same thing that private schools do. In grade 8, we wean out 10­–15 percent of the children. In grade 9, we wean out another 10–15 percent of the children and tell their parents to put them in some other school. So then, by grade 10, we have 100 percent pass rather than 70 percent pass. If private schools are allowed to do this, why can’t I do it?”

So if the rules of the game are that [as a government school administrator,] I have to take the weakest, the poorest, and the first-generation learner, and you (private schools) can select and take the best, you’re then competing with IIT when you are an inclusive engineering college. And these are two different models. So I think government schools are really good at inclusion. Because as a mandate, we have no choice. I come from the corporate sector. I’m all for private incentives for this delivery, but I’m not able to see how to create the incentives in [a manner] that inclusion is also served. And I think that’s what government schools are really good at.

Perception plays a huge role in informing parental decisions

Parth : In terms of why parents prefer private schools, there are many reasons. Often, one of the primary reasons people cite is the English medium. Parents see that as a ticket to a better future for their children. My views began to change sometime in the mid 2000s when we began to do a voucher pilot in Delhi. It was a three-year pilot program, so I was interacting with the same group of parents over the same period. I realised that what I assumed as the reason for their preference is really last on their list. The things they actually talk about are things that we trivialise. For example, schools that close their gates if students are more than 10 minutes late, ensure homework is given and checked, and have teachers who write comments in the students’ homework notebooks are things that influence parents. These small but significant factors, such as daily teacher engagement and visible feedback, greatly influence parents in choosing those schools. And you can now contrast each one of them in terms of the general perception of government schools. You can understand why parents are willing to sacrifice. If parents are earning INR 20,000, one-third of that monthly income is spent on education. This is everything, not just school fees, [but also] the tuition classes and all of those things that parents do. And so it’s not an easy choice for parents to send even one child out of three or four to a private school. It’s a huge sacrifice.

Aditya : There’s a significant perception problem between government versus private. ASER data has shown that, after adjusting for socio-economic differences, both sectors perform equally in terms of educational outcomes. Unfortunately, that’s not the perception in the market. If you are from the second quartile in the country and going to a private school, and I’m from the fourth quartile and going to a public school, the perception might be that you’re better off. However, the reality could be that your parents are actively supplementing your education in various ways. This highlights a significant perception gap between the two types of schooling.

In addition, any district in the country runs approximately 2000 schools. Two thousand schools, half a million children—you will be serving midday meals half a million times. Even at a Six Sigma level , there will be a possibility that one of those meals is infected in one of six days of the week. But that will be blown out of proportion by the media, [which will go on to say,] “The government does not work.” On the other hand, private schools give ads in the local media, saying, “My child got 98 percent, 97.6 percent, and 97.2 percent.” And governments don’t give ads in the paper. So systematically there is a belief that the government does not work and that private works. On the other hand, IIT and IIM work; they are completely government-run. If you set up a private institution, it’s going to take you several years to catch up with IIM’s reputation or IIT’s reputation.

So, something has happened because of which perceptions in the school sector are such that we believe that government schools don’t work. Let me give an example. A teacher whom I worked with…the principal of a school…works with this child from grade 1 to 3, who starts performing [well]. As soon as this happens, the girl’s parents say, “ Hamein nahin laga ki yeh ladki padh sakti hai. ( We didn’t think this girl would be able to study.) She seems quite smart, let’s put her in the private school.” Two years later, the child was not performing [well] enough because she’s not used to this heavily disciplined environment. She needs love, care, a sense of joy. The parents had to bring her back to this [government] school. I’m giving this example to say that different children need different types of things.

Education is not a customer-focused business alone.

The reality is that there are a bunch of schools that are extremely regimented, and the discipline they require is detrimental to children’s growth. So, the more homework you give, the more you scold my child, the more you’re perceived as a better school. These are perceptions unfortunately, and I have to stall governments from giving in to consumer needs. Education is not a customer-focused business alone. If your child asked for something, you don’t serve it immediately. Because education is the process by which you help the child self-regulate. If school systems become too consumer-centric [and start] saying, “I will listen to the parent and the parent will listen to the child,” you will create a society that is quite dysfunctional as opposed to [one that is] able to regulate itself. Therefore, I think we should be careful about listening to parental choice.

Parth : I am equally proud of the fact that we have great IITs and IIMs, even though they are run by the government. I hope the government is able to do with school education what it has done in higher education. So, there is no doubt in my mind that we are both in favour of both systems, as long as they do well by the children. That’s ultimately what our concern is.

Now, with regard to perception and reality, you have to ask what is being measured by the ASER survey, or for that matter, any other research that looks at learning outcomes. This is what they are trying to quantify to judge which [kind of] school performs better. What they measure is purely the academic part, which is what can be measured. And, on that basis, they are looking at the difference between the two kinds of schools. What I talked about earlier, what parents really want, and why they choose private schools. Academics is actually not as important. And most parents are actually unable to even judge the quality of the academic performance of the school. But they’re able to judge whether the schoolteacher is engaged every day or not. So, all the other things that matter to parents are not even measured in any of this research, which is my beef with many researchers. You are measuring what’s easy to measure: the three Rs [reading, writing and arithmetic]. It’s important to understand that the difference in perception and reality is based on our assumption of what is measurable, which is different from how parents are making choices.

The education sector has made significant progress, but more needs to be done

Aditya : If I just look at when I joined the [education] sector 20 years ago… In 2002, there was a probe report, which said there were 87 million children out of school in India—that’s more than the population of Germany. Today , that number is at 13 million—which is still substantial. However, it is a significant achievement considering the much larger population base now, as compared to 2002, when the problem was even more acute with a smaller overall population.

So one, I think at a societal level, the perceptions about education being our ticket out of poverty are very embedded. Parents know the only way out is education and more education.

The key is that we also push for decentralisation.

The second reason for positivity is the fact that [until] 20 years ago, education was a directive principle of state policy. There was no right to education, there was no educational cess, there was no national curriculum framework, there was no National Education Policy ( NEP ) the way there is today. All these are building blocks, which you might not see the gains of immediately. But to create the Right to Education was a movement for 15 years before it finally became a right. All of us pay for an educational cess, apart from the taxes that we pay. So, I think the financing, the policy, and the infrastructure availability are all getting much better than we could ever have imagined.

The key is that we also push for decentralisation. I don’t know why states need to decide things. An individual district in India handles 800–2,500 schools. That’s a huge number. So how do you decentralise to districts? If you go further down from a district, at a block level, there are 100–250 schools. The power distribution between teacher, school, cluster, block, district, and state needs to be rebalanced, much more towards the teacher. And that is a journey for the next 30 years.

Parth : As you know, the work that we do either in policy or on the ground, cannot be sustained year after year unless you’re optimistic.

I have to say that my experience with the pandemic has really made me question what I thought was improving. So I see a very anti-private sector, anti-parental choice mindset within the government, which has obviously existed in the bureaucracy for a long time. But also, in the larger society, [this mindset has] become obvious in terms of what happened in the last few years and the support that private schools did not get. And here we are talking about high-fee private schools, we’re talking about no fee or very low-fee private schools. And so that has really made me a little less optimistic in terms of how the future looks. Now, yes, the NEP has made some right noises, and you can say that’s a really optimistic sign. It remains to be seen how far they will actually come through when the rubber meets the road, when this actually gets implemented. And so, I’m a little less sanguine now in terms of what is going to emerge as a result of what we have experienced.

You can listen to the full episode here .

• Read about how COVID-19 changed India’s education system.
• Listen to this podcast to understand how parent’s involvement affects the education system.

According to the UDISE+ 2021–22 report, which collects data on school enrolment rates, approximately 54 percent of students in India are enrolled in government schools. On the other hand, private […]

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Why we need government schools: They are the only educational lifeline for 60% of India’s children

An excerpt from ‘ordinary people, extraordinary teachers: the heroes of real india’, by s giridhar..

There is change in our government schools if one cares to look for it. In a survey my colleagues conducted in 2005 in northeast Karnataka, only four out of ten schools had obtained uniforms and books in time for the start of the academic year. Today, this number has more than doubled. Nearly every school I visited had planned and procured books and uniforms well in time, even if it meant that their teachers had to sacrifice some holidays.

In most schools that we visited, attendance was over 90 per cent. In the Surpur block in northeast Karnataka where attendance, for years had stubbornly stuck at around 65 per cent, it has now moved close to 80 per cent.

In each of the hundred and ten schools, punctuality and presence of teachers were a given. In rural government schools, even these basic requirements of punctuality and regular attendance of children are significant signs of a vibrant culture.

In the same survey of 2005, some or the other form of student fights or corporal punishment was observed in seven out of ten schools. In contrast, in the schools that we visited this time, there was no sign of the “cane” nor physical fights among students beyond the usual pushing and shoving.

In 2005, the researchers had noted that around 15 per cent of the head teachers were not in school when they visited because they were away at the Block Education Office on some errand or the other. Not so today. Nearly every head teacher was present in the schools that we visited. A major reason for this is that head teachers are able to meet incessant demands for information from their headquarters by seeking help from their younger colleagues who are more IT- and internet-savvy.

This is also perhaps a good place in this essay to put to rest the bogey of teacher absenteeism that is a favourite flogging horse in public discourse. A study by the Foundation in 2017, across six states, in a sample of six hundred and nineteen schools covering two thousand eight hundred and sixty-one teachers, showed that teacher absenteeism, that is, absence without legitimate reason or truancy is less than 2.5 per cent.

The study noted that in difficult circumstances that one would often associate with high teacher absenteeism, these teachers and head teachers showed remarkable commitment (manifested in no perceivable absenteeism) and high levels of engagements in classrooms.

Ten to fifteen years ago, I would come across the odd heroic teacher during my field visits. This time, what I saw among the two hundred and fifty to three hundred teachers spoke of a journey of growth, self-expression and commitment that comes from an upward curve in the area of self-development. There were multiple strands that demonstrated this transformation.

One such change is that more teachers are writing a daily diary, reflecting on their school-day – the joys and struggles of teaching. The diary of a school teacher is a kaleidoscope of emotions but when it is introspective, it becomes a symbol of the learning teacher who wants to improve each day. The diaries of some teachers are so rich, they could be made mandatory reading in teacher education programmes.

This is remarkable progress from twelve years ago when teachers would be hesitant to even read academic articles. In 2005, when newsletters like Pravaah were sent to schools in Uttarkashi, teachers would have to be called together once in a few months and coaxed to read and discuss some of the essays. But by 2017, Pravaah had become a sixty-four-page publication with a number of articles contributed by teachers themselves.

Many of these teachers make up for their inadequacies in subject knowledge by their commitment to continuous self-development. There can be no greater evidence of this than the fact that some science teachers, acknowledged for their excellence in teaching the subject, have no formal degree in science. The lesson plans and activities, the worksheets and experiments that they had constructed were indicative of their efforts to learn and teach the subject.

Many teachers have acquired further educational qualifications through correspondence courses. When I spoke to them, their self- appraisal was honest and spontaneous: “My school can only be classified as ‘B’ category today but I hope it will reach ‘A’ in the future,” or, “There are at least twenty schools that are better; you must visit those (naming a few)“.

They also expressed their frustrations openly, accepting their limitations of subject knowledge, the wicked inadequacy of not being able to teach English as well as they would like to and the enormous struggle for resources.

But what was not lacking was the recurrent theme of personal ownership and pride. Confident that the community would sooner or later perceive the quality of education that their children were receiving, one teacher in a memorable turn of phrase, said to me, “Mark my words, there will be a reverse migration from private schools to our schools.”

Are the children learning better? At each of these schools, the answer to the question is a definitive “yes”. We saw a variety of classroom activities and children’s portfolios – from neat handwriting to the ability to read and write completely new sentences; the ability to solve not merely algorithmic but word problems; the ability at mental math and higher order thinking; and, the spirit of the “quicker” children to help their friends with their work.

The teachers in these schools know the learning levels of each child in every subject. Many implement continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE, see glossary) in true spirit, going beyond the prescribed formats to record rich observations in individual child portfolios and then using these to plan additional support for identified children.

If schools are a true microcosm of our society, then the schools that I visited, where equity and quality have reclaimed their place, give us hope of an improved school education system that provides quality schooling to every child.

The World Bank report of 2017 estimates that by 2021, India will have three hundred and seventy-two million children in the age group of 0-14 years and three hundred and sixty- seven million in the youth group of fifteen to twenty-nine years. Only the quality of education will determine what these children and youth will make of their lives and how they will contribute to society.

Children from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds in rural India are the worst sufferers in a system that does not offer equitable quality of education. This is a moral burden each one of us has to bear.

The late JP Naik, the doyen of Indian education during the twentieth century, titled his seminal work on Indian education Equality, Quality and Quantity: The Elusive Triangle in Indian Education . Through some of its landmark initiatives, such as the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), India has been able to address issues of access and retention by providing a primary school in every habitation of the country with midday meals (the largest such programme in the world).

As a result, enrolment has risen from 72 per cent in 2002 (when fifty-nine million children, of two hundred and twenty million in the age group of 6-14 years were out of school) to over 99 per cent in recent years. The attendance in schools has gone up and retention till Class VIII has risen from 42 per cent in 2002 to around 80 per cent in recent times.

But the elusiveness that JP Naik pointed to is borne out by the fact that the third vertex of this triangle, namely, quality of education has remained unattainable. Often, suggestions for improvement of the quality of government school education have harped on teacher accountability and incentives; the use of technology in schools; and other efficiency-related actions. These have taken us nowhere.

Thankfully, in recent times, the approach to this vexing problem is changing and the centrality of the teacher and the need to invest in their professional preparedness is being recognised. To those working on the ground with rural government schools for years, this acknowledgement is a welcome validation of the criticality of teacher education.

This signals that sustained improvement in school quality will not come through fixing a few specific aspects but by addressing the core issue which is to create well-equipped, well-prepared teachers. There are no shortcuts, the path to a complete revamp of teacher education in the country will be long and arduous.

How well we can reform teacher education, implement high quality four-year integrated teacher education programmes and create excellent institutions for teacher education will determine the fate of three hundred and seventy million children who will, in a few years, join India’s adult population. Obviously, many parallel strands of radical reform in our education system need to be addressed simultaneously but teacher education is the most critical.

Perhaps one of the most crucial aspects within this that needs to be fixed is our very weak undergraduate education system that fails to equip teachers with subject-matter proficiency. For our teachers to be truly competent in their subjects, our Bachelor programmes ought to provide them with depth and breadth in their chosen disciplines. One cannot discuss quality in school education without acknowledging that the root cause is the abysmal quality of our undergraduate programmes.

The Kothari Commission report of 1966,7 the National Education Policy of 1986,8 and the National Curriculum Framework of 20059 are milestones in India’s quest for equitable quality in education. The next National Education Policy may well prove to be one of the most important documents with radical suggestions to transform public education in India.

If it can provide clear recommendations on teacher education, the need to invest in teacher preparation and the accompanying systemic and structural reforms, it will go a long way in strengthening our public education system. The reality is, that for at least 60 per cent of our children, the government school is the only lifeline. It is only when the children who are completely dependent on government schools, receive equitable quality of education that we can hope to progress towards the ideals enshrined in our Constitution.

Excerpted with permission from Ordinary People, Extraordinary Teachers: The Heroes Of Real India , S Giridhar, Westland.

A primer on elementary and secondary education in the United States

Editor’s Note: This report is an excerpt, with minor edits, from Addressing Inequities in the US K-12 Education System , which first appeared in Rebuilding the Pandemic Economy , published by the Aspen Economic Strategy Group in 2021.

This report reviews the basics of the American elementary and secondary education system: Who does what and how do we pay for it? While there are some commonalities across the country, the answers to both questions, it turns out, vary considerably across states. 1

Who does what?

Schools are the institution most visibly and directly responsible for educating students. But many other actors and institutions affect what goes on in schools. Three separate levels of government—local school districts, state governments, and the federal government—are involved in the provision of public education. In addition, non-governmental actors, including teachers’ unions, parent groups, and philanthropists play important roles.

Most 5- to 17-year-old children – about 88%– attend public schools. 2 (Expanding universal schooling to include up to two years of preschool is an active area of discussion which could have far-reaching implications, but we focus on grades K-12 here.) About 9% attend private schools; about a quarter of private school students are in non-sectarian schools, and the remaining three-quarters are about evenly split between Catholic and other religious schools. The remaining 3% of students are homeschooled.

Magnet schools are operated by local school districts but enroll students from across the district; magnet schools often have special curricula—for example, a focus on science or arts—and were sometimes designed specifically to encourage racial integration. Charter schools are publicly funded and operate subject to state regulations; private school regulations and homeschooling requirements are governed by state law and vary across states. Nationally, 6.8% of public school students are enrolled in charter schools; the remainder attend “traditional public schools,” where students are mostly assigned to schools based on their home address and the boundaries school districts draw. Washington, D.C. and Arizona have the highest rates of charter enrollment, with 43 and 19% of their public school students attending charter schools. Several states have little or no charter school enrollment. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly all public schooling took place in person, with about 0.6% of students enrolled in virtual schools.

Local School Districts

Over 13,000 local education agencies (LEAs), also known as school districts, are responsible for running traditional public schools. The size and structure of local school districts, as well as the powers they have and how they operate, depend on the state. Some states have hundreds of districts, and others have dozens. District size is mostly historically determined rather than a reflection of current policy choices. But while districts can rarely “choose” to get smaller or larger, district size implicates  important   trade-offs . Having many school districts operating in a metropolitan area can enhance incentives for school and district administrators to run schools consistent with the preferences of residents, who can vote out leaders or vote with their feet by leaving the district. On the other hand, fragmentation can lead to more segregation by race and income and less equity in funding, though state laws governing how local districts raise revenue may address the funding issues. Larger districts can benefit from economies of scale as the fixed costs of operating a district are spread over more students and they are better able to operate special programs, but large districts can also be difficult to manage. And even though large districts have the potential to pool resources between more- and less-affluent areas, equity challenges persist as staffing patterns lead to different levels of spending at schools within the same district.

School boards can be elected or appointed, and they generally are responsible for hiring the chief school district administrator, the superintendent. In large districts, superintendent turnover is often cited as a barrier to sustained progress on long term plans, though the causation may run in the other direction: Making progress is difficult, and frustration with reform efforts leads to frequent superintendent departures. School districts take in revenue from local, state, and federal sources, and allocate resources—primarily staff—to schools. The bureaucrats in district “central offices” oversee administrative functions including human resources, curriculum and instruction, and compliance with state and federal requirements. The extent to which districts devolve authority over instructional and organizational decisions to the school level varies both across and within states.

State Governments

The U.S. Constitution reserves power over education for the states. States have delegated authority to finance and run schools to local school districts but remain in charge when it comes to elementary and secondary education. State constitutions contain their own—again, varying—language about the right to education, which has given rise to litigation over the level and distribution of school funding in nearly all states over the past half century. States play a major role in school finance, both by sending aid to local school districts and by determining how local districts are allowed to tax and spend, as discussed further below.

State legislatures and state education agencies also influence education through mechanisms outside the school finance system. For example, states may set requirements for teacher certification and high school graduation, regulate or administer retirement systems, determine the ages of compulsory schooling, decide how charter schools will (or will not) be established and regulated, set home-schooling requirements, establish curricular standards or approve specific instructional materials, choose standardized tests and proficiency standards, set systems for school accountability (subject to federal law), and create (or not) education tax credits or vouchers to direct public funds to private schools. Whether and how states approach these issues—and which functions they delegate to local school districts—varies considerably.

Federal Government

The authority of the federal government to direct schools to take specific actions is weak. Federal laws protect access to education for specific groups of students, including students with disabilities and English language learners. Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in education, and the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race. The U.S. Department of Education issues  regulations and guidance  on K-12 laws and oversees grant distribution and compliance. It also collects and shares data and funds research. The Bureau of Indian Education is housed in the Department of the Interior, not the Department of Education.

The federal government influences elementary and secondary education primarily by providing funding—and through the rules surrounding the use of those funds and the conditions that must be met to receive federal funding. Federal aid is typically allocated according to formulas targeting particular populations. The largest formula-aid federal programs are Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which provides districts funds to support educational opportunity, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), for special education. Both allocate funding in part based on child poverty rates. State and school district fiscal personnel ensure that districts comply with rules governing how federal funds can be spent and therefore have direct influence on school environments. Since 1965, in addition to specifying how federal funds can be spent, Congress has required states and districts to adopt other policies as a condition of Title I receipt. The policies have changed over time, but most notably include requiring school districts to desegregate, requiring states to adopt test-based accountability systems, and requiring the use of “evidence-based” approaches. 

IDEA establishes protections for students with disabilities in addition to providing funding. The law guarantees their right to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive setting and sets out requirements for the use of Individualized Educational Programs. Because of these guarantees, IDEA allows students and families to pursue litigation. Federal law prohibits conditioning funding on the use of any specific curriculum. The Obama Administration’s Race to the Top program was also designed to promote specific policy changes—many related to teacher policy—but through a competitive model under which only select states or districts “won” the funds. For the major formula funds, like Title I and IDEA, the assumption (nearly always true) is that states and districts will adopt the policies required to receive federal aid and all will receive funds; in some cases, those policy changes may have  more impact than the money  itself. The federal government also allocated significant funding to support schools during the Great Recession and during the COVID-19 pandemic through specially created fiscal stabilization or relief funds; federal funding for schools during the COVID crisis was significantly larger than during the Great Recession.

The federal tax code, while perhaps more visible in its influence on higher education, also serves as a K-12 policy lever. The controversial state and local tax deduction, now limited to $10,000, reduces federal tax collections and subsidizes progressive taxation for state and local spending, including for education. As of 2018, 529 plans, which historically allowed tax-preferred savings only for higher education expenses, can also be used for private K-12 expenses.

Non-Governmental Actors

Notable non-governmental actors in elementary and secondary education include teachers’ unions and schools of education, along with parents, philanthropists, vendors, and other advocates.The nation’s three million public school teachers are a powerful political force, affecting more than just teachers’ compensation. For example, provisions of collective bargaining agreements meant to improve teachers working conditions also limit administrator flexibility.  Teachers unions  are also important political actors; they play an active role in federal, state, and school board elections and advocate for (or, more often, against) a range of policies affecting education.  Union strength varies considerably across U.S. states.

Both states and institutions of higher education play important roles in determining who teaches and the preparation they receive. Policies related to teacher certification and preparation requirements, ranging from whether teachers are tested on academic content to which teachers are eligible to supervise student teachers, vary considerably across states. 3 Meanwhile,  reviews of teacher training programs  reveal many programs do not do a good job incorporating consensus views of research-based best practices in key areas. To date, schools of education have not been the focus of much policy discussion, but they would be critical partners in any changes to how teachers are trained.

Parents play an important role, through a wide range of channels, in determining what happens in schools. Parents choose schools for their children, either implicitly when they choose where to live or explicitly by enrolling in a charter school, private school, participating in a school district choice program, or homeschooling, though these choices are constrained by income, information, and other factors. They may also raise money through Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) or other foundations—and determine how it is spent. And they advocate for (or against) specific policies, curriculum, or other aspects of schooling through parent organizations, school boards, or other levels of government. Parents often also advocate for their children to receive certain teachers, placements, evaluation, or services; this is particularly true for parents of students with disabilities, who often must make sure their children receive legally required services and accommodations. Though state and federal policymakers sometimes  mandate parent engagement , these mechanisms do not necessarily provide meaningful pathways for parental input and are often dominated by  white and higher-SES parents .      

Philanthropy also has an important influence on education policy, locally and nationally. Not only do funders support individual schools in traditional ways, but they are also increasingly active in influencing federal and state laws. Part of these philanthropic efforts happen through advocacy groups, including civil rights groups, religious groups, and the hard-to-define “education reform” movement. Finally, the many vendors of curriculum, assessment, and “edtech” products and services bring their own lobbying power.

Paying for school

Research on school finance might be better termed school district finance because districts are the jurisdictions generating and receiving revenue, and districts, not schools, are almost always responsible for spending decisions. School districts typically use staffing models to send resources to schools, specifying how many staff positions (full-time equivalents), rather than dollars, each school gets. 

Inflation-adjusted, per-pupil revenue to school districts has increased steadily over time and averaged about $15,500 in 2018-19 (total expenditure, which includes both ongoing and capital expenditure, is similar but we focus on revenue because we are interested in the sources of revenue). Per-pupil revenue growth tends to stall or reverse in recessions and has only recently recovered to levels seen prior to the Great Recession (Figure 1). On average, school districts generated about 46% of their revenue locally, with about 80% of that from property taxes; about 47% of revenue came from state governments and about 8% from the federal government. The share of revenue raised locally has declined from about 56% in the early 1960s to 46% today, while the state and federal shares have grown. Local revenue comes from taxes levied by local school districts, but local school districts often do not have complete control over the taxes they levy themselves, and they almost never determine exactly how much they spend because that depends on how much they receive in state and federal aid. State governments may require school districts to levy certain taxes, limit how much local districts are allowed to tax or spend, or they may implicitly or explicitly redistribute some portion of local tax revenue to other districts.

Both the level of spending and distribution of revenue by source vary substantially across states (Figure 2), with New York, the highest-spending state, spending almost $30,000 per pupil, while Idaho, Utah, and Oklahoma each spent under $10,000 per pupil. (Some, but far from all, of this difference is related to higher labor costs in New York.) Similarly, the local share of revenue varies from less than 5% in Hawaii and Vermont to about 60% in New Hampshire and Nebraska. On average, high-poverty states spend less, but there is also considerable variation in spending among states with similar child poverty rates.

Discussions of school funding equity—and considerable legal action—focus on inequality of funding across school districts  within the same state . While people often assume districts serving disadvantaged students spend less per pupil than wealthier districts within a state, per-pupil spending and the child poverty rate are nearly always uncorrelated or  positively  correlated, with higher-poverty districts spending more on average. Typically, disadvantaged districts receive more state and federal funding, offsetting differences in funding from local sources. Meanwhile, considerable inequality exists between states, and poorer states spend less on average. Figure 3 illustrates an example of this dynamic, showing the relationship between district-level per-pupil spending and the child poverty rate in North Carolina (a relatively low-spending state with county- and city-based districts) and Illinois (a higher-spending state with many smaller districts). In North Carolina, higher poverty districts spend more on average; Illinois is one of only a few states in which this relationship is reversed. But this does not mean poor kids get fewer resources in Illinois than in North Carolina. Indeed, nearly  all  districts in Illinois spend more than most districts in North Carolina, regardless of poverty rate.

Figure 4 gives a flavor of the wide variation in per-pupil school spending. Nationally, the district at the 10th percentile had per-pupil current expenditure of $8,800, compared to $18,600 at the 90th percentile (for these calculations we focus on current expenditure, which is less volatile year-to-year, rather than revenue). Figure 4 shows that this variation is notably  not  systematically related to key demographics. For example, on average, poor students attend school in districts that spent $13,023 compared to $13,007 for non-poor students. The average Black student attends school in a district that spent $13,485 per student, compared to $12,918 for Hispanic students and $12,736 for White students. 4  School districts in high-wage areas need to spend more to hire the same staff, but adjusting spending to account for differences in prevailing wages of college graduates (the second set of bars) does not change the picture much.

Does this mean the allocation of spending is fair? Not really. First, to make progress reducing the disparities in outcomes discussed above, schools serving more disadvantaged students will need to spend  more  on average. Second, these data are measured at the school district level, lumping all schools together. This potentially masks inequality across (as well as within) schools in the same district.

The federal government now requires states to report some spending at the school level; states have only recently released these data. One study using these new data finds that within districts, schools attended by students of color and economically-disadvantaged students tend to have more staff per pupil and to spend more per pupil. These schools also have more novice teachers. How could within-district spending differences systematically correlate with student characteristics, when property taxes and other revenues for the entire district feed into the central budget? Most of what school districts buy is staff, and compensation is largely based on credentials and experience. So schools with less-experienced teachers spend less per pupil than those with more experienced ones, even if they have identical teacher-to-student ratios. Research suggests schools enrolling more economically disadvantaged students, or more students of color, on average have worse working conditions for teachers and experience more teacher turnover. Together, this means that school districts using the same staffing rules for each school—or even allocating more staff to schools serving more economically disadvantaged students—would have different patterns in spending per pupil than staff per pupil.

[1] : For state-specific information, consult state agency websites (e.g., Maryland State Department of Education) for more details. You can find data for all 50 states at the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics , and information on state-specific policies at the Education Commission of the States .

[2] : The numbers in this section are based on the most recent data available in the Digest of Education Statistics, all of which were collected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[3] : See the not-for-profit National Council on Teacher Quality for standards and reviews of teacher preparation programs, and descriptions of state teacher preparation policies.

[4] : These statistics may be particularly surprising to people given the widely publicized findings of the EdBuild organization that, “ Nonwhite school districts get $23 billion less than white school districts. ” The EdBuild analysis estimates gaps between districts where at least 75% of students are non-White versus at least 75% of students are White. These two types of districts account for 53% of enrollment nationally. The $23 billion refers to state and local revenue (excluding federal revenue), whereas we focus on current expenditure (though patterns for total expenditure or total revenue are similar).

Disclosures: The Brookings Institution is financed through the support of a diverse array of foundations, corporations, governments, individuals, as well as an endowment. A list of donors can be found in our annual reports published online  here . The findings, interpretations, and conclusions in this report are solely those of its author(s) and are not influenced by any donation .

About the Authors

Sarah reber, joseph a. pechman senior fellow – economic studies, nora gordon, professor – mccourt school of public policy, georgetown university.

Rick Hess Straight Up

Education policy maven Rick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute think tank offers straight talk on matters of policy, politics, research, and reform. Read more from this blog.

How Can Civics Education Safeguard Democracy?

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When you’ve been around as long as I have, one gets all manner of intriguing questions. While I usually respond to such queries in private, some seem likely to be of broader interest. So, in “Ask Rick,” I occasionally take up reader queries. If you’d like to send one along, just send it to me, care of Greg Fournier, at [email protected] .

Last fall, I saw you wrote a piece that seemed to suggest we shouldn’t care whether civics education encourages students to vote. With presidential primary season upon us, I found myself thinking back on the piece. At the time, I thought that was a pretty odd stance, especially for someone who once taught high school civics. Did I misunderstand you? If not, that strikes me as a dubious stance at a time when democracy is under threat.

Dear Dubious,

Thanks for your thoughtful query. Let’s see. First off, let me provide readers with a bit of context for your question. Last fall, the American Educational Research Association touted a new study that found, as the press release declared, “State-Mandated Civics Test Policy Does Not Improve Youth Voter Turnout.” In discussing the study’s results, I argued that the tendency to regard voting and advocacy as the aim of civic education is misguided.

Why would I think it’s misguided to focus on voting? Well, self-government also requires knowledge, a respect for rules, personal responsibility, patience, and a willingness to work with those who see things differently. My concern is that these things have gotten neglected amid the focus on “engagement.” After all, let’s note that “democracy is under threat” at a time when voting is easier than ever (due to mail-in ballots, same-day registration, et al.) and at a time of historically high voter participation . There’s an obvious disconnect here.

Once upon a time, as you note, I taught high school civics. So, it’s no surprise that I want graduates to vote. But we live in an era when “small money” donors have eclipsed party leaders in their influence on candidates, Americans consume political tirades as social media entertainment, and the most extreme voters call the shots in party primaries. The problems we confront are not, I’d argue, due to a lack of political participation but to a lack of restraint, trust, knowledge, and respect for institutions and norms.

Self-government depends on our accepting electoral outcomes or court decisions even when we disagree vehemently with the result. It depends on presidents and voters understanding that the executive branch isn’t empowered to spend billions of dollars (on a border wall or a student-loan jubilee) without a law that empowers them to do so. It depends on respect for due process, free speech, canvassing boards that faithfully review vote tallies, independent courts, responsible legislators, and limits on executive authority. That’s the stuff that should be at the heart of civics education.

Today, civics education has strayed pretty far afield from such notions. Heck, in 2022, the RAND Corp. reported that, when asked about the purpose of civics education, more K–12 teachers emphasized environmental activism than “knowledge of social, political, and civic institutions.” Teachers who say they’re more concerned about environmental activism than civic institutions when asked about civics education are probably not focused on exploring why things like federalism or the separation of powers might be good (especially when they impede one’s preferred environmental agenda).

As I see it, the critical part of civics education isn’t students learning how to be heard; it’s their learning to be responsible, reflective citizens. And voting doesn’t require that voters be either responsible or reflective. Rather, it’s mostly an opportunity to tell office-seekers, “This is what I want.” That may be a crucial part of citizenship, but it’s also the easy part.

I’ll go further: The hard part is understanding why we shouldn’t always get our way. That applies equally to Trump backers who refuse to accept that he lost in 2020 and student-loan borrowers who want the Biden administration to ignore all those legal niceties and just “forgive” the hundreds of billions they owe the U.S. Treasury. In these cases (as in many others), the guardians of self-government have not been the voters. Civic education should help students grasp the role of institutions and norms in safeguarding self-government and checking illiberal impulses, whether those are found on the right or the left.

I’m far less concerned with teaching students to get their way than with helping them understand how anti-majoritarian arrangements like the Bill of Rights, the federal system, the separation of powers, and judicial review can protect us—even in those moments when we’re furious about the results. Civics should teach students how democratic institutions actually work and what it takes to maintain them. And it should prepare them to be the kind of officials and citizens who will stand up to bullies, mobs, and demagogues in the years to come.

The opinions expressed in Rick Hess Straight Up are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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Public School vs Private School Essay

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Public School vs Private School Essay Introduction

Private schools vs public schools: classroom size & admission, cost & tuition.

Need to compare and contrast public and private schools? Essay samples like this one will help you with this task! Here, you will learn about advantages, disadvantages, and differences between public schools vs private schools. Choose your side of the debate and persuade the readers in your public school vs private school essay!

Comparing private and public schools can be more or less like comparing oranges and apples, two very disparate things that can never be held on similar standards. Choosing the best school for your child is one of the most important decisions parents have to make for their children but most parents rely on rumors and hearsay in deciding on whether to send their children to a private or a public school.

The best ways to determine whether you are making the right decision for your child is by visiting the school and asking for clarification from teachers for all your queries. What school your youngster attend to is a personal decision which is greatly determined by the family values, special needs of the kids, his mannerisms and interests.

This essay critically compares the differences and similarities, advantages and disadvantages and the issues that a rise in both private and public schools that affects the education of the children mainly preschool kids the its effects they on the kids future life.

Statistics show that some time back private school used to do better than public schools but recently this gap has been narrowing and making it harder for parents to choose between a private independent school with a high price tag on it, from a local public school which is relatively cheaper (Diana, 2006).

According to Maureen ( 2011, pp.10) public schools usually have larger class sizes due to the fact that they are required to admit every child who meets the qualifications set by the government. This offers an advantage to the pre-school children by improving their communication and socializing skills since they interact with more children from different races, cultures and social classes.

However, large classes are also disadvantageous in that it reduces the ratio of teachers to students and this tends to limit the teacher’s concentration on students hence limiting the children’s there performance. The average ratio of teachers to students in public schools is 1:17while in private schools its 1:9.

Private schools on the other hand are very selective in terms of their admissions. Some schools cannot admit students from certain religions, races or even economic status. This tends to reduce the population of private schools. Some of the long term effects to children attending privately owned pre-schools are poor socializing skills due to the low population size and similar social classes, religion and lack of diverse cultures (Robert, 2011, pp4).

Public schools are cheaper and they are funded by the government and some of them are usually underfunded. They are a part of the large school system which is part of the government and this makes them vulnerable to the political influence hence exposes them to political vulnerabilities which if experienced affects their performance.

The economic status of the country and the government also greatly affects the operations of public schools. Their curriculum is determined by the government and as you know different regions face different challenges hence the need for different curriculum to meet the different needs. (GreatSchools, 2010, pp.5)

Private schools on the other hand charge a higher tuition fee which is the major source of its funds. This makes them independent and protects them from the political realm hence they are free to determine their own curricula which is usually single minded, producing best results by providing the best quality of education possible (Eddie , 2011, pp.4)

In cases of children with special needs public schools usually have special programs and specially trained teachers who are well trained to work with such children. In contrast most private schools lack these programs and they are sometimes forced to deny such kids admission to their institutions and sometimes these services may be offered at an extra cost.

Is the question about which schools are better, private or public schools, answered yet? I bet not since there are no clear conclusions since they both have advantages and disadvantages as we have seen. In a nut shell the best school for ones child depends on the values, mannerisms, family, back ground, needs and interests of both the parents and the children. In other words one man’s meat is another man’s poison.

Diana, J. S. (2006). Public Schools Perform Near Private Ones in Study . Web.

Eddie, R. (2011). Pre School Education: Private Schools Vs PublicSchools . Web.

Great Schools Staff. (2010). Private versus public . Web.

Maureen, B. (2011). Public vs. private : Which is right for your child? Web.

Robert, N. (2011). Private vs Public Schools: Class Size. Web.

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"Public School vs Private School." IvyPanda , 27 Dec. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/public-schools-vs-private-schools/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Public School vs Private School'. 27 December.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Public School vs Private School." December 27, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/public-schools-vs-private-schools/.

1. IvyPanda . "Public School vs Private School." December 27, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/public-schools-vs-private-schools/.

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Fixing the Government Schools Issue

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• Government Policies & Interventions

This editorial is based on “Govt schools need urgent fixing” which was published in the Hindu BusinessLine on 27/02/2023. It discusses the issue of Governments schools and ways to address it.

For Prelims: Mid-Day Meal, Self-Help Group, Panchayat, Integrated Child Development Services, New Education Policy 2022, ASHA, Nipun Bharat Mission, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

For Mains: Government Schools Issue, Education related issues, Government Policies & Interventions

According to the Annual Status of Education Report 2022 report, government schools saw a sharp rise in enrolment for the first time in 16 years; basic literacy levels of children have taken a big hit, with their reading ability as compared to numeracy skills worsening much more sharply and dropping to pre-2012 levels.

Government schools in many states are predominantly attended by children from vulnerable social groups, where girls' education is often treated as a formality for marriage prospects. In addition to funding issues, there is a need to improve governance in schools and renovate dilapidated facilities due to Covid-19 closures.

As ASER 2023 confirms, boys and girls of elementary school-going age have all come back to schools, but the current education system is failing them. However, it is possible to make learning attractive for children with little effort.

While a lot has been done to improve the schools on the supply side with Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and subsequent efforts, there is a need for rejuvenating and re-imagining learning in schools.

What are the Issues with the Functioning of Government Schools?

• Many government schools lack basic facilities such as proper classrooms, clean drinking water, toilets, libraries, and playgrounds. This affects the overall quality of education provided to the students.
• A significant number of government schools do not have well-trained and qualified teachers. This results in poor quality of teaching and a lack of enthusiasm among students.
• The curriculum followed by many government schools is outdated and does not provide relevant skills required in the current job market. This results in a lack of employability among students.
• Many government schools suffer from inadequate funding, which affects their ability to provide basic facilities and attract well-qualified teachers.
• There is often a lack of accountability among school administrators and teachers in government schools. This results in poor quality of education and a lack of motivation among students.
• According to a report, India has nearly 1.2 lakh schools with just one teacher each.
• The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act , 2009 in its Schedule lays down Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) for both primary and upper primary schools.
• At primary level the PTR should be 30:1 and at the upper primary level it should be 35:1.

What are the Constitutional Provisions and Laws related to Education in India?

• Part IV of Indian Constitution, Article 45 and Article 39 (f) of Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) , has a provision for state-funded as well as equitable and accessible education.
• The education policies by the Central government provides a broad direction and state governments are expected to follow it. But it is not mandatory, for instance Tamil Nadu does not follow the three-language formula prescribed by the first education policy in 1968.
• Article 21A of the Constitution makes it obligatory on the State to provide free and compulsory education to children between the age of 6 and 14 years.
• It also mandates 25% reservation for disadvantaged sections of the society.
• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan , Mid Day Meal Scheme , National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning , PRAGYATA , Beti Bachao Beti Padhao , PM SHRI Schools

What should be the Way Forward?

• Local governments and women’s collectives should be given the responsibility for elementary schools with funds and functionaries.
• They must be authorised to fill any vacancy by rationalisation or recruiting a community volunteer who has cleared the Teacher Eligibility Test.
• The devolved funds should be sufficient to meet the needs for basic learning and support. The school should become a community institution rather than be a government entity, which can draw on voluntarism/donations and get the support of gadgets to ensure healthy learning outcomes.
• All teachers and teacher educators (block and cluster coordinators, State/District resource persons) should be trained in the use of gadgets and course material that can facilitate learning.
• Every classroom must have a large TV and a good sound system to provide online lessons that supplement what is taught in class.
• The Mid-Day Meal responsibility must be handed over to the village level Self-Help Group (SHG) of women.
• The Panchayat and School Management Committee shall be the supervisors of the SHG.
• Teachers should not have any role in the Mid-Day Meal scheme, except teaching.
• Public libraries should be developed where youths in the village can study and prepare for jobs and admissions to good institutions.
• Karnataka has done outstanding work on strengthening its public libraries and this has gains for school learning outcomes as well.
• Sound boxes, video films, play-way learning items, indoor and outdoor sports, cultural activities for learning on a scale can be used.
• The New Education Policy 2022 mandates a continuum from ages 3 to 8 to ensure this important early beginning in life.
• The school leadership should take responsibility for the nutrition challenge as too many committees can weaken concerted efforts.
• It is important to assign accountability for the well-being of children to field functionaries such as Aanganwadi Sevikas, Ashas , Auxiliary Nurse Midwifes (ANMS) , and Panchayat Secretaries.
• Collaborating with the local government is crucial for effective healthcare management and to make a positive impact.
• There should be community campaigns and regular school level interactions with parents.
• Teachers must build a relationship with every household to ensure children’s care and learning.
• The Nipun Bharat Mission to ensure oral and written literacy and numeracy, should become a people’s movement like the Total Literacy Campaign.

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Q. Which of the following provisions of the Constitution does India have a bearing on Education? (2012)

• Directive Principles of State Policy
• Rural and Urban Local Bodies
• Fifth Schedule
• Sixth Schedule
• Seventh Schedule

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3, 4 and 5 only (c) 1, 2 and 5 only (d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Q1. How have digital initiatives in India contributed to the functioning of the education system in the country? Elaborate on your answer. (2020)

Q2. Discuss the main objectives of Population Education and point out the measures to achieve them in India in detail. (2021)

Study on Issue and Challenges of Government Schools in Karnataka

• British Journal of Multidisciplinary and Advanced Studies 4(3):56-72
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Essay on “Importance of Government Schools in India” Complete Essay for Class 9, Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Importance of Government Schools in India

Why do private schools, which are known as public schools in India, attract a large number of parents to send their wards to these schools? We need to go deep into this aspect of education in our country particularly because Article 45 of the constitution of India puts the onus of providing free and compulsory education up to the age of 14 on the state government and the central government which run government (state) schools in states and territories under the direct rule of the central government.

Failure of government, run schools to attract students and to stop them from dropping out means that the government will never succeed in fulfilling its obligation under Article 45 and education to all children up to the age of 14 will always remain a dream as it has remained even after 55 years of attaining freedom. Public schools cannot be expected to fulfill this aim as they are out of the reach of the general public even in metropolitan cities, not to speak of the deep and far-flung areas of rural India where large sections of our society still fail to see the face of a primary school. Admissions for KG and Nursery standards start with donation or payment under the table…. amounts varying from ten thousand to one lakh and fifty thousand depending on the name and fame of the public school to which parents want to get their wards admitted. These schools charge heavy fees combined with compulsory purchases of uniforms, books and stationary from stores which are run by these schools themselves or from pre-arranged stores.

Except for board classes, these schools fix their own syllabi and prescribe their own books. Most of these books are those in which someone from a particular school has contributed as a writer and is invariably priced very high.

However, if a child does not end up getting through the class at the end of the year, the parents are called and offered a ‘pass’ certificate, along with an appropriate marks-statement for their children so that they can take their wards to some other school, which invariably is a government school. Thus those not doing well are weaned away, and extra payment-seats are created for new students to be admitted. Thousands of students with such (actually) fake certificates of these financially unaided by the state but recognized schools are fully valid for joining any school. Of course, some of the best students of government schools, whose parents feel that they should do something more for their talented children, shift to “public” schools every year. This continuous churning process ensures supply of better students, of course with better resources, to public schools and also impoverishing the already poor government schools. The net result is that there is a wide difference between their Board results. The different social strata to which the students of the two categories of schools belong is never taken into consideration while comparing their result, nor does anybody care about the abysmal difference in amenities available to the two categories of students.

Unlike public schools, where teachers are selected and kept on merit, the government schools are stuffed with teachers, particularly the senior ones, most of whom do not even know their teaching subjects well. Government schools in Delhi prove the point best. Here Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs) called Lecturers, who teach Senior Secondary classes, get promoted to the post in a queer manner. Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs) teaching Science or Mathematics up to Secondary level are promoted as Lecturers in any of the subjects in Arts or Commerce stream, like History, Political Science, Geography, Economics, Sociology, Accountancy, Business Studies and even in English, apart from Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Biology (which they teach in schools), only by doing a post-graduate degree course in that subject even though they do not study the particulars subject during their graduation and have absolutely no experience of teaching that subject in their schools, whereas the rules do not permit TGTs of Hindi, Sanskrit, Punjabi etc. to be considered for the promotion in subjects other than these languages even though they generally study those subjects at under-graduate level and may have an experience of teaching such a subject for a long period in their schools with competence.

Should the government. and the officers responsible for perpetuating this state of affairs not be held responsible for criminal negligence of their duties and gross violation not only of Article 45 of the Constitution but also of the spirit of the fundamental human rights to equality by denying to the students of government schools equality of opportunity on which the foundation of our Constitution, and in fact of any democratic society, is laid?

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Aug 13, 2024

Governor Newsom urges schools to immediately restrict cell phones in the classroom ahead of the new school year

What you need to know: As schools across California welcome students back to campus, Governor Newsom is calling on all schools in the state to immediately restrict cell phone use in classrooms.

Sacramento — In a letter to California schools, Governor Gavin Newsom today called on every school district to restrict smartphone use in classrooms as the new academic year begins. In his letter, the Governor applauds districts that have already implemented cell phone restrictions, like Los Angeles Unified, and reminded education leaders of the mental health, scholastic, and social risks of cell phone use in classrooms.

In 2019, Governor Newsom signed AB 272 (Muratsuchi) into law, which grants school districts the authority to regulate the use of smartphones during school hours. Building on that legislation, he is currently working with the California Legislature to further limit student smartphone use on campuses. In June, the Governor announced efforts to restrict the use of smartphones during the school day.

A copy of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear School Leaders,

As we strive to create the best learning environment for all students this new academic year, I write today to raise an urgent issue that affects their well-being: the pervasive use of smartphones in schools.

Excessive smartphone use among youth is linked to increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 72% of high school and 33% of middle school teachers report cell phone distractions as a major problem. Common Sense Media found that 97% of students use their phones during the school day for a median of 43 minutes. Combined with the U.S. Surgeon General’s warning about the risks of social media, it is urgent to provide reasonable guardrails for smartphone use in schools.

As I work with the Legislature to further limit student smartphone use on campus, there is no reason for schools to wait. In 2019, I signed AB 272 (Muratsuchi) into law, which grants school districts the authority to regulate the use of smartphones during school hours. This legislation was a crucial step in our efforts to minimize distractions and foster a more conducive environment for our students to learn. It is imperative that school districts take full advantage of this law to address the growing concerns surrounding student well-being and academic performance.

Leveraging the tools of this law, I urge every school district to act now to restrict smartphone use on campus as we begin the new academic year. The evidence is clear: reducing phone use in class leads to improved concentration, better academic outcomes, and enhanced social interactions. Schools and districts, including Santa Barbara Unified and Bullard High in Fresno, have seen positive impacts of limiting smartphones on campus, with some reporting higher test scores, grades, and student engagement, and less bullying and damage to school facilities. I applaud these districts, and others like LA Unified, for their leadership.

Every classroom should be a place of focus, learning, and growth. Working together, educators, administrators, and parents can create an environment where students are fully engaged in their education, free from the distractions on the phones and pressures of social media.

Thank you for your continued dedication to our students and support in making our schools the best they can be.

Governor Gavin Newsom

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Home » Social Justice » Issues related to Education Sector » Public Education System in India » Challenges faced by Government schools

• Most of them do not have proper infrastructure like class rooms, black boards, drinking water, toilets and sanitary facilities.
• The school environment is so suffocating that the students are dissuaded from attending the classes which is why the dropout rate is also high.
• Almost half the government schools in the country do not have electricity or playgrounds.
• There is slow progress in building classrooms, labs and libraries to strengthen government higher secondary schools.
• The secondary and higher secondary level government schools do not have adequate capacities, so the net enrolment falls, especially girls, sharply beyond the primary level.
• The budgetary allocations saw a 27% cut from proposals made by the School Education Department. Despite proposals for ₹82,570 crore, only ₹59,845 crore was allocated.
• Overall, for the core Samagra Shiksha Scheme, the department had only spent 71% of revised estimates by December 31, 2019.
• Several reports suggest that nearly 70% of students studying in government schools are ill-equipped to learn in the class they are admitted to.
• The private schools offer an enhanced teaching experience, better student-teacher ratio, efficient learning methodologies, and superior infrastructure, thus driving parents away from government schools.
• India is also dealing with a scenario of significant teacher vacancies, which are to the tune of almost 60-70 per cent in some states.
• Teachers’ professional development is a very weak area in government schools.
• Almost half the regular teacher vacancies are filled by guest or ad hoc teachers.
• Nearly, 95% of teacher education is in private hands and most of it is substandard.
• Absenteeism of teachers in these schools is very high. Even though they are paid a much higher salary than the teachers in private schools, they cheat the government and fail to discharge their duties as teachers. And sadly, no action is being taken to prevent this.
• Barely 15% of the schools can be called compliant with the RTE.
• Section 29 of the RTE explains what kind of education every child has a right to. There is no government school that is complying with that, including elite schools.
• The officers in the education department, being ‘managed,’ file false reports about the working conditions of schools.
• Political interference and patronage shield the corrupt and incompetent.
• People feel there are not enough teachers in government schools, or the schools may not be functioning regularly.
• They get carried away by the notions of a branded private school, even though it may not have good teachers.
• Also, private schools’ brand themselves as English medium and it is most imperative for children’s education.
• According to the ASER report by Pratham in 2020 , parents prefer private schools for education of boys while girl students are primarily sent to government schools to get basic education.
• The ASER 2019 report states that parents exhibit a unique bias when it comes to selection of schools for their children.
• The report shows that parents are more likely to opt for a private school when selecting a school for boys while government schools are primary choice of parents when it comes to girl’s education.

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How the nation’s largest school system keeps students safe

naphtalina via Getty Images

Connecting state and local government leaders

By Chris Teale

By thinking of physical and digital safety as the same, the New York City schools are preparing their systems for ever-evolving technologies.

• Cybersecurity
• New York City

Keeping schools safe in the digital age is no small feat. Just ask Demond Waters, chief information security officer for the New York City Department of Education.

It was not that long ago that New York City Public Schools was the victim of a cyberattack . In April, the personal data of the system’s more than 1.1 million students was compromised. Ensuring that doesn’t happen again is one of the many things Waters worries about.

Waters oversees the security of the largest public school system in the U.S., with a student population that exceeds many cities. The system has 185,000 employees across 1,800-plus schools and dozens of other buildings. It manages 800,000 district-issued Chromebooks and 600,000 iPads. 

Given the system’s size, schools have a lot of autonomy in their technology policies and what they can buy and use. Waters balances those myriad policies and purchases in an ever-evolving technology landscape that currently means wrestling with the rise of artificial intelligence. Through all of this, Waters keeps people safe, he says, by thinking of digital safety as the same as students’ physical safety.

The spate of so-called Zoom bombings of students’ virtual classrooms during the pandemic helps illustrate how tech issues are safety issues.

“It's not just outside in,” he recently told Route Fifty . “It's insider threats, which impacts student safety.”

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Through that lens, Waters has made a number of technology updates. He’s moved the department to a zero-trust security framework , which grants users and devices access only to parts of the network that are essential to their task. He’s shifted device and identity management to the cloud, where his office can garner insight into web traffic and update security for the networks and apps students and staff use.

The pandemic accelerated the centralization of identity and device management, Waters said, whereas before it had been up to individual schools to procure devices for students and manage them. Device and identity management isn’t just about checking to see how much time students spend on YouTube or TikTok during instructional hours, either. Waters said it is part of the interconnected nature of digital safety and student safety.

“Kids might be using DOE devices … and they're visiting the suicide helpline,” he said. “We're getting calls from the [New York City Police Department], and we know that student because they logged on with a student ID, we know what iPad they’re on. We can say, ‘Hey, this is a student that's in danger now.’ Now we know why you need to manage these devices, because now you're protecting something that we didn't think was a real scenario until it became a scenario.”

Some tech issues remain out of the department’s control. Amid the global CrowdStrike outage that affected many city services , a number of products and services the public schools use were impacted. And New York could soon debate a statewide ban on cellphone use in schools.

Meanwhile, there is always the worry about students or staff clicking on phishing emails , which remain a popular way for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities. Raising awareness is the biggest challenge given the size of the school system and the communications challenges that go with that. Getting principals to understand cyber risks is a good way to overcome some of those obstacles, Waters said, as they then are more inclined to turn to the Department of Education if something goes wrong.

“It's difficult with a school district this size, so we just try to do a little bit at a time,” Waters said. “With technology, if people feel like they're part of the solutions, they're more easily adopted.”

And then there are new technologies to manage. The public release of ChatGPT roiled the system last year, as reports filtered out of students using the chatbot to help with essays and other assignments. The Department of Education initially banned the use of the generative AI chatbot in January 2023 , only to rescind the ban several months later . The flip created negative headlines for the school district, but it has forced the department to run its AI policy through various working groups.

“We're building AI-enabled apps, so now we're looking at the issue holistically, as an agency, not individually, as just a school who wants to use this,” Waters said. “That spearheaded more collaboration amongst the educators, the IT folks, the students, as well as the administrators.”

As part of its efforts to stay on top of the changing tech landscape, Waters said the department is trying to educate students about the technology field amid an ongoing shortage of cybersecurity and technology workers. “They don't have the opportunity, or they don't know what the jobs are,” he said.

In a bid to build that pipeline of future employees, Waters said the department looks to create opportunities for students to learn through internships, alternative high school programs and fellowships with curricula that reflect how the technology has advanced. “To me, that is a skill you can learn; that's a trade,” he said. “You can learn that programming is a trade, just like being an electrician is a trade.”

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Essay on Government

Students are often asked to write an essay on Government in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Government

What is government.

Government is a group of people who make decisions and laws for a country. They are responsible for providing services like education, healthcare, and security to the public.

Types of Government

There are different types of governments, such as democracy, monarchy, dictatorship, and communism. In a democracy, people choose their leaders through voting.

Roles of Government

Governments have many roles. They protect citizens, make laws, and manage the economy. They also provide public services like schools and hospitals.

Importance of Government

Government is important because it maintains order, protects citizens, and provides necessary services. Without it, society would be chaotic.

250 Words Essay on Government

Introduction.

The term ‘Government’ fundamentally signifies the governing body of a nation or state that exercises authority, controls, and administers public policy. It is the political direction and control exercised over the actions of the members, citizens, or inhabitants of communities, societies, and states.

The Role of Government

The government plays a crucial role in society by ensuring the smooth functioning of the nation. It is responsible for maintaining law and order, protecting citizens’ rights, and providing public services. The government also shapes the economy by implementing policies that either stimulate or slow down economic growth.

Governments can be categorized into several types based on their structure and the extent of power they exercise. These include democracy, where power is vested in the people; monarchy, where power is held by a single ruler; and autocracy, where a single person holds unlimited power.

Government and Democracy

In democratic governments, citizens have the right to elect their representatives who make decisions on their behalf. This system promotes accountability, transparency, and the protection of individual rights. However, democracy’s success hinges on an informed and active citizenry that can hold the government accountable.

In conclusion, the government is a fundamental institution in any society. It plays a pivotal role in maintaining societal order, ensuring the welfare of its citizens, and driving the nation’s growth and development. The efficiency of a government is largely determined by its structure, the extent of its powers, and the level of citizen participation.

500 Words Essay on Government

Introduction to government.

The government’s primary role is to safeguard the rights and freedoms of its citizens. This involves ensuring the security of the people, maintaining law and order, and providing public goods and services. A government has the responsibility to protect its citizens from internal and external threats, which is why it maintains law enforcement agencies and a military.

The government also plays a crucial role in economic regulation and stabilization. By controlling monetary and fiscal policies, it can influence the country’s economic trajectory, ensuring growth, stability, and equity. Furthermore, the government is responsible for the provision of public goods and services such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social welfare programs.

Forms of Government

In between these extremes, there are numerous variations, such as constitutional monarchies, where a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government, or oligarchies, where power rests with a small number of people.

The Importance of Good Governance

Good governance is integral to the effective functioning of a government. It is characterized by transparency, accountability, efficiency, and adherence to the rule of law. Good governance ensures that the government’s actions benefit the majority of the population and that public resources are used efficiently and ethically.

Conclusion: The Evolving Role of Government

In today’s rapidly changing world, the role of government is evolving. With the advent of technology and globalization, governments are not just confined to traditional roles but are increasingly involved in areas such as digital infrastructure, climate change, and global health crises.

As we move forward, the challenge for governments worldwide will be to adapt to these changes and continue to serve their citizens effectively. Understanding the nature, role, and complexities of government is crucial for us as we navigate the political landscape of the 21st century.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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10 Reasons Public Schools Are Better Than Private Schools

Adebayo Samson

January 22, 2024

Ever wondered why public schools are better than private schools? Public schools have several advantages, which we will cover in this article, and why they are better than private institutions.

It can be complicated for you as a parent to decide which school to enroll your child, especially if there aren’t enough resources. Not making decisions fast and smart can also cause your child to resume school late, becoming a headache for the child and you as a parent.

You want to take your child to a public school, but you’re wondering what people will say and if that’s the best option for your child.

In this article, you’ll learn why you should enroll your child in a public school and why public schools are better than private ones. Take your favorite position because it will be a fantastic long ride. At the end of this post, you’ll know the best school to enroll your child in.

Public School vs. Private School

There are two choices of education that a child can learn from. They are categorized into Public and Private schools.

Public schools are centers of learning owned by the government. They have been seen as a go-to place for low and middle-class citizens who can’t afford to enroll their children in private schools .

Private schools are centers of learning owned by individuals or organizations. They’re mostly filled with children whose parents can afford the enrollment fees and other school charges.

Undoubtedly, “Public schools versus Private schools” has been flying around for a while. While it is important to know what kind of school to enroll your child in, it is also essential that you have a sound understanding of the difference between public and private schools.

Reasons why Public Schools are better than Private Schools

Apart from the fact that enrolling your child in a public school can cost you nothing or less, there are also other good reasons you should enroll your children in a public school.

1. It costs you little or nothing.

One of the most important differences between a public and private school is the cost. Public schools are more budget-friendly than private schools.

Besides minor charges, taking your ward to a public school saves you cash. Public schools offer your child adequate knowledge and quality education. In so many public schools, it costs nothing to get into the school because the government has paid for it.

Sending your child to a private school may cost you a fortune or lead to bad debt. Why not go for the public school option when you can’t afford it?  

It helps save costs on the family’s part. Rather than spending heavily on a private school and running into bad debt, you can use the resources to cater to your child’s and some family’s pressing needs. This will go a long way in helping every member of the family.

2. No religious biases

Some private schools have a long tradition and religious aspects that often play a significant role in their curriculum. In public schools, there is no religious discrimination whatsoever. All students are treated as one, irrespective of their religious background.

Religion can lead to the isolation of your children in private schools. You wouldn’t want that, would you? Public schools give students a chance to practice their religion unashamedly.

Most private schools do not allow students to openly practice what they believe in. Unlike public schools, where your child can openly declare his/her religion without discrimination.

3. The best teachers are employed.

You’d agree that public schools have better teachers than private schools. This is because their teachers are well-screened before accepting them to teach the school children. When choosing a school for your children, you want them to have the best teachers possible. You want lifelong, committed educators who entered the profession as a calling and dedicated their lives to young people.

When the best teachers impart knowledge to your child, doesn’t it automatically mean your child will become one of the best or even the best? Public school teachers are required to be certified by the state. So, you can’t find an unqualified teacher imparting knowledge to your child.

According to data found in 2018, the percentage of new teachers (less than four years of teaching experience) is higher in private schools at 16%, compared with public schools at 11%.

Public school teachers also have a higher percentage of master’s degrees — 48% compared to 36% in private schools. Also, more public school teachers participate in professional development yearly than private school teachers.

The government ensures public school teachers are well-equipped to confidently teach students the right knowledge. With good teachers teaching your child, you have no fear that he/she won’t do well. A qualified teacher also boosts the parent’s confidence because they rest assured their children are in good hands.

4. Accessibility

Unlike private schools, students can be admitted into public schools without discrimination. They provide access to education for every child in the community. This ensures that every student in a neighborhood has the same educational opportunities as the neighbors down the street, regardless of their current personal or financial situation.

No matter who your offspring is or how good or bad a student is, public school operators believe they can help the youngster succeed.

Most private schools select the kind of students they want in their schools; they do not give the freedom of “any child can come in” Their students are carefully selected and adequately screened. Public schools allow children from different backgrounds access to education at little or no cost.

5. Social Interactions

It might sound a bit funny, but taking your child to a public school opens more opportunities for him/her. Children in public school classes are more in numbers than in those of private schools; this opens children to meet new people whose beliefs might be entirely different from theirs.

It also opens them to more opportunities that might only become visible soon. It ensures they have new learning experiences and become exposed to different cultures they can learn from.

Children can interact with other kids and become more sociable. This also allows them to defend themselves whenever the need arises. They also learn how to deal with different kinds of people. They learn to share this world with other humans from various racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds.

When a child is socially smart and upright, it gives such a child an edge over his/her peers. It helps the child become familiar with socializing with people and their importance.

6. Academic Opportunities

Public schools often have the resources to offer more academic opportunities, like advanced classes and courses in some subjects. They also have the privilege to attend competitions which increase the children’s mental capacity and strength.

Students become more open to receiving scholarship opportunities and more visibility for the children. Going to competitions and gatherings outside the school walls broadens the horizon of the students and keeps them enlightened.

7. Accountability

The state holds public schools accountable for the student’s academic performance. This leads to proper management of the students’ performances in school, and they are seen excellently in their studies.

This prevents abuse and leads to the management of failing schools much more quickly than if the school did not have such accountability. Accountability helps to keep the teachers and school management on track.

It ensures that the teachers are doing their job as expected. Accountability also ensures that the students get adequate attention and are taught as required.

8. Public schools are more reliable.

You take your children to a private school and are unsure if it’ll be there tomorrow. Public schools will also be there if there’s one thing to be sure of. It’s been there for decades, and it’s not leaving.

Public schools, except on rare occasions, are better grounded than many private schools . A lot of public schools have been in existence for decades ago and are still standing strong.

Private schools can run out of business due to debt and other factors, but it isn’t the same for public schools. Since they are owned and funded by the state government , they are never established to run out.

9. Special Education Programs

Public schools are often better equipped to offer comprehensive special education programs compared to their private counterparts. This advantage stems from federal laws in many countries, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in the United States, which mandate public schools to provide services to all students with disabilities.

Also, public schools typically have a team of qualified professionals who specialize in special education.

10. Community Engagement

Public schools, by their very nature, are deeply rooted in the communities they serve. This integration into the local environment offers unique advantages that are often less pronounced in private school settings.

Through community-based projects and local initiatives, students gain hands-on experience in contributing to societal development. Also, public schools have the unique ability to adapt their curriculum and programs to meet the specific needs of their community.

Most primary and secondary public schools are free, but your children’s basic needs, like uniforms and books, might not be free. Not all higher institutions are free, either. But they are quite affordable, unlike private schools. So taking your child to a public school might be your best option.

Private schools can adopt a curriculum and set standards for themselves. On the other hand, public schools have their curriculum properly monitored by the government. Therefore, teachers can’t add unnecessary activities that are unimportant to the student’s growth.

No, taking your children to a public or private school does not determine how they’ll turn out. Taking them to a public school is securing their future by giving them a quality education, but that doesn’t mean they must also put in the work.

Check out their security systems before enrolling your child in any public school. Do they have guards? Are their guards active? Do they allow children to leave the school premises anyhow? These and other questions should be answered before enrolling your child. If it comes out positive, you can rest assured your child is safe in school.

For safety reasons, enrolling your child in a nearby public school can be the best option. But you can opt for a farther one if there’s no public school nearby. Nevertheless, the most important thing is giving your child a quality education and, at the same time, being safe in the process of receiving it.

Public schools have been termed as those which are for children whose parents are not privileged enough to afford a private school. In getting to this stage, you’d have decided if a public or private school is appropriate for your child.

I’m sure whichever you pick is your child’s best decision. However, nothing beats the fact that giving your child a quality education is necessary and of utmost importance.

Enrolling your children in a good school is giving your child the best thing he/she could ask for. Investing in your child’s education is one of the most important things you can give your child.

Public schools have a lot of edges over private schools, which have been listed in this article. Whatever decision you make now will decide what kind of education your child gets.

Enrolling your child in a public school can never get outdated. Public school students come out better, just like private school students. It would be best to focus on giving your child nothing but the best.

• Public and Private Schools (oecd.org)

Sam is a brilliant young Nigerian biochemistry student and an aspiring entrepreneur. Despite facing many challenges, he has never lost his passion for learning and drive to make a difference in the world. Read more about him here .

2 thoughts on “10 Reasons Public Schools Are Better Than Private Schools”

Very impressive

You already convinced me with all the answers you gave me Thanks

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What happened in the Kolkata rape case that triggered doctors’ protests?

Activists and doctors in India demand better safeguarding of women and medical professionals after a trainee medic was raped and murdered in Kolkata.

Activists and doctors across India continued to protest on Wednesday to demand justice for a female doctor, who was raped and murdered while on duty in a hospital in the eastern city of Kolkata.

Feminist groups rallied on the streets in protests titled “Reclaim the Night” in Kolkata overnight on Wednesday – on the eve of India’s independence day – in solidarity with the victim, demanding the principal of RG Kar Medical College resign. Some feminist protesters also marched well beyond Kolkata, including in the capital Delhi.

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While the protests were largely peaceful, a small mob of men stormed the medical college and vandalised property. This group was dispersed by the police.

This comes after two days of nationwide protests by doctors following the incident at RG Kar Medical College in West Bengal’s capital city. “Sit-in demonstrations and agitation in the hospital campus will continue,” one of the protesting doctors, identified as Dr Mridul, told Al Jazeera.

Services in some medical centres were halted indefinitely, and marches and vigils shed light on issues of sexual violence, as well as doctors’ safety in the world’s most populous nation.

What happened to the doctor in Kolkata?

A 31-year-old trainee doctor’s dead body, bearing multiple injuries, was found on August 9 in a government teaching hospital in Kolkata.

The parents of the victim were initially told “by hospital authorities that their daughter had committed suicide,” lawyer and women’s rights activist Vrinda Grover told Al Jazeera. But an autopsy confirmed that the victim was raped and killed.

Grover has appeared for victims in sexual violence cases in India in the past, including Bilkis Bano , a Muslim woman who was gang-raped during the 2002 Gujarat riots, and Soni Sori, a tribal activist based in Chhattisgarh state.

Thousands of doctors marched in Kolkata on Monday, demanding better security measures and justice for the victim.

On Tuesday, the Kolkata High Court transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) called for a nationwide halting of elective services in hospitals starting on Monday. Elective services are medical treatments that can be deferred or are not deemed medically necessary.

On Tuesday, FORDA announced on its X account that it is calling off the strike after Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda accepted protest demands.

One of these demands was solidifying the Central Protection Act, intended to be a central law to protect medical professionals from violence, which was proposed in the parliament’s lower house in 2022, but has not yet been enacted.

FORDA said that the ministry would begin working on the Act within 15 days of the news release, and that a written statement from the ministry was expected to be released soon.

Press release regarding call off of strike. In our fight for the sad incident at R G Kar, the demands raised by us have been met in full by the @OfficeofJPNadda , with concrete steps in place, and not just verbal assurances. Central Healthcare Protection Act ratification… pic.twitter.com/OXdSZgM1Jc — FORDA INDIA (@FordaIndia) August 13, 2024

Why are some Indian doctors continuing to protest?

However, other doctors’ federations and hospitals have said they will not back down on the strike until a concrete solution is found, including a central law to curb attacks on doctors.

Those continuing to strike included the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA), Delhi-based All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Indira Gandhi Hospital, local media reported.

Ragunandan Dixit, the general secretary of the AIIMS Resident Doctors’ Association, said that the indefinite strike will continue until their demands are met, including a written guarantee of the implementation of the Central Protection Act.

Medical professionals in India want a central law that makes violence against doctors a non-bailable, punishable offence, in hopes that it deters such violent crimes against doctors in the future.

Those continuing to protest also call for the dismissal of the principal of the college, who was transferred. “We’re demanding his termination, not just transfer,” Dr Abdul Waqim Khan, a protesting doctor told ANI news agency. “We’re also demanding a death penalty for the criminal,” he added.

“Calling off the strike now would mean that female resident doctors might never receive justice,” Dr Dhruv Chauhan, member of the National Council of the Indian Medical Association’s Junior Doctors’ Network told local news agency Press Trust of India (PTI).

Which states in India saw doctors’ protests?

While the protests started in West Bengal’s Kolkata on Monday, they spread across the country on Tuesday.

The capital New Delhi, union territory Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow and city Prayagraj, Bihar capital Patna and southern state Goa also saw doctors’ protests.

Who is the suspect in the Kolkata rape case?

Local media reported that the police arrested suspect Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer who would visit the hospital often. He has unrestricted access to the ward and the police found compelling evidence against him.

The parents of the victim told the court that they suspect that it was a case of gang rape, local media reported.

Why is sexual violence on the rise in India?

Sexual violence is rampant in India, where 90 rapes were reported on average every day in 2022.

Laws against sexual violence were made stricter following a rape case in 2012, when a 22-year-old physiotherapy intern was brutally gang-raped and murdered on a bus in Delhi. Four men were hanged for the gang rape, which had triggered a nationwide protests.

But despite new laws in place, “the graph of sexual violence in India continues to spiral unabated,” said Grover.

She added that in her experience at most workplaces, scant attention is paid to diligent and rigorous enforcement of the laws.

“It is regrettable that government and institutions respond only after the woman has already suffered sexual assault and often succumbed to death in the incident,” she added, saying preventive measures are not taken.

In many rape cases in India, perpetrators have not been held accountable. In 2002, Bano was raped by 11 men, who were sentenced to life imprisonment. In 2022, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi authorised the release of the men, who were greeted with applause and garlands upon their release.

However, their remission was overruled and the Supreme Court sent the rapists back to jail after public outcry.

Grover believes that the death penalty will not deter rapists until India addresses the deeply entrenched problem of sexual violence. “For any change, India as a society will have to confront and challenge, patriarchy, discrimination and inequality that is embedded in our homes, families, cultural practices, social norms and religious traditions”.

What makes this case particularly prominent is that it happened in Kolkata, Sandip Roy, a freelance contributor to NPR, told Al Jazeera. “Kolkata actually prided itself for a long time on being really low in the case of violence against women and being relatively safe for women.”

A National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report said that Kolkata had the lowest number of rape cases in 2021 among 19 metropolitan cities, with 11 cases in the whole year. In comparison, New Delhi was reported to have recorded 1, 226 cases that year.

Prime Minister Modi’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for dismissing the government in West Bengal, where Kolkata is located, led by Mamata Banerjee of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). Banerjee’s party is part of the opposition alliance.

Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in parliament, also called for justice for the victim.

“The attempt to save the accused instead of providing justice to the victim raises serious questions on the hospital and the local administration,” he posted on X on Wednesday.

Roy spoke about the politicisation of the case since an opposition party governs West Bengal. “The local government’s opposition will try to make this an issue of women’s safety in the state,” he said.

Have doctors in India protested before?

Roy explained to Al Jazeera that this case is an overlap of two kinds of violence, the violence against a woman, as well as violence against “an overworked medical professional”.

Doctors in India do not have sufficient workplace security, and attacks on doctors have started protests in India before.

In 2019, two junior doctors were physically assaulted in Kolkata’s Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital (NRSMCH) by a mob of people after a 75-year-old patient passed away in the hospital.

Those attacks set off doctors’ protests in Kolkata, and senior doctors in West Bengal offered to resign from their positions to express solidarity with the junior doctors who were attacked.

More than 75 percent of Indian doctors have faced some form of violence, according to a survey by the Indian Medical Association in 2015.

What happens next?

The case will now be handled by the CBI, which sent a team to the hospital premises to inspect the crime scene on Wednesday morning, local media reported.

According to Indian law, the investigation into a case of rape or gang rape is to be completed within two months from the date of lodging of the First Information Report (police complaint), according to Grover, the lawyer.

The highest court in West Bengal, which transferred the case from the local police to the CBI on Tuesday, has directed the central investigating agency to file periodic status reports regarding the progress of the investigation.

The FIR was filed on August 9, which means the investigation is expected to be completed by October 9.

Bengal women will create history with a night long protest in various major locations in the state for at 11.55pm on 14th of August’24,the night that’ll mark our 78th year as an independent country. The campaign, 'Women, Reclaim the Night: The Night is Ours', is aimed at seeking… pic.twitter.com/Si9fd6YGNb — purpleready (@epicnephrin_e) August 13, 2024

WA government to change legislation in bid to seize City of Perth land for inner-city school build

By Jake Sturmer

By Phoebe Pin

Topic: Education

Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas has angrily accused the WA government of bullying over a plan to seize council land to build a school.

It marks an escalation in a dispute on several fronts between WA Labor and Mr Zempilas, who is running for the Liberals at the next election.

What's next?

The state government will force the City of Perth to hand over land for the new East Perth Primary School by changing long-held legislation, with the school to be running by 2029.

The WA government will move to seize City of Perth land to build a $150 million inner-city primary school, as part of a push to ease overcrowding in the public school system.

But the move has escalated an ongoing stoush between the Labor state government and the Perth Lord Mayor — and Liberal Party candidate — Basil Zempilas, who today accused the government of bullying and stealing.

What's this all about?

The state government and the City — led by Mr Zempilas — have been entangled in a dispute over the future of the planned primary school at the Queens Gardens car park in East Perth.

The state government has released mock images showing the planned East Perth Primary School. (  Supplied:WA Government )

It would be the only public primary school in the Perth CBD area, at a time of overcrowding and aging education infrastructure in the inner-city suburbs.

Last year, the Lord Mayor "warmly welcomed" the East Perth proposal – vowing to conduct due diligence to ensure the complex business deal required to make it happen stacked up.

Since that time, Mr Zempilas announced he would run for the Liberal Party in the state seat of Churchlands at the 2025 election and in March the Perth council overwhelmingly voted against the initial school proposal.

The primary school will be built on the site of the Queens Gardens Car Park adjacent to the WACA Ground. (  Supplied:WA Government )

At the time, Mr Zempilas said it was because the state was not willing to swap land or offer any money in return.

Now the decision appears to have been taken out of the council's hands with the government announcing today it would change the law to allow the deal to proceed.

Education Minister Tony Buti (left) and Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas have clashed over the East Perth school plan. ( ABC News )

It has promised to provide more than $4 million to the council to compensate for loss of revenue from the car park removal.

How has the Lord Mayor responded?

Mr Zempilas took to social media on Tuesday afternoon to accuse the government of bullying and stealing land.

"Every time this state government doesn't get its own way, they spit the dummy, and change legislation to bully their way through," he wrote on X. "They should not use their position of power to effectively steal people's land. West Australians should be horrified by this government's conduct. "Where will it stop? The arrogance of absolute power. "They are taking land they valued at $40 million off the ratepayers of the City of Perth — for nothing. This is outrageous."

Speaking at a press conference later in the day, a frustrated Mr Zempilas said the land was worth at least $40 million.

Basil Zempilas held a press conference outside the City of Perth offices on Tuesday afternoon. ( ABC News )

"We said, 'make us a fair offer' — they have never made us a fair offer," he said.

"$40 million would have been a fair offer."

Mr Zempilas said he had asked lawyers to consider what the council's options were.

The Lord Mayor said he received the notification from the WA government about their plan less than a minute before the Education and Planning Ministers held a press conference.

"Is 30 seconds notice before you make an announcement of this magnitude, is that negotiating in good faith? Or is that a bullying style of operating?" he said.

Mr Zempilas insisted he had never attempted to politicise the issue beyond representing the City of Perth.

"It's what our ratepayers expect, it's what our ratepayers deserve," he said.

What will the government do?

The little-known Chevron Hilton Act prevented the proposed location – owned by the City of Perth – from being used as anything other than a car park.

The state government is seeking to repeal the act, paving the way for it to acquire the location.

"It is City of Perth land, but held for public purposes," Education Minister Tony Buti said

"We are not building Club Med here, we're building an inner-city primary school."

Dr Buti said his government had been in "constant" negotiations with the city since April 2023.

"It became quite clear … [the City of Perth] were not moving from this position, so we need to build this primary school and that's why we've brought this legislation to parliament this week."

The state government is proposing to split up the land into three lots – two of which would be used for the primary school with the third retained by the City of Perth.

John Carey and Tony Buti said the new primary school was needed to activate the inner-city space. ( ABC News: Keane Bourke )

Dr Buti said the lot the council would retain was estimated to have a development potential of more than $27 million.

He's hoping the school will be open for the first day of term in 2029 and blamed the council for the delay.

"If the City of Perth had of come to the party for the offer that we made, an incredibly generous offer, the school could have opened in 2028," he said.

Planning Minister John Carey said it was a "fair and considered approach".

He said there was nothing the City of Perth could do to stop the acquisition "because the decision maker is actually a public authority, it's a public work," he said.

'Pure politics'

Both the WA Liberals and Labor state government have accused each other of playing politics over the issue.

For his part, Mr Carey pointed to other local governments giving up land for state developments.

"The City of Perth under the previous Barnett Government gave up control of land for Elizabeth Quay," he said.

"In this scenario I think we've just seen pure politics."

Liberal leader Libby Mettam returned serve, saying it was "appalling" and "mean spirited" to not give the City of Perth what she described as a a "fair deal".

Libby Mettam described the government's move as "mean spirited". ( ABC News: Keane Bourke )

"The Cook Labor government have the means to give ratepayers of Perth a fair deal during a cost of living crisis," she said on Tuesday afternoon.

"They have $170 million in the Perth parking levy and we have seen them spend billions of additional funds when it comes to projects such as Metronet.

"What the City of Perth have stated is a fair deal is $40 million for that land."

It's the latest development in a stoush between Mr Zempilas and the state government which has seen the Lord Mayor clash with ministers and the premier over issues such as parking, a redevelopment of the WACA ground and the closure of a women's refuge.

Political flyers attacking Basil Zempilas have already began circulating in Churchlands. ( ABC News: Keane Bourke )

Although the election is not slated until early next year, political attack flyers are already appearing in letterboxes in the seat of Churchlands.

Mr Zempilas has also been touted as a potential future leader of the embattled WA Liberals if successful in Churchlands.