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Approach / Explaination / Answer

Approach

• Briefly explain the challenges faced by the present day education system that make it less inclusive.
• List the steps already taken in this direction and their limitations.
• Explain the steps that can be taken to make the system more inclusive.
• Conclude by stating the significance of having a more inclusive education system.

Introduction

• A more inclusive education system can provide better opportunities to all the citizens where everyone can contribute to the nation’s growth, innovation, and progress.
• Prejudice and bias, based on gender, social and economic status, and special needs, among other factors, affect India’s capacity to benefit from the present education system.

Body

Some of the causes for exclusion in the present education system are-

• Lack of access to schools, especially quality schools.
• Poverty, which plays a major role in both exclusion and discrimination.
• Lack of quality infrastructure, functional and secure toilets, and safe drinking water in schools in poorer areas.
• Social biases contributing to discriminatory practices.
  
  • For example, many communities believe that girls need not go through formal schooling.
  • Differential classroom seating based on caste, or only girls doing domestic chores in school.
• Exclusionary school curricula.
  
  • For some communities, curricula do not integrate what is familiar, valuable, or relatable to them, like using language and examples from culture more familiar to students from tribal communities.
• Exclusionary pedagogy exhibits a biased picture of life where the view of the powerful prevails
  
  • For example, the earning member of a family is almost always male in our textbooks; names of children in stories might not reflect all communities; there are almost no references to people that are differently-abled.

Steps that should be taken to make the education system more inclusive

• Special Education Zones (SEZs): As suggested in the draft National Education Policy, 2019, certain regions of the country with large populations from under represented groups should be declared Special Education Zones (SEZs).
  
  • All the schemes and policies, in these zones, should be implemented to the maximum through additional concerted efforts and funding from the Centre and States in order to truly change the educational landscape of these Zones.
• Women: The policies and schemes designed to uplift students from under represented communities should be especially targeted towards the girls as they form half of the excluded population from the mainstream education system.
  
  • Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme, Kanyashree Prakalpa scheme of West Bengal are some of the steps taken in this direction. More policies can be framed on these lines.
• Disabled: As recommended by the Kothari Commission, disabled children need special education which will ensure equalization of educational opportunity. 78% of Indian population lives in rural areas without provision for special schools.
  
  • Teachers and students in mainstream schools should be sensitized and school infrastructure should be more inclusive towards the disabled students.
• Children from tribal communities often report finding their school education irrelevant and foreign to their lives, both culturally and academically.
  
  • Corresponding changes should be introduced in the school curriculum any biases in school curriculum should be removed, and more material should be included that is relevant and relatable to all communities, and which develops these human values.
• Change in school culture: All participants in the school education system, including teachers, principals, administrators, social workers, counsellors, and students, will need to be sensitised to the requirements of all students, the notions of inclusion and equity, and the respect and dignity of all persons.
• Transgenders: There is a need to address matters related to the education of transgender children and initiating appropriate measures to remove the stigma and discrimination they face in their life, including with respect to education.
• Urban Poor: The lack of literacy and proper schooling and playing opportunities, often leads children and adolescents turn to unfortunate and harmful activities, including petty crime and drugs; an estimated one third of street children are dealing with substance abuse.
  
  • The neighbourhood school concept under the Right to Education Act that relates to availability of a school within safe and accessible distance from the habitation where a child lives, is a progressive step.
  • Substance abuse, poverty, health issues, stigma and discrimination faced by these students due to their background should be taken into account by the education system.
• More teachers, community counselors, translators should be encouraged from underrepresented communities to enable a more understanding education environment in the country. Along with this, research should be encouraged in the areas of curriculum design and pedagogical methods.

Conclusion

• Steps already taken by the Government towards an inclusive education system such as targeted scholarships, conditional cash transfers to incentivise parents to send their children to school, providing bicycles for transport must be renewed and significantly strengthened for under represented communities across the country.
• Inclusion is not an experiment to be tested but a value to be followed. All the children have the right to education as they are the future citizens of the country.