First Cut*

Kembhavi is a tiny hamlet in Yadgir district, which probably got its few seconds of fame from Anurag Behar's Mint column (http://www.livemint.com/2012/07/11213725/Surpur-ke-Sholay.html). The government school there presents an odd picture. A small portion in front of the school has been demolished. It happens to be the toilet. The teacher says, the government had demolished it to widen the road. Isn't this a *government* school? Two different parts of the same government machinery at loggerheads with each other. Ironic indeed. What next? The lady teacher shrugs haplessly and says, "What to do? We've to get on with running the school." Well, whatever that means! Clearly, a case of civic sense going down the drain.

__

Moving onto another govt school in the vicinity, we interact with a group of school teachers. It is a very lively discussion, ranging from the state of the local economy to lack of opportunities for qualified B.Eds. As we finish the interaction and step out, I'm greeted by a gentleman with his dog. He urges the dog to 'shake-hands' with me. He tells me, the dog lifts it paw to shake hands. I shudder, as I've a feeling it might not stop at just shaking my hand - maybe it might want to taste some urban meat. To my immense relief, the dog decides to disappoint its master - whilst am saved the tough decision of which hand to stick out. The gentleman then says, "I'm the headmaster here." And I wonder, if teaching can be so addictive.

__

The large desk is quite grand with all the standard accoutrements. Pin cushions, pen holders, bells and a few thick files placed neatly on a glass top. Though the principal seated behind looks a bit apologetic. He speaks in a measured tone about the ills that plague his B.Ed college and the system in general. His faculty is much more vocal. All are postgraduates. Some feel, the one year program should be run tighter; some say, there should be more science graduates. As the topic of salary comes up, there is a brief moment of uneasy silence. Then, the principal says, its difficult to sustain a livelihood with the paltry amount of five to six thousand rupees the faculty gets paid every month. But, he says, the teachers use the opportunity to learn and equip themselves to move onto better jobs. And it strikes me, the principal must be a good leader. The open culture he has fostered is impressive. He has no hesitation in letting his faculty speak up; neither does he have any reservations in letting them go, if it means a better future for them. But, it also strikes me, that there's no computing device on that desk. Shouldn't that be the standard accoutrement?

__

It smells like the sanctum santorum of a temple. Its a small dingy room. Power's gone, a candle provides the light at 11 am in the morning. The weather's very pleasant as its a cloudy day outside - can't imagine how it will be in peak summer when temperatures can hit a scorching 48 deg C. We are here to meet with a government official from the Education Department. He is very cheerful, greets us with a big smile, offers us tea. He has very strong views on what needs to be done in his region to improve the learning levels. He seems quite tech savvy too - has got a computer on his table & he says he'll send all requested information over email. He has a clear vision - in the next few years, he wants his region to shoot up to the top on high school results. His unbridled optimism amidst all that gloom is infectious. Hope is a good thing  - as Andy Dufresne says in Shawshank Redemption.

__

The principal is a frail, young lady with a high frequency voice. She urges her students to open up and participate in the discussion. There are 85 of them, all girls. We are in a women's B.Ed college in Gulbarga city, an urban patch on the rural landscape we are traversing through.

The few girls who choose to speak are guarded in what they say. A common aspiration after acquiring a B.Ed degree seems to be pursuing higher studies or in some cases even a Ph.D. Indeed a laudable goal, but somehow sounds hollow. Is it fear of the principal or is it just sheer lack of confidence? When we interact with the faculty later, one of them says, typically more girls choose to do a B.Ed as it increases their 'marketability' in the marital market, gives them respect and potentially brings down the dowry too. Or, one wonders, does it potentially pave the way for a recurring 'dowry' on a monthly basis?

__

*from an erstwhile techie observing life through a different lens