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School
education in government schools in India, particularly in the cow belt, has gone from bad to worse. It has given way to private schools, institutes and coaching centres run purely on commercial lines. They say, there are institutes which are manufacturing certificates or degrees etc. which, of course, ultimately prove to be fake and the holders get into trouble. Besides, the author's experiences while teaching in schools at different places, the book interestingly contains much more. The heading of each chapter is meaningful and under its veneer carries a wide spectre of the history of the place and its area as would appear in the very first chapter, "Mai Bano's abode of sublime therapeutic music". It relates to a private public High School at Banur. Mai Banu, the legendary musician was from Banur. The school which the author (Rahi) joined was run on public donations which at times were even raised by staging plays by the school staff. No doubt, the condition of the government schools in Punjab continues to be pitiable in every aspect but it can be improved if the teaching staff puts in dedicated efforts to ameliorate it. However, the dedicated lot is a rare species these days. One can, however, see from the book the "rare species" of a missionary teacher in the author when in harness. Also, education is the victim of the politician of the day, caring little for the students. The children of the poor only go to government schools and leave them after the primary or, at the most, the middle level. In second chapter, the heading "Replica of the Dark continent behind the Royal glitter of the Moti Bagh palace," is about the government middle school in Dakala, a big village that is two miles away behind the Moti Bagh palace Patiala. The very heading reminds the knowledgable readers of the autocratic rule of the Maharaja and their Shahi living, At the schools, in which Rahi had stints as teacher or headmaster an interesting history of the place with regard to their environment, socio-economic conditions of the inhabitants and the political climate of the day also comes out in the narrative, though the focus remains on the school, teachers and the taught, the feuds among the teachers. In the preface, Rahi has uninhibitedly stated that he is a committed Marxist. Wisdom is not the monopoly of only Marxists but he is impressed with Gandhiji's simple living, stress on dignity of labour and tries to follow them in life. The author bemoans that ill-conceived notions have clouded the thinking of the teaching fraternity that the rural students the offspring of uneducated parents cannot learn English. But he claims that he practically shattered this misconception and successfully taught English language to his rural students - irrespective of their family background or socio-economic status. The author has drawn up the persona of an ideal teacher importantly needed to build the new generation to man and run the country. He has control over the language, the appropriate words come to him easily and the verve in narrative is perceptible. It is a must-read for every teacher.
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Coming to education in Punjab government schools, the less said the better. In case a school has the building, the required furniture is not there. If luckily both are there, proper staff is not there. It is done at the convenience of the teachers who have the political pull. 