Too Tired To Teach

THEY TRAVEL LONG HOURS — ON FOOT, CARTS AND CYCLES, LEAVING HOME AND KIDS. PHOTOGRAPHER SHAILENDRA PANDEY TRACKS THE LIVES OF WOMEN TEACHING IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS IN RURAL UTTAR PRADESH

THERE IS one India, marching away towards a glorious horizon, equipped with educational standards that rival the best in the world. And then there is the other India, forever trying to catch up, but lacking even the rudimentary structure to do so. This is one of the many conundrums of development in such a vast and diverse country — that doesn’t provide any easy answers.

Take for instance the state of primary education in rural Uttar Pradesh. In 2007-08, the government hired over 88,000 teachers for its state-run primary schools located in remote areas. But with half of these new appointees being women, mostly from nearby towns, the primary education system was faced with a unique problem — posting them in schools where they don’t have to undertake long and unsafe journeys from their hometowns every day.

The Basic Training Certificate (BTC) teacher’s job, at Rs 17,000 per month, is considered lucrative in these parts given the element of ‘security’ associated with government employment. But here’s the flip-side: in many cases the BTC teachers have to travel for up to six hours each way to reach their schools — some using a combination of trains, buses and bullock-carts or even on foot for the last mile connectivity. What this means is that they spend half the day commuting and by the time they return home, they have no time or energy left to attend to family chores.

Besides this occupational hazard, there’s the element of harassment that these ‘rural teachers’ have to contend with — from the district Basic Siksha Adhikari (BSA), the sole authority who allots the teachers their schools. There are allegations that the BSAs misuse their authority to dole out highly sought-after city appointments against hefty bribes. Gram Pradhans (village heads), men entrusted with the power to evaluate a teachers’ performance and in effect decide their future prospects in the school, are, along with members of their families, alleged to extract sexual favours in return for favourable reviews.

Amidst all this, there have been reports of a slew of attacks on women teachers travelling long distances. In the badlands of Uttar Pradesh, where sexual repression combines with male chauvinism in an explosive mix, many a city-bred woman, particularly those who dare to wear “modern” clothes, has ended up getting molested, and some have even lost their lives.

What is worse is the apathy of state officials, with IP Sharma, Secretary of the Basic Education Board, saying, “These cases are normal with them, it will happen. We cannot provide security to all. If you feel you are having so much trouble, leave this job and apply elsewhere.” It’s twisted logic. It’s also a telling comment on the state of education in rural India.

WRITER’S EMAIL
shailendra@tehelka.com