Rifts, Fissures, Cracks, Gaping Holes

Re: # 43 sw
[....So then who will?? The government. No school private school will permit that. It will mean government interference in the running of the schools....]

A voucher program could work.... 60% paid by govt, 35% paid by the private schools [ some tax credits??], 5% [or a nominal fee] paid by the students....

At the same time - govt schools must be improved with massive infusion of funds with required change in delivery structure....

A holistic approach has to be taken.....

Re: # 39 soy

I was talking about individual chinese...... they brag when they get a chance and why shouldn`t they?....

if you think commie-issue is a ``dead horse`` - then I don`t know what to say.... obviously we have totally different read on the situation...:)).... and I would be happiest person if you were correct...

Re: # 27
Netizen... I don`t think any private school in India would prevent Dalit children from joining if they could pay the fees. However private schools are expensive as we know. When my son attended school in Bombay I was paying something close to Rs 18,000 a year for a reputed ICSE school in kindergarten. Contrast this to me spending about Rs 120 per annum in a convent school in the same city 20 years earlier. ergo, not many Dalit children can attend these schools.

So who`s going to subsidise them? Many middle class people struggle to send their children to private schools so that they will have a better future. They go without little luxuries themselves. They will not subsidise the Dalit children and it would be unfair to ask them to.
So then who will?? The government. No school private school will permit that. It will mean government interference in the running of the schools.

So do you ask Industrial houses to set aside money for these children. They might , but then they might demand their pound of flesh. Admission quotas for their employees , kids etc....

I have friends who run a school in India where village children are taught. It`s in a place called Arasavanangkadu in Tamil Nadu. They depend on donors and they are doing quite well. However their teaching style is a little different but it is successful as they`ve been able to help kick start similar schools in other areas like Pondicherry etc..

That said I`m still not sure that Ms.Gopal is a leftist commie etc etc etc..........She wrote and article where she hasn`t blamed anybody. Just asked a few questions.

Funnily tho mohar11, it`s the commies of china who are making a difference.
Chinese official: communism will succeed only when people are tired of bourgeoise, hence we are trying to create as many bourgeois as possible :)

Re: # 38
[....I don`t think the policies of the last 60 years resulted in complete disaster....]

There are silver linings of course.... but after 60 years of self-rule, if you still have something like 500 million unwashed poor roaming around - what do you call that? Most people will call that a ``disaster``....

we can count the blessings - even though some people accuse you of bragging, fantasy-land and such - but we have to move on.... the obstacles are many and they have to be removed, old failed ideologies have to be discarded....

I see that we have another pakistani socialist advising us on how to improve india. Usually these guys tend to be rich and well-connected. Naturally, they feel they can lecture us coolies on how to improve themselves. They can also make reference to extremist publications like Frontline (home of Prafool Bidwai, N Ram and other comrades).


What these paki socialists forget is that indians have lived with socialist politicians for a long time. We have seen how they pamper their own constituency and how little interest they have in genuine change. We see them encourage privileged workers at airports and hospitals to demonstrate and destroy.

I agree that the issue is a practical one. It needs practical methods for solution. Why cannot we double the number of private schools? What is the constraint? Why cannot there be neighborhood groups that check everyday on the goverment schools? If the teachers are absent, why cannot there be a protest?

There are so many practical ways of making progress. I see NONE of them mentioned by Revathy. She may be well intentioned but nothing in her article suggests she has done anything more that complain. Sorry, that just isnt good enough...

Of course, rich hypocrites like HP are in a totally different category, a category inhabited by Arundhati Roy and the like....

mohar11
Haven`t you flogged this particular dead horse enough already? Your commie strawman was funny for a while but now it`s getting boring. Commies are you kafirs or what?
China consistently understates its trade surplus. Nothing like we exported 200 b dollars worth more than we imported from the US, etc. Except perhaps with the japanese, china doesn`t go around telling everyone how big they are.

Labelling people / ideas as ``commie`` or ``fascist`` won`t help.. Only ``pragmatic`` ideas work.. I don`t think the policies of the last 60 years resulted in complete disaster.

It is true that govt. schools are a disgrace for the most part (other than a few shining exceptions). But the solution is not to disband the sytem but to reform it. Govt`s goal should be to provide Quality primary education for all at minimum cost to the public..(it would be better if
there are schemes like the mid-day meals to entice children to stick to school)..

Question to the author:

classrooms that are all-inclusive are practically non-existent in the villages of India. They in fact, perpetuate caste, keep Dalit kids out of the reckoning. ..

Do you have proof for this??.. We have reserved seats (22%) for Dalits in higher academic institutions (colleges) in every class for the last 60 years and a lot of people make use of it.. it implies that all those who got benefited have studied in cities / towns..
Maybe there needs to be a special category for ``rural Dalits``.. I am interested to know if there was any research behind it.. If the above statement is to attract westrern audience, ignore my question.. :-))

I`m thinking of making money some day by claiming how a lower caste guy like me got discriminated and came out successful after overcoming a lot of hardships to a ``receptive`` audience.. :-))

#36 (Addendum)

I forgot to say, sorry to get here late!

India – strident, chaotic, often anarchic – has always been more than the flavor of the season, and perhaps the world has finally come around to simply recognizing it. (Being a large market helps, too.)

Some of the social problems and evils that you mention are legitimate causes for concern and have been that way for a while – but I believe one reason such problems have stuck around is because of the lack of focus on them. Human beings being human and selfish will always have limitations and will not reform out of pure goodwill and certainly not because of any particular ideology. (Because of religion? Thanks for the laugh!) But most people do care about their image.

Therefore, publicity is a good thing.

There is nothing like daylight!

and commies are whiners because anytime you come up with a solution - they whine, talk big and block the solution... the result - the nation is poor, uneducated and deprived.....

examples - they seek to block and/or blocked - city restructure, airport reform, PSU privatization, FDI in insurance, infrastructure, banking..... heck even you pakis have better ratings on FDI facilitation[even though nobody goes there] - you know that right?

So that`s what the whiners have done to this country.... my simple message is - stop your bullsh!t and get out of the way.... you have done enough damage already....

Re: # 31
[...But the Indian way is to shove it under the rug or call the person sore loser....]

Nope - indian way is to get whiners out of the way so that you have a chance to implement the solution....

Re: # 29

soy:

``We are like a beggar who found a 10 rupee note in the street and suddenly felt wealthy. ``

better than the beggar getting his tattered clothes robbed in the name of ``common good`` :)

Re: # 29 soy
[....Regarding india`s ``time in the sun,`` what makes me uncomfortable is all the bragging that goes with it....]

I agree - but what makes me uncomfortable is when commies come crashing on it.... I mean - what the heck do they have to show for all their bluster?....I am sure some people brag - but most are aware of the fact that we are far away from goal....

And who said chinese don`t brag?....

Mohar,
``Why are YOU fighting on behalf of commies anyway?....``

That is funny. Why would I bat for commies? I did not even know that the author is commie. She is talking about a problem which is as grave in Pakistan as it is in India.
So my objection was: why is she being called a ``sore loser`` when she is presenting a problem which exists. It is not that she made it up.

Unless you talk about the probelms, you can never find the solution.
But the Indian way is to shove it under the rug or call the person sore loser....

Head in the sand.

Re: # 26 HP

I told you the possible solutions... are you reading my posts?

examples:

1. Bad schools - solution: get money from out of the PSUs - All PSUs should be privatized and resulting money should directly handed over to an independent commission to spend on schools, healthcare or whatver....

2. employment - solution: labor reform.... hire and fire with benefits....

3. infrastructure - solution: full FDI on automatic ruote - no permssion needed from govt....

Of course - I don`t have solutions for everything - but one thing we know - commies have solutions for nothing.... they have proved that over and over again... they have to get aside....