IIM report on education: Fixing accountability of teachers is a problem

In August 2010,the IIM was commissioned to prepare a report on the school education system of the state. The government allocated Rs 1 crore to the institute for the study.

“It is essential to ensure that a teacher regularly spends five hours in the school every working day. A teacher should also take classes as per schedule,” the 103-page interim report says,adding that teachers’ accountability is a concern. Other concerns are school inspections,para teachers,siksha bandhu and private tuitions.

Unlike other reports that highlight the infrastructural aspects like increasing the number of the schools,the IIM report emphasises proper functioning of the education system.

“Periodic inspection/supervision of schools is critical. Also it is to be understood that the role of school supervisor is not limited to inspection alone – it could also be advisory in nature,” the report said,adding that one-third of the posts of school sub-inspectors and assistant inspectors are vacant.

The report points out other functional mechanisms. “Managing committees do not spend time on academic matters. The committees spend most of the time on matters concerning physical infrastructure. Village education committee-level monitoring has been a failure,” it says.

“The report has been prepared from the management perspective. We trying to give all viable options so that there can be alternatives for the government,” said Bhaskar Chakrabarti,an IIM professor involved with the research. The report tried to come up with the best practices of states like Madhya Pradesh,Tamil Nadu,Kerala and Gujarat,Chakrabarti said. The researchers opted for sample designs for rural and urban pockets and the sample consisted of more than 130 schools across West Bengal,640 households,128 SSKs and anganwadi centres.

The report recommends innovative means of learning and incentives. “Incentive schemes may be developed for students as well as teachers. The state can introduce a merit scholarship examination for Class V students. An incentive scheme (in the lines of Pratibha Parv in Madhya Pradesh) may be launched for the teachers in primary and upper primary schools,” it suggests.

School education minister Rabindranath Bhattacharya said,“We have just received the report. We are looking into what steps needs to be taken and what provisions of the report can

be implemented.”