Focus on literacy

NEW DELHI, December 29: Given the near-complete neglect of basic education and primary health, India can well lose out in the entire process of globalisation. A poorly educated or illiterate work-force, for instance, will not be able to adhere to strict quality control and product-to-strict-specification regimes which are absolutely critical for survival in today’s globally competitive environment.

Stating this at a talk in the capital today, well-known economist Amartya Sen, pointed out that it is this attention to basic education and health that, in fact, is one of the major factors that has contributed to the rapid growth of the south-east Asian countries as well as of China. "India cannot hope for a Chinese kind of magic if it does not make the necessary social changes", he said. Sen said it was ironic that while Indians blame the excessive interference of the state for the poor economic growth, the state has not participated enough in terms of providing the basic social indicators. Half the rural girls aged 12-14 had never enrolled in school; the teacher-pupil ratio has fallen.