The proposal for Privatization (PPP is an euphemism for Privatization) of three upcoming Navodayas (Dahod and
Narmada districts in Gujarat; and Nandurbar district of Maharastra) is another example of how NVS has become am easy pray for improperly planned experiments. The Project Information Memorandum speaks of eventual privatization:
Presently in this project it is limited to "Limited Education Services". So start with three and end with all the Vidyalayas, we can't rule out that prospect!! So be ready to work under private managements in the future whose sole criteria is money making!
Another important aspect is the proposed " Hierarchy of Use of the Facilities" which allows the private players "right to utilize the facilities created during off hours of the school for commercial purposes;
it is also mentioned that it would be ensured, that the created facilities are available for minimum number hours of commercial use to ensure that the private sector is able to market the facilities" Isn't it real estate business?!
Another interesting and confusing aspect: "The second right would be of the community residing in the campus followed by any third party use such as commercial renting of the space. The community would be expected to pay the same price as may be received from the third party use". Is the Govt expecting us to turn entrepreneur in our rest hours? What else does the community residing in the campus would refer to? Is that word used in view of the eventuality of wholesale privatization?
Putting aside the project details for a while let us deal with more challenging questions to this whole idea of Public Private Partnership. Why the Big Bosses love PPP more than the pure Govt?! Is there any empirical evidence to prove that PPP would be more efficient than the present system? Why stake holders such as Parents and Teacher Unions are never consulted about such proposals? Why such 'limited services' are not experimented with the existing schools as there would be comparable data to measure the effectiveness of such services?
We live in the largest democracy in the world where stakeholders are never consulted, forget about their say in decision making!! So NVS is no exception!!
Another important aspect is the proposed " Hierarchy of Use of the Facilities" which allows the private players "right to utilize the facilities created during off hours of the school for commercial purposes;
it is also mentioned that it would be ensured, that the created facilities are available for minimum number hours of commercial use to ensure that the private sector is able to market the facilities" Isn't it real estate business?!
Another interesting and confusing aspect: "The second right would be of the community residing in the campus followed by any third party use such as commercial renting of the space. The community would be expected to pay the same price as may be received from the third party use". Is the Govt expecting us to turn entrepreneur in our rest hours? What else does the community residing in the campus would refer to? Is that word used in view of the eventuality of wholesale privatization?
Putting aside the project details for a while let us deal with more challenging questions to this whole idea of Public Private Partnership. Why the Big Bosses love PPP more than the pure Govt?! Is there any empirical evidence to prove that PPP would be more efficient than the present system? Why stake holders such as Parents and Teacher Unions are never consulted about such proposals? Why such 'limited services' are not experimented with the existing schools as there would be comparable data to measure the effectiveness of such services?
We live in the largest democracy in the world where stakeholders are never consulted, forget about their say in decision making!! So NVS is no exception!!
