School leaders and educationists unsatisfied with the Union Budget 2021 said it is surprising to see there has been no allocation of funds for 'blended learning' or 'digital education' while ironically, at present the entire education system has shifted to online mode due to the COVID-19 pandemic. School leaders said the central government on one side is pushing for digital education while on the other hand, no funds have been allotted for providing digital devices to students, improving internet facilities in remote areas and teacher training.
With an allocation of Rs 54,873.66 crore for school education, out of the total budget estimate 2021-22 of Rs 93,224 crore for the education sector, school leaders of Mumbai said the Central government has not catered to the key needs of the sector. Francis Joseph, co-founder of School Leaders Network (SLN), said, "There is no allocation of funds for blended learning or digital education although schools have currently shifted to online mode of teaching-learning. Also, the central government has not proposed any plans or funding for early years."
Instead of slashing the budget estimate, the central government should have increased funding for education as the sector is the worst hit by the pandemic, said Kavita Aggarwal, chairperson of Members of International Schools' Association (MISA). Aggarwal said, "There is a dire need for investments in the pre-school section in terms of development of Anganwadis, teacher training and creative learning among children in the foundation years."
Aggarwal added, "The budget has not catered to ground level issues such as providing subsidies to schools, infrastructure development, providing essential equipments for academic classes and simplifying the NOC procedure. Considering the financial crisis faced by both school managements and parents due to the pandemic, the budget should have focussed on increasing funding for the education sector."
The budget 2021 is not meant for the poor, it caters only to those who can afford education, said Fr Frazer Mascarenhas, manager of St Stanislaus School, Bandra and former principal of St Xavier's College, Fort. Fr Mascarenhas said, "Overall, it is clear that the budget is a privatisation policy of the government. It is a tragic budget not meant for the poor. Those who cannot afford education are categorised as unskilled labour by the central government."
Joseph said, "There is no clarity on the implementation of the proposal where over 15,000 schools will be strengthened to incorporate the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Which schools are these? What areas will be strengthened? Will it focus on infrastructure development, enhancement of academic curriculum or teacher training? Considering the meagre proposals and funding for education, it seems like this is a gap year for education in the budget."
