A Himachal Pradesh government’s directive to Indian Administrative Service and Himachal Pradesh Administrative Service officers to take classes in government schools that fall in their jurisdiction once a fortnight has evoked mixed reactions in the state. The unique directive is aimed at improving the standard and quality of the education system in government schools as well as understanding what lacks in infrastructure and development. However, a section of the teachers does not seem to be quite happy about it.
Indian Masterminds contacted some IAS officers of the state to know about their views on the subject.
BRAINCHILD OF CHIEF SECRETARY
The new government initiative to start classes by IAS and HAS officers in government schools is the brainchild of Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh. He believes that administrative service officers can share their own childhood experiences and guide the young students on their path which will help them in deciding what career to choose.
The whole idea behind the initiative is that visits by administrative officials will increase the parents’ and public’s trust in government schools and, also, open the officials’ eyes towards any deficiencies in the schools.
Instructions to this effect have been issued in an official notification by Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh. Moreover, the Directorate of Education has also issued an official letter regarding this. The letter has been delivered to all district education officers and they have been asked to contact their nearest administrative officers regarding this.
“The schools will send regular reports of administrative officers’ visits which will be further submitted to the government,” said Secretary Education Rajiv Sharma.
IAS OFFICER’S VIEW
Speaking exclusively to Indian Masterminds, 2013-batch Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS officer, who is currently the Deputy Commissioner of Shimla, Mr. Aditya Negi said that this new step initiated by the state government will help in forming a special bond between the younger generation of students and the administrative service officers.
“They are the future of our country. The state government’s decision will help us to come in direct contact with them, where we will be able to share our experiences with them and they will also get a chance to talk to us freely. The gap between us and them will thereby reduce,” stated the officer.
Mr. Negi is happy with the government’s decision and expects it to bring about positive changes in society. He is looking forward to meeting young kids once a fortnight and imparting wisdom to them.
“Our experiences and stories of work in the civil services will provide them with apt career counseling for the future. Hopefully, we will birth new civil servant aspirants from here,” he told Indian Masterminds.
TEACHERS’ OPINION
While the officers are by and large happy with the decision, the same cannot be said with respect to teachers. Most of them feel that the state government’s initiative will bring both positive and negative impact on their teaching as well as the students and their parents.
“It is like undermining the teacher community when you say it is strengthening the standard of education in government schools. Does it mean it is weak when teachers are teaching? The government system is more to be blamed for poor results of government schools than the teachers,” said a teacher on condition of anonymity.
Contradicting this view, another teacher from a Himachal Pradesh’s government school said, “The positive thing is that when an officer visits the school, he will come to know about the problems faced by the teaching community, and the burden of extra work they have to carry out apart from discharging their primary duty of teaching.”
The Himachal Pradesh government’s step to involve IAS and HAS officers in teaching in government schools is no doubt a novel step – an effort to help the students gain knowledge about career choices, while, at the same time, providing insight to the officers about what government schools lack or need to be at par with the private schools.
