Bhopal Gas Tragedy & Struggle for Quality Education: A Teacher's Courage and Conviction

[I am reproducing here a letter I wrote to International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal: Boston chapter, of which I am a member.]

Hi,

I am writing to add a dimension to discussions on solidarity across borders, issues and communities. How struggle for education and struggle for justice in issues like Bhopal disaster, have come together in an unexpected way. It is not big news in India, not even small news in fact, but people on this list would be able to appreciate it much better I think. This is a long email and describes some of the ideological and political conflicts teachers, communities and schools are involved in currently. But, I think this is also an opportunity for us to inform ourselves about struggles in various arenas, particularly when other groups acknowledge and support this very important struggle for justice in Bhopal.

I am part of the "All India Forum for Right to Education" and have been part of groups involved in political activism for the right to education. This has been a struggle against structural inequality in educational opportunities and outcome, and against market forces manipulating the delivery, content and entitlements to education of equitable quality.

There are various smaller groups which are part of local Right to Education forums (e.g. Bhopal and Itarsi in MP, Mumbai in MH. to begin with, and similar groups have been formed in Nagaland, AP, TN and many other states.). There are many teachers' groups engaging with issues of marginalization, quality and right within education. These are groups (sometimes they are part of existing teachers' unions, but mostly teachers organizing in isolation from those).

One such group is the "Lok Shikshak Manch" in Delhi, which has not only been discussing issues within education, but actively engaging in improving teachers' understanding of other struggles for social justice, equality and empowerment. They have been in solidarity with workers' struggles for just and humane working conditions in Delhi for example. Recently, a teacher, chosen by Tech Mahindra Foundation (its CSR arm: Corporate Social Responsibility) for its Shikshak Samman Award (to honour outstanding teachers in Delhi Municipality schools) decided to given it back after earlier accepting it.

Apart from informing you all of his reasons for this decision, I want to emphasize that he thought it important to understand the overall political ideological context of this entire phenomenon (the existence of these CSR groups in education and their launching such awards) and had the honesty and courage to act according to what he thinks is right. He has a problem with the political economy of education within which this entire phenomena has developed, and with the stand of the company and the management on various other issues - from Bhopal to commericalization of education.

He has listed as his reasons (based on his letter posted on the group's website. It is in Hindi: http://lokshikshakmanch.blogspot.in/):

1. the fact that the company was till recently being run by Keshub Mahindra, who was also Chairman when the Gad Disaster first struck. And that the courts not only did not give a just verdict - just two years' imprisonment for ruining entire lives, families, communities - but also allowed him to get out on bail.
2. that NGOs, particularly, corporate-run NGOs have been hell bent on proving that state and municipal-corp run schools do badly,  that teachers' sloppy work and lack of motivation and ability is responsible for this, and that the better thing is to run private sector and NGOs run entire school-system. When the truth is that for much of the deteriorating condition of schools, a systematic withdrawal of funds, and adding on of non-educational work to teachers' work load are also responsible. (that pedagogy in India needs to undergo radical reform is not to be denied, but educational 'reform' in last 2-3 decades is responsible for much damage to quality and availability of schooling - not just in India but across the globe.) The same NGOs and forces cannot then pretend to be 'honouring' teachers' work.
3. that a system which insists on evaluating and selectively honouring work of professionals/teachers is in a way feudal and deserves only to be rejected. He dislikes the idea that it is based on competition which is artificial and ultimately will demotivate and divide teachers instead of encouraging. If teachers work well, they should be appreciated bu they do get paid to work well, so why should they be awarded additionally for that? Moreover, he argues that in that sense, how is corporate politics different from the party politics and other political tactics that state award systems (for municipality schools) reinforce?
4. he had sought the award as evidence of the high quality of his teaching work, and had believed to be given based on merit. However, it turns out that short-listed teachers have to attend meetings organised by the foundation - even if that causes loss to teaching time. They also have to 'appreciate' the fact that they were chosen, and individuals involved in the selection process believe that they are doing teachers a favour - so what happened to 'merit'??
5. he refuses to accept 'solutions' like those adopted very recently by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation - of turning over BMC schools to NGOs and corporate houses as the Mun Corp finds itself unable to efficiently run these schools.

Such stands are to be appreciated also because it is necessary that schools and students learn about disasters like Bhopal, so it can be critically discussed and prevented in future. If teachers are aware, only then will curriculum reform have substance and effect.

Who will stand up to fight, in what ways, when or why, are unpredictable and maybe that is what is one of our strengths as citizens communities of the world against entrenched political and financial power. 

Reva.