Free Education only up O levels (grade 11) – Must Pay after that

It is clear that the adage, “good things not cheap, cheap things not good!” applies to education also.

My previous blog entry, was clear that Students had forsaken school for Tuition, because the quality of the Teachers at schools is found wanting. Then I propose that free secondary education stops at Grade 11, and those who get a minimum of 4 A’s at O level are given a full scholarship for studying at A levels.

In this way two immediate benefits will occur. The state will be able to release funds to train Pre-School teachers, who will then be employed at a minimum of Rs50K a month to teach that most critical age. Further, by charging Rs 5000/- a month for A level students, all teachers can be further trained, and paid a minimum Rs100,000 a month, to get the best teachers, especially   in rural areas, so that those who pay, (and scholars) will get a quality education, enabling them to sit their A levels. These teachers would further be prevented from giving paid tuition, a common activity, that makes them truant from normal work!

There are a few more added benefits, namely, as soon as the students sit for their O level exams in December, they should enter the A level of their choice, before results, as they are willing to pay, so they must have a chance of pursuing whatever A level they WANT. It is only the A level exam that will sort the good from bad, not O level results and will help the late bloomers, of which there are many, especially in our society, where due to the 2 children syndrome, too much home spoiling delays maturity!

To round off this idea, school must begin in January for the A level class, as it is both paid, and is given on an as requested basis, and A level exams must be held in January, and not August, so students can enter University in October of the same year, saving them a whole year that is currently wasted, and are likely to be detrimental to the smooth flow of study.

Further this will allow students to compete with private University students, who have an edge as they graduate much earlier, not being held to ransom, like now which badly handicaps their progress.

I am absolutely sure that this will improve the overall education of our youth preparing them earlier to go to University, or a vocation training Institute, and surely that is the whole purpose of Education, to prepare them as early as possible for the rigors of the working world, something that the population pyramid mandates as being necessary!