Who really needs schooling?

The education ministers of two Indian states recently said some surprising things.

One minister from Uttar Pradesh wants to remove the nursery rhymes “Johny Johny” and “Rain, Rain, Go Away” from schools. He thinks “Johny Johny” teaches children to lie, and “Rain, Rain, Go Away” teaches selfishness.

But this seems like a strange thing to worry about. Stories and rhymes for children are often playful and silly.

In Indian stories too, young Krishna was famous for stealing butter and then pretending he didn’t do it. These stories were never meant to teach bad behaviour. They were meant to entertain children and teach simple lessons about right and wrong.

What is more worrying is that another minister in Bihar questioned whether girls even need education. That is a much bigger problem. Education helps girls become independent, confident, and able to choose their future.

Asking why girls should study shows a poor understanding of why schools matter.

The real problem is that many schools in India are already struggling. Teachers are often busy doing government work instead of teaching. Many schools have too few teachers, empty classrooms, and poor learning. In some places, children go to school mainly for the midday meal, while real studying happens in private tuition classes.

A survey in Bihar found that many students depend more on private tutors than on schools. Problems like teacher absenteeism, corruption, missing textbooks, and fake certificates have weakened the education system in many areas.

Instead of worrying about nursery rhymes, ministers should focus on improving schools. They should make sure children actually learn, teachers are present, and girls as well as boys get a good education. That is what really matters.

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