THE second term of the UPA government in India provided us with a brand new minister for Human Development. Kapil Sibal, a sharp brainy lawyer now heads this ministry which had a simpler name, education. Ever since took over, either he has been issuing statements or making attempts. He loves to see his name in print or his face on television even when is frowning at the professors of the impressive institutes like Indian institute of managements. His w3ish list prominently includes privatisation, commercialisation and to let foreign universities din in their heels and make money.

Primary schools that have no rooms, not even drinking water or toilet facilities or even blackboards are not on his agenda and neither high schools or secondary schools.

For example he would not talk about that at least 48 of every 100 students in India pursuing secondary education never go beyond that level. India was worse than Vietnam and Bangladesh in enrolling students in secondary education.

Thirty seven percent students fail before the final examination and 11 percent drop out during the period (class 9-12).

Large numbers of India's children now finishing primary school, the demand for secondary schooling - Grades 9 to 12 - is growing. Over the next decade, the number of secondary school students is expected to increase from 40 to 60 million. But where is the arrangement for that.

An increasing share of these students will come from rural and lower income groups, who will be less able to afford private secondary education.

The challenge now for the government is to dramatically improve access, enrolment and quality in secondary education, simultaneously.

in India, the maximum job growth in recent years has taken place in the skilled services and manufacturing sectors. The country, therefore, needs to provide the 12 million young people who join the labour force every year with the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes and experiences to enable them to access these better-paying jobs.

India does not compare favourably with its global competitors in terms of the overall educational attainments of its people. Even countries like Vietnam and Bangladesh, which have lower per capita incomes than India, have higher gross enrolment rates (GER) in secondary schools. India's GER in secondary school is 40 percent compared to 70 percent in East Asia and 82 percent in Latin America.

It said 40 million children were enrolled in secondary schools in 2008. The majority of them were boys, children from the urban areas, and those who belonged to the wealthier segments of the population. Enrolment varies greatly between states, from 92 percent in Kerala, 44 percent in Tamil Nadu 22 percent in Bihar to four percent in Jharkhand.

60 percent of the secondary school system is privately managed. While private unaided schools provide 30 percent of total secondary enrolment nationwide (2004-05), up from 15 percent in 1993-94.

Their dramatic growth reveals the demand for secondary schooling and the willingness and capacity of households to pay for it. This however leads to the increasing inequality as poorer households cannot afford to pay both the direct and opportunity costs of their children's secondary education.

Does this worry Mr. Sibal who is proud to have finally got the compulsory education bill passed into an act? Where is the will and where is the wherewithal with just 3 per cent of the annual budget marked for education. So much for the emerging economic power of the world.

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