Broken Promises in MP Schools: Why Public Education is Failing Students

Madhya Pradesh, one of the largest states in India, is now facing a deep crisis in public education. Schools are running without teachers, buildings are falling apart, and students are either dropping out or getting pushed into the private education trap. For lakhs of children in government schools, education has become more of a formality than a future-building exercise. The government keeps announcing schemes and making promises, but the ground reality tells a different story—one of neglect, poor planning, and zero accountability.

I’m writing this because public education is not just a policy matter—it’s about the lives and futures of real students. As someone who has followed developments in rural education, especially in central India, I have seen how broken classrooms and absent teachers affect not only learning but also the confidence of an entire generation. We cannot allow this decay to go unnoticed, because when public schools collapse, it’s the poorest who suffer. This article is important for anyone who still believes in the idea of equal education for all and wants to understand how and why things have gone so wrong in MP’s school system.

Ghost Schools and Empty Classrooms

In Madhya Pradesh, thousands of government schools are functioning in name only. According to data from 2023, over 20,000 schools in the state are running with just one teacher. In some tribal districts like Barwani and Alirajpur, you’ll find primary schools where teachers come only once or twice a week. Without basic teaching staff, how are children expected to learn?

The situation is worse in remote villages, where schools either don’t open on time or are permanently shut due to lack of teachers or infrastructure. There are classrooms without benches, toilets without water, and buildings that are unsafe to even enter. And yet, on paper, these schools are “functioning”.

The Midday Meal is Often the Only Attraction

For many students, especially from poor Adivasi or Dalit families, the free midday meal is the main reason they attend school. But even that scheme is full of problems. In several schools, food is either of poor quality or not provided regularly. Parents often complain that their children come home hungry.

A government school headmaster in Satna told a local reporter, “We haven’t received ration for three weeks. I am paying from my own pocket just so children don’t go hungry.” This kind of crisis creates mistrust in the system and discourages students from attending.

Students Are Dropping Out, Especially Girls

Dropout rates in MP’s government schools are climbing, especially after Class 5 and Class 8. The reasons are many—lack of teachers, no transport, safety concerns for girls, and zero counselling support. In rural areas, if the school doesn’t have a female teacher or a functioning toilet, girls often drop out altogether after puberty.

A report by Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) showed that enrolment in Class 9 and 10 dropped by 17% over the last five years in MP. This is not just a number. It reflects how poorly the system is holding up after years of neglect.

Teachers Are Overworked and Demotivated

In many schools, a single teacher is expected to handle multiple classes, administrative work, midday meal supervision, election duty, and survey work. There is very little time left to actually teach. Add to this the delayed salaries and lack of proper training, and it’s no surprise that morale among government teachers is at an all-time low.

Many qualified teachers prefer private schools or online coaching platforms over working in MP’s public system. The result? Government schools keep losing good educators, and children suffer the consequences.

Broken Infrastructure and Budget Woes

It’s shocking how many schools don’t even have basic infrastructure. As per a recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, around 42% of schools in Madhya Pradesh do not have proper toilets, 30% lack electricity, and 18% do not have clean drinking water.

Despite the Centre’s Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan and other state schemes, funds often remain unused or misallocated. In many cases, local authorities blame delays in tender work or lack of political will. But for students, none of that matters—the school is either broken, or it isn’t.

What Happened to “Padhega India, Badhega India”?

The government keeps launching new schemes like CM Rise Schools and e-learning models, but these mostly benefit urban students or only a few select schools. The average village school continues to rot. Even after multiple audits and media reports, there’s no visible urgency from policymakers.

MP once showed promise with programmes like the “Education Guarantee Scheme” in the 1990s. But over the last decade, the system has fallen into neglect. Promises were made, but almost none have been kept where it really matters—on the ground, in real classrooms.

Education and Employment Can Transform Society: Dinesh Gundu Rao Highlights the Way Forward

During a recent public address in Mangaluru, Karnataka’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stressed that education and employment are two powerful tools that can shape the future of any society. He pointed out that when people are educated and have meaningful jobs, they can rise above social divisions, poverty, and other long-standing issues. His statement came while addressing students and faculty at a function organised at Srinivas University, where he also touched on the importance of knowledge-driven growth.

I felt the need to write about this because it’s rare to hear such a strong political focus on the link between education, employment and overall societal transformation. We often hear about schemes, budgets and infrastructure, but rarely is the bigger picture discussed—how these two sectors can change the life of a common person. This topic matters to all of us, especially the youth, who are navigating a fast-changing job market while also dealing with rising academic pressure. By writing about this, I hope more people start thinking seriously about how education is not just about degrees, and employment is not just about money—it’s about dignity, stability and progress.

Why Education and Employment Matter Together

Education and employment are often treated as separate issues, but in reality, they go hand-in-hand. Education gives people the ability to think, create and contribute. Employment gives them the opportunity to apply what they know, support their families, and be part of the economy. According to Dinesh Gundu Rao, these two pillars must be developed together if we want a fairer and more productive society.

He stressed that:

Lack of access to education pushes people into poverty.
Unemployment leads to frustration, crime, and brain drain.
A society that fails to create job-ready youth will always remain unequal.

This is why investing in schools, colleges, and job-oriented courses is not just a policy decision—it’s a moral responsibility.

Government’s Role in Creating Equal Opportunities

During the event, Rao mentioned that governments should focus not only on building schools and colleges but also on ensuring the quality of education. He said students from rural areas often struggle because they don’t have the same access to English-medium teaching or computer labs as those in urban areas. This kind of inequality reflects in the job market too, where rural youth get fewer chances.

He also pointed out that:

Many graduates remain unemployed or underemployed because they are not industry-ready.
There is a big gap between what is taught in classrooms and what the job market demands.
Career counselling and vocational training should start at the school level.

According to him, if we want to see real change, we need long-term thinking and serious government commitment—not just one-time policies or election promises.

Importance of Social Harmony for Progress

One of the key messages Rao delivered was about unity. He said education should be a tool to unite people and not divide them. The minister raised concern about how communalism and polarisation are slowly taking attention away from important issues like job creation and educational reform.

He added that:

When youth are unemployed, they are more vulnerable to divisive ideologies.
Education can help people develop critical thinking and tolerance.
A strong education and employment ecosystem reduces dependence on populist politics.

He urged young people to stay informed, ask questions, and focus on real-life issues rather than distractions.