The report about cram schools in India reflects the manner in which the students are being turned into rats with the prospect of making them money making machines. It was very disturbing to note that over 50 students committed suicide in Kota, Rajasthan, that has become the hub of the coaching industry as they could not bear the stress of their inability to get through entrance exams for different elite institutions after letting their parents spend a fortune on their coaching. I was really perplexed to see that the founder of Bansal Classes who is being hailed for founding an institute to provide intensive coaching for different courses stating that fact so comfortably and not having any guilt feeling for being responsible, though indirectly, in breeding this undesirable culture and converting education into a money making industry.

The report also reflects not only the glaring social divide between the rich and the poor but also the totally dysfunctional public education system. Last week, I had also read the report about the dismal functioning of the government schools due to absenteeism by teachers and lack of infrastructure. If the graduates of the premier engineering and medical institutions like Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and All India Institute of Medical Colleges (AIIMs) are in such a huge demand by the local and international businesses, why not more branches of these institutes be opened in different cities and towns in India. Probably, the only difficulty in this regard would be hiring of professors and lecturers.

However, if attractive remuneration packages are offered, it will not be a difficult to find the right candidates.

Although, I do not very much agree with the statistics of India having a shortage of skilled labor to the extent of 67 percent, yet, where is the problem in addressing the shortage by focusing attention on the categories where such shortages exist and diverting the students who are either not inclined to take up engineering or medical courses or just cannot afford the costs?

There is a need to create awareness and spread the message very vociferously that engineering and medical professions are not the only means for career development. (Safi H. Jannaty, Dammam)

‘Threat’ to GCC security

This is in response to the story “Expat population ‘could threaten’ GCC security.” A statement by Abdullah Al-Gheilani, an Omani expert on demography, reveals one of the reasons why expatriate workers in most Gulf countries are seen with disdain. Al-Gheilani stated, “expatriates in the GCC countries refused to integrate into the local culture, unlike the migrant communities in the United States have been doing.” How can he compare (legal) immigrants in the United States to cheap laborers in the GCC countries? Migration generally means to move to another place to live. Expatriate workers go to another place to work and are not given the option to stay.

People, who migrate to the US and reside legally, have the same rights under laws that are more often than not enforced. Here the word “enforced” is important because in the GCC countries, expatriates are often denied justice even when courts rule in their favor. Expatriates in Gulf countries are there to work and are not given a long-term residency option to live under the same rules that apply to nationals. There are rules for nationals and rules for expatriates, so to trying to compare immigrants to the US and expatriate workers in the Gulf is more of a denial mechanism, in my opinion, to justify what often accounts for mistreatment and this mistreatment certainly does not encourage expatriates to assimilate into societies that make it clear who is a national and who isn’t. A long-term program aimed at changing ingrained attitudes and behaviors is required, not targeting expatriates as a cause of security problems in the GCC countries. (Abooismail, Dhahran)

‘Threat’ to GCC security 2

I strongly feel that the report is biased and wrongly targets expatriates in the region. Expatriate workers are not illegal immigrants but in fact they are recruited by their respective employers to work for them. Expatriate workers come to the GCC states for the sole purpose of supporting their family and improving their finances using their learned skills and expertise. The GCC states have more Asian workers than Western because workers from the Western world is more expensive compared to Asian and African states. While agreeing that there are antisocial elements in the expatriate society, majority of expatriates are law-abiding residents whose sole motive in their host countries is to perform their responsibility and get paid as promised so that during their tenure in the country, they can improve their financial conditions. (Nalinakshan K.V., By e-mail)