SCHOOL EDUCATION
The main programmes funded by the Government of India relating to School Education are :
(1) Vocationalisation of Higher Secondary Education.
(2) The Educational Technology Project.
(3) Qualitative Improvement Programmes in School Education.
(4) Reorganisation and Expansion of Science Teaching at the school stage, and
(5) Provision of Schooling facilities for children of Transferable Central Government Employees.
In addition, certain programmes are carried out by the Central Government in cooperation with the States and these are :
(1) Universalisation of free, compulsory primary Education, and
(2) Implementation of the 10+2+3 pattern.
The main. Institutions of the Central Government through which these programmes are carried out are
(1) The National Council of Educational Research and Training.
(2) The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, and
(3) The Central Board of Secondary Education.
Vocationalisation of Higher Secondary Education The Ministry of Education has under consideration a scheme of vocationalisation for implementation in the 5th Five Year Plan in selected higher secondary schools. It is proposed that during this period 1000 schools should be selected throughout the country and 100 students given vocational training every year by each school. Stress will be laid on diversification of vocational courses and on adding new non-engineering vocational courses in addition to the technical courses being conducted by
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Polytechnics, Industrial Training Institutes and Departmental Training Centres. Stress will be laid on educating for self-reliance and training for self-employment. The intake of courses will be regulated in accordance with employment opportunities available in a district. The Central Government is considering the proposal to assist the State Governments, to appoint a Vocational Education Officer in each District to assess the employment needs and to supervise the implementation of the scheme. It is proposed to utilise the spare capacity and facilities available in polytechnics, multipurpose schools and junior technical schools in the proposed 2-year vocational courses under the 10+2+3 pattern. The scheme has been discussed in some detail with State Governments and Union Territory Administrations, most of whom have decided in principle to introduce vocational courses. Several State Governments have made financial provision for programmes of vocationalisation at the higher secondary stage.
Educational Technology The Educational Technology Project is designed to stimulate and promote integrated use of mass media and instructional technology at all levels of education including non-formal education of the adults and thereby achieve a qualitative improvement as well as wider spread at lesser cost. The project is managed by the Centre of Educational Technology established as a separate institution of the NCERT at Delhi; and by the educational Technology Cells in the States which are being established in a phased manner.
Under the scheme, Educational Technology Cells have been established in Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh during the current year. Similar Cells already exist in Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
Central assistance will also be made available to other States for establishing such Educational Technology Cells.
Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) is expected to commence educational broadcasts from August, 1975. Television sets are being installed in clusters of 400 villages in six States namely Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar. The Educational Technology Cells in the States concerned would assist in the-training of teachers, preparation of programmes and follow-up action as far as the school television broadcasts are concerned. The school
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broadcast will last about 20 minutes and will be available for 220 days.
State Educational Technology Cells In addition to the Educational Technology Cell established in Maharashtra, Educational Technology Cells have been set up in the States of Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. Cells in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka will also be set up soon and in other States in a phased manner.
The Maharashtra Cell tries to ensure the utilisation of educa- tional television programmes which were started on June 24, 1974 on a thrice-weekly basis, by circulating guidelines to 564 secondary schools in Bombay and Poona. It also ensures the quality of the programmes through the appointment of subject committees and through seminars and workshops. Subject Committees for English, Physics, Chemistry and Biology help to select topics for television. Three Teachers' guides and a proforma for programme evaluation have been compiled. Two workshops on selection of programme personnel and one seminar for reviewing the quality of TV programmes were arranged. The State Governments have set up a suitable Committee to advise the cell in policy matters.
The setting up of the Cells in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa is under way.
Quality Improvement Programmes
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING A good deal of the programmes towards Qualitative improvement in school education is implemented through the National Council of Educational Research and Training. The National Institute of Educational Research and Training has been restructured during this year to ensure greater coordination in academic and research work and to make the functioning of the developmental wings more effective. It now consists of 5 Academic Departments, 4 Services/Production Departments and 6 Functional Units for specific items of work. Each department has an Advisory Board which examines and approves all programmes before they are taken up for implementation. As the Annual Report of the Council is separately placed before Parliament, only a very brief account of the programmes undertaken by the Council is given here.
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Research Activities During the year, on the recommendation of the Educational Research & lnnovation Committee of the Council, 51 research projects were initiated. Some of the areas of research covered by these projects are :
(i) Fundamental research on language, thought and communication;
(ii) Trends and new developments in Social Sciences and their implication for school education in classes IX;
(iii) Developmental Norm project for age group 5_-11 years;
(iv) Intelligence test for age-group 7-16;
(v) Tests or identification of talent-longitudinal stability;
(vi) Effectiveness of Programmed Learning;
(vii) Study on manpower planning for teacher education;
(viii) Instrument for self-grading of teacher training institutions.
Developmental Work The major activities of the, Council in this field are
(i) Development of Curriculum and Instructional Mate- rials, e.g. textbooks and teacher guides for the 10+2 schooling in the main subject areas, namely languages, science, mathematics and social studies;
(ii) Preparation of teaching aids such as science kits and audio-visual aids like film strips, charts etc. as a part of curriculum development;
(iii) Expansion of UNICEF-Aided Science Project in vari- ous States;
(iv) Development of work-experience and vocationalisa- tion of education as a distinct area of school cur- riculum;
(v) Evaluation of textbooks;
(vi) Preparation of Supplementary Reading Materials in Science and Humanities;
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(vii) Publication of text-books, teacher guides and supplementary books as well as research monographs and reports;
(viii) Introduction a Population Education and National Integration in school curriculum;
(ix) Development of programmed learning materials.
Regional Colleges of Education The four Regional Colleges of Education continued their normal academic programmes during the year. One important development in the field was the starting of post-graduate science programmes for the two-year M.Sc. Course.
Science Talent Search During the year a fresh batch of 350 scholars were selected and awarded national science talent search scholarship. Special summer institutes are organised for these scholars as well as those who were awarded such scholarships in the previous years as a follow-up measure.
Strengthening of Field Offices In order to strengthen liaison with the States, the number of Field Advisers/Offices in States has been increased from 9 to 15. The Field Advisers bring the problems of the, States to the NCERT and make the expertise of the NCERT available to the States. At present almost all the major States have a Field Adviser's office.
Reorganisation and Expansion of Science Teaching at School Stage The School Science Education Improvement Programme started during the 4th Plan will remain operative during the Fifth Plan. Assistance to this programme from UNICEF will emphasize the primary, school period and the application of science to the child's living conditions. Consequently, the support earlier provided by UNICEF for the middle school science education will be confined primarily to the supply of kits to those schools for whom supply of kits has commenced already and the sharing of the expenditure towards in-service training courses for middle school teachers.
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States that have not yet completed the pilot phase, however, will be given an opportunity to do so, and for this purpose will receive assistance both at this primary and middle school level-
The diffusion of the programme at the primary level will be vigorously pursued and the States encouraged to proceed with its wider expansion.
A supplemental agreement on the above lines will be entered into with the UNICEF.
So far about 3,668 Metric Tonnes of paper has been received from UNICEF and allotted to State Governments/Union Territory Administrations for the printing of Science Textbooks, Teachers Guides etc. Here also the UNICEF will meet the requirements, of the States/Union Territories for the primary level.
Textbook Printing Presses Received as Gift from the Federal
Republic of Germany Under this scheme three textbook presses were to be established in Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar and Mysore. The equipment is, to be given free by the Federal Republic of Germany, while the buildings and staff will be provided by the Government of India. The Chandigarh press was commissioned during the 4th plan. This press can print 10 million books annually.
The machinery for the Bhubaneshwar Press, the building of which has been completed, is expected shortly. Orders for machinery for the Mysore Press, whose building is nearing completion, have been placed. Both these presses are now expected to be commissioned during 1975-76.
CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION The Board took an important decision to implement the new structure of Education with effect from May, 1975, beginning with Class IX. The scheme of studies for Classes IX and X prepared by a special working Group was finalised after consulting various agencies and Member schools of the Board. The scheme, besides aiming at improving qualities of courses, provides for balanced growth of students, the expansion of the sphere of knowledge, and the study of languages according to the three language formula. To develop creativity the quality of selfreliance and dignity of labour the students are required to undertake work experience from among 41 types of work experiences
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available, suited to the aptitudes, regional requirements and re- sources of schools. Besides regular subjects, provision has been made on the new scheme for Health Education and Community Service. The scheme exphasises material assessment and in respect of external examination, the students will be assessed on a five point scale. The syllabii and courses for the new scheme are being finalised.
The Board after surveying the requirements and employment opportunities prepared courses in 3 vocational subjects.
Publications 10 publications in the subjects of Hindi, English, Sanskrit and Physics were brought out by the Board. A collaborative project has been taken up by the Board with the Overseas Development Agency, U.K. and the British Council. As a preparatory measure a brochure "Project Technology in Schools" was brought out and circulated to member schools.
Teachers Workshop To effect qualitative improvement in teaching, an orientation workshop in Mathematics was organised in August-September, 1974 in collaboration with the Centre for Advanced Mathematical Education, Technology, U.K. The material earlier prepared at CAMET by Indian teachers and finalised in this workshop is being published as Resource Material. Another workshop in Social Sciences was held in collaboration with the State Institute of Education, Delhi, to expose the new syllabus for Social Sciences prepared by the Board under the- new pattern. A number of All India Workshops was organised by the NCERT for preparing books for the Board based on the New Science syllabus. A third in the series of workshop for Economics Teachers was organised by the Board in February, March, 1974 in collaboration with the State Institute of Education, Delhi. With this about 450 teachers in Economics of the member schools have been oriented in the new concepts and developments in Economics.
Improving School Mathematics Teaching The second batch of 3 Mathematics Teachers was sent to CAMET, UK, for advanced training in Modern Mathematics and preparation of resource material.
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Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan The Sangathan administers 187 Kendriya Vidyalayas in the country including one at Kathmandu and provides educational facilities for transferable Central Government employees. During the year under report, 17 Kendriya Vidyalayas were opened including some in difficult defence stations in the border areas and in public sector Enterprises.
The Kendriya Vidyalayas not only provide an uniformly high standard of education according to a common syllabus but strive to promote among the students a sense of social commitment, and national oneness. The pass percentage of candidates from Kendriya Vidyalayas appearing in the All-India Higher Secondary Examination in 1974 was 87.6, against the All-India pass percentage, of 75. Out of the 133 Vidyalayas which sent up students for this examination, 23 schools obtanied 100% pass results. Ten Kendriya Vidyalaya students secured merit positions. The Kendriya Vidyalaya students have also fared well at the entrance examinations to the Indian Institute of Technology, National Defence Academi etc.
As recommended by the Ministry of Education and the Central Board of Secondary Education, Kendriya Vidyalayas propose to adopt the 10+2 pattern of schooling from 1975. Preliminary action towards (a) the introduction of common course curriculum in classes IX and X in 1975 and 1976, and (b) the introduction of both academic and vocational streams in class XI and XII in subsequent years has already been initiated. The teaching staff of the Kendriya Vidyalayas are actively cooperating in formulating guidelines for framing syllabii for all 4 classes. 35 staff members are serving in Sub-Committees and Working Groups set up by the Central Board of Secondary Education for this purpose.
OTHER PROGRAMMES
Bal Bhavan Society This recreational-cum-educational Centre for children continued to provide facilities in the field of fine arts, humanities, sciences and physical education, and to stimulate children's growth on creative lines.
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During the year seven Exhibitions and 19 workshops were organised. They pertained to Graphics, Photography, Puppet making, Clay models, Handicrafts, Wood Work, Batik and Painting. These workshops were attended by parents and teachers and also included nominees from Afghanistan and instructors from various Jawahar Bal Bhavans in India.
Besides this, 7 week-end courses were also conducted which were attended by the teachers of local schools. A special programme 'KNOW- HOW IN ART' was also attended by the teachers of the local schools.
6000 children participated in two seasonal festivals including the cultural programmes on Independence Day.
The Repertory Group of Bal Bhavan gave performances to the village school children audiences and to the Jhuggi and Jhonpri children. Some interesting musical comedies and short plays were staged by a group of rural artists in Bal Bhavan. These were televised so that they could be presented befor a rural audience in 1975.