CHAPTER I SCHOOL EDUCATION
The main programmes in the field of School Education are
(i) Universal free and compulsory elementary education;
(ii) Reorganisation of the educational pattern;
(iii) Vocational of higher secondary education;
(iv) Reorganisation and expansion of science teaching at the school level;
(v) Quality improvement programmes in school educa- tion;
(vi) Educational technology project; and
(vii) Provision of schooling facilities of transferable Central Government employees.
These programmes aim not only at expanding educational facilities at the base but also raising the standard of school education.
The programmes are carried out, among others, through specialised institutions, set up for the purpose. They are :
(i) The National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi;
(ii) The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, New Delhi; and
(iii) The Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi.
Universal, Free and Compulsory Elementary Education The programme of universalising elementary education constitutes one of the two top most priority programmes in the field of education, the other being National Adult Education Programme, according to the Government's decision to achieve universal literacy in the country within a definite time-frame of not more than 10 years.
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Enrolment As recommended in the report of the Working Group on the Universalisation of Elementary Education, the National target of additional enrolment during the medium-term Plan period is 320 lakhs. If this is realised, 90 per cent of children of the age-group 6-14 would be in classes I-VIII in 1982-83 comprising 110 per cent in 6-11 age-group (classes I-V) and 57 per dent in 11-14 age-group (classes VI-VIII). The report of the Working Group was submitted in February, 1978 and the following constitute the major steps taken during the year for this programme :-
(i) On the basis of the guidelines given by the Centre, State Master Plants for Universalisation were prepared and discussed in a series of meetings held with State Government officials in August-September, 1978. The States were requested to revise or modify their plans on the basis of discussions.
(ii) To collect most up-to-date data for the preparation and implementation of the programme of Universalising Elementary Education, the Fourth Educational Survey has been mounted in all States and Union Territories of the country with 30th September, 1978 as the reference date. Considerable progress has been made and the State data are expected in March, 1979.
(iii) For this programme it is essential to monitor not only enrolment but also attendance figures. Alongwith the collection of Fourth Survey Data Monitoring of quarterly attendance figures in primary and middle schools of the country has been introduced for the first time. As per arrangements made, block-level quarterly attendance returns will be received by the Centre for computerisation and quick processing and feedback to the States for remedial steps, wherever necessary.
(iv) A special study on elementary education administration in 9 States where the problem of non- enrolment and non-attendance is disproportionately larger, has been undertaken with hundred per cent Central assistance, for completion within 6 months.
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(v) Work on the preparation of a Centrally-Sponsored Scheme of Experimental Programmes for Non-formal Education for 9-14 age-group Children' has been initiated.
In preparing State Master Plans for Universalisation attempts have been made to identify the magnitude of the problem and suggest specific strategies for bringing into the school system Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes children and girls. It is they who constitute the hard core of non-enrolled children. The main strategy to cover them would be to launch non-formal education programmes on a massive scale, particularly in the educationally backward States. Steps have been, taken to prepare local-specific curricula and instructional packages on a decentralised basis, which would be relevant to the needs and life situations of children in various areas.
The State Plans for Universalising Elementary Education have proposed a number of measures for retaining children in school system up to Class VIII. These include measures like ungraded school system at the primary stage, policy of 'no detention' till class VIII but with comprehensive, evaluation, multiple-point entry in formal schools, introduction of play-way methods in Classes I-II with adoption of dynamic teaching, teacher improvement and above all, reform of primary curriculum including socially useful productive work, recommended by the Ishwarbhai Patel Committee. These measures, when implemented, would enhance the holding power of the primary and middle schools.
The following table indicates the position and target of enrolment at the elementary stage :
(in lakhs)
Target
1950-51 1977-78 1982-83
Age-group 6-11
Enrolment: Classes I-V 191.55 701.50 921.50
Enrolment as percentage
of age-group population 42.6 82.8 104.3
Age-group 11-14
Enrolment : Classes
VI-VIll 31.20 177.67 277.67
Enrolment as percentage
of age-group population 12.7 37.9 54.8
Age-group 6-14
Enrolment : Classes
I-VIII 222.75 879.17 1199.17
Enrolment as percentage
of age-group population 32.4 66.9 86.3
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Free Education Education in Classes I-V is already free in Government Schools and in school run by local bodies in all parts of the country. It is also free in Classes VI-VIII in all States except for boys in Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Legislation All States except Bihar, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura have enacted legislation for compulsory education. As for the Union Territories such legislation is available in, Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Chandigarh.
School Feeding Programmes (Mid-day-Meals Programme) Mid-day-Meals programmes have been in operation for children in primary schools. While the primary objective of any nutrition programme is to enhance the nutritional status irk children, particularly of the weaker sections of the community, experience says that such programmes help in attracting children to schools and retaining them there. Under the Minimum Needs Programme of the Five Year Plan funds are provided to the States for the operation of such programmes with indigenous food materials.
CARE has been assisting with the supply of food commodities in operating the Programme in 14 States/Union Territories, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Pondicherry. In 1977-78, 76 lakh children have been benefited under CARE-assisted Programme. This coverage has been increased to 107 lakh during the year. For CARE food commodities the State Governments bear the cost of transportation and administration.
Science Education Programme at the Elementary Stage Started in 1969-70 on a pilot basis, Science Education Programme at the Elementary Stage has been continued on a wider phase during the Fifth Plan period, with assistance from UNICEF. The achievements so far recorded are as below:-
(i) With 8,999 primary science kits supplied during 1978-79 the total number of primary schools provided with science kits comes to 47,571.
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(ii) With 13,500 primary teachers trained during 1978- 79 the total number of teachers trained so far is 61,697. Besides, 22,053 of other personnel like inspectors, methods masters, head-masters etc. have been trained.
(iii) 149 teacher training schools have been selected during the year for strengthening with the supply of science equipment and books, bringing the total number to 822.
(iv) 1,800 metric tonnes of paper have been supplied during the year for printing of textbooks, teachers guides, etc.
(v) Under pilot programme on Nutrition, Health Edu- cation, and Environmental Sanitation, five regional centres at Baroda, Calcutta, Coimbatore, Jabalpur and Ludhiana have developed curricular materials in English and regional languages for introduction as an integral part of science education programme, besides undertaking programmes for training of teachers in the concerned regions.
(vi) Through a series of workshops a band-book for pri- mary science teachers has been developed in regard to environmental science and improvisation of local resources.
Quality Improvement Programme Three significant programmes, namely, 'Primary Education Curriculum Renewal', 'Developmental Activities in Community Education and Participation' and 'Children's Media Laboratory' have also been in operation, on a pilot basis, with assistance from UNICEF.
The first programme has been in operation in 15 States with the participation of 10 primary schools linked to each of 3 teacher training schools in each State. The institutions have been selected in backward areas covering the needs of weaker sections of society. The programme has developed innovative curricula adjusted to the life- style and socio-economic opportunities of
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children, and related instructional materials, techniques, etc. for such children as are likely to remain in schools only for a few years or as are not reached at all, besides undertaking training programmes for primary teachers and other personnel.
Under the second programme, two communities in each of the 15 States have been selected and programmes and activities for various target groups, particularly for drop-outs, out-of-school children and adults have been developed so that the educational activities, mainly of non-formal nature, could meet the needs of those who axe partly or totally deprived of any education.
The third programme, namely, Children's Media Laboratory, has been functioning in the Centre for Educational Technology (NCERT). Under this programme studies of available toys and play materials in 4 States have been undertaken and manual for teachers prepared for 2 States. Further, a National Workshop on low cost and simple play materials and games for children was held in October 1978. Besides, work on monitoring radio programmes for young children has been done in Delhi and strips of 10 illustrated graphic books have been developed while 2 books have been printed. This programme aims at developing inexpensive and effective media of educational and entertainment value for 4-8 age-group children.
Vocationalisation of Higher Secondary Education Launched as a centrally sponsored scheme from February 1977, it has been proposed for inclusion in the Plan (1978-83). The Centre's role in the scheme is mainly to ensure country-wide acceptance of this new concept and to assist State Governments in establishing the relevance of the vocationalisation to our socioeconomic needs. By the end of December 1978, financial assistance was released for conducting vocational surveys in 80 selected districts of Assam, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Karnataka, Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh. Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Vocational courses were introduced in three districts of Karnataka from the academic session 1977-78. The introduction of vocational courses has also been approved for five districts of Maharashtra and six more districts of Karnataka from the academic session 1978-79. To strengthen the efforts of the Government of West Bengal in this direction, financial assistance for purchase of equipment has also been released.
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The reports of the National Review Committee on Higher Secondary Education with special reference to vocationalisation and the Working Group on Vocationalisation were considered at the Conference of Education, Ministers held in New Delhi in July 1978 and at the Special Session of the Conference of Boards of Secondary Education in India held in September, 1978 in New Delhi. The recommendations of the National Review Committee and the Working Group have been approved by them for implementation.
Structure of School Education The Education Ministers' Conference convened in, July 1978 considered the structure of formal education in the country. It took note of the fact that 26 States and Union Territories have already introduced the 10+2+3 structure, as recommended by the Education Commission 1964-66 and the National Policy of Education, 1968.
The Conference further considerd the obligation of the States in regard to elementary education and was of the view that this structure did not in any way run counter to the Directive Principle of the State Policy so long as the obligation to provide education free up to the age of 14 (standard VIII) is recognised and accepted.
The Conference agreed that the school education should comprise elementary, secondary and higher secondary stages of 12 years duration.
Educational Technology Programme
1. Centre for Educational Technology The Centre has undertaken the following programmes during the year :
Educational Radio (i) A feasibility project on teaching Hindi as a first to children in class I to III with the help of radio and supportive materials has been designed. As a part of Phase I of the project a 10 day workshop was held in Mount Abu and a week-long workshop in Delhi for preparing outlines of radio programmes and supportive materials. Actual broadcasts would commence in July 1979 for Class I and for classes II and III in the subsequent years.
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(ii) On the request of Unesco, the Centre organised a 3 week joint Indo-Maldives training programme for educational radio production to familiarise the Indian as well as Maldivian participants with the techniques of style and presentation of educational broadcasting and to give them operational skills of equipments.
(iii) A training course at Bangalore was organised for scriptwriters for primary school radio broadcasts. The scripts written in different formats were produced, tried out and revised in the light of reactions of the primary school children.
Educational Television (i) The Centre organised two selection-cum-orientation Workshops one at Lucknow and the other at Srinagar for training of ETV scripts writers as a part of its programmes to develop a pool of trained ETV script writers in different parts of the country where educational TV programmes are telecast or proposed to be telecast in the near future.
(ii) At the request of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi the Centre organised a training programme to train 160 TV user teachers of primary schools of the Corporation.
Distance Learning/Correspondence Education A series of 5 two-day regional seminars on correspondence education, were organised in November-December 1978 at Bhopal, Delhi, Ajmer, Mysore and Bombay. The aims of these seminars were to provide a forum to discuss various aspects of open and distant learning systems and ways and means to improve and strengthen them. Some of the experts from abroad who had come to India to attend the International Conference on Correspondence Education in November 1978 provided consultancy in these seminars.
Educational Toys/Games A number of folk and traditional toys played by Indian children were sent by the Centre to Unesco for exhibition at the time of 20th General Conference in Paris. A slide-cum-tape programme, a video- tape, a short film and a brochure were prepared to go with the toys.
The Centre organised in Delhi a national workshop on low- cost/simple play materials and games for children. Low cost/
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simple play materials were displayed, and their preparation and uses as aids for teaching children were demonstrated and discussed.
Multi-Media Package The Centre organised at Jorhat in Assam a 4-day workshop for demonstration of the multi-media package developed by the Centre for in-service training of primary teachers in science. Teacher trainers and other officials concerned with training of primary teachers from West Bengal, Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam, Arunachal and Manipur participated. Similar demonstration camps in Port Blair for teachers of Andaman and Nicobar Islands were organised.