4.4.8 It is proposed to sanction third teachers to about 7220 primary schools with enrolment exceeding 100 during the remaining part of the financial year 1996-97.
4.4.9 During the current year as well as the next year the thrust is essentially on monitoring of the system and close follow up with the States on the progress and utilisation of the funds sanctioned under the scheme. It is proposed to set up a system of concurrent monitoring and evaluation of the scheme through external agencies from
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the current financial year. This is expected to provide feedback on areas which might require further strengthening. Because of constant monitoring the utilisation of funds by States has gone up from 79% during 1994-95 to 82% during 1995-96.
4.4.10 A new initiative namely special orientation programme for primary teachers (SOPT) has been taken up since 1993-94 to give training to primary teachers in use of OB materials and MLL strategy with focus on teaching of Language, Mathematics and Environmental Studies. About 18 lakhs teachers are likely to be covered by end of VIII five year plan under this programme.
Non-Formal Education
Objectives and Description of the Scheme 4.5.1 The National Policy on Education, 1986 taking a realistic view of the enormous task of achieving UEE in its entirety (access, retention as well as achievement), envisages that free and compulsory education of satisfactory quality be provided to all children upto the age of 14 years before commencement of the 21st century. For the first time in 1986, an educational policy had admitted that the schools would not reach all children particularly millions of girls and working children whose participation in the school system is thwarted by socio-economic conditions. The policy, therefore, called for a large and systematic programme of non-formal education as an integral component of the strategy to achieve UEE with enough flexibility to enable the learners to learn at their own pace and at the same time having quality comparable with formal education.
4.5.2 The scheme was conceived in 1979-80, scaled up in 1987 and revised in 1993 with emphasis on Organisation, flexibility, relevance of curriculum, diversity in learning activity to suit the needs of learners through decentralised management. The scheme primarily covers the educationally backward States namely Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and, West Bengal. It also covers urban slums, hilly, desert and tribal areas and areas with concentration of working children in other states as well.
4.5.3 The main feature of the scheme are:
- short course with duration of about two years
- part-time instruction at a place and time convenient to learners in small groups
- flexibility in mode of delivery; and
- special emphasis on girls education.
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4.5.4 At present, the scheme is being implemented in 21 States/UTs. Under the Scheme, Central assistance is provided to States/UTs and Voluntary agencies on the following pattern:
1. Co-educational centres and 60% administrative support
2. Exclusively girls centres 90%
3. Centres run by Voluntary Agencies 100%
Implementation in 1996-97 (State Sector) 4.5.5 There is an allocation of Rs. 158.20 Crores (Rs. 128.20 Crores under the State Sector and Rs. 30.00 Crores under Voluntary Sector) for the current financial year for running NFE programme in 21 States/UTs., being the last year of the 8th five year plan, 2.41 lakhs NFE centres sanctioned under State Sector in 15 States/UTs. in 1995-96 are being continued covering about 70 lakh children. Out of 2.41 lakh centres under State Sector, about 1.18 lakh centres are exclusively for girls, covering about 29.50 lakh beneficiaries.
Voluntary Sector 4.5.6 An important achievement in the current financial year has been enlisting the increased participation of NGOs in the programme. At present, 590 Voluntary Agencies are running 38,900 centres in the country. Under Experimental and Innovative programmes, new strategies on a pilot basis for micro-planning survey training, material development, education for the disabled and working children, running of NFE centres, health education programmes are taken up. At present, 41 such projects are in operation. In addition, NGOs are running District Resource Units for providing resource support to the programme.
New Initiatives 4.5.7 The Conference of Education Ministers of the States/UTs held in August, 1996 considered NFE scheme as one of the important components for achieving universalisation of elementary education in the country and decided that the NFE scheme should continue as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in the year to come. It was also decided in the Conference that the Scheme should provide for greater flexibility in implementation and allow greater autonomy to the States to make local contextual modifications.
4.5.8 An outlay of Rs.704.00 Crores (Rs.625.00 Crores under State Sector and Rs.79.00 Crores under Voluntary Sector) has been approved for the 8th Plan period with a target of 3.50 lakh NFE centres.
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Teacher Education 4.6.1 The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Restructuring and Re- organisation of Teacher Education which has been functioning from 1987-88 in pursuance of the National Policy on Education 1986 envisages strengthening of the institutional base of teacher training as also taking up special programmes for training of teachers in specified areas and other non-institutional programmes of orientation of teachers. For this purpose, the scheme provides for setting up of District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) to provide training and resource support to elementary education, (both formal and non-formal) and adult education systems at the grass root level; upgradation of selected Secondary Teachers Education Institutions (STEIs) into Colleges of Teacher Education (CTEs)/Institutions of Advanced Study in Education (IASEs) to provide similar training and resource support to secondary education; strengthening of State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERTs) and also strengthening and establishment of University Departments of Education (through the UGC). In addition to this, programme of Mass Orientation of School Teachers (PMOST) was also taken up under this scheme during 1986-90 to provide orientation to school teachers in the main thrust area of the NPE and also to improve their general competence. About 17.62 lakh teachers were covered. Another such programme, namely Special Orientation Programme for Primary Teachers (SOPT) has been taken up since 1993-94 to provide orientation to primary teachers in the use of teaching learning materials supplied under Operation Blackboard and also to train them in the Minimum Levels of Learning Strategy with focus on teaching of language, mathematics and environmental studies. Under the Special Orientation Programme for Primary Teachers, a total of 45,798 primary teachers have so far been oriented.
4.6.2 The target of establishing 425 District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) has been met in the year 1996-97. 108 Secondary Teacher Education institutions have so far been upgraded into Colleges of Teacher Education (CTEs)/Institutes of Advanced Study in Education (IASEs) against the target of establishing 135 CTEs/IASEs at the end of 8th Five Year Plan. It is proposed to establish 110 CTEs/IASEs by the end of the plan period. 20 CTEs/IASEs were sanctioned during the year 1995-96. It has not been possible to meet the target primarily because of non-receipt of proposals from the State Governments.
4.6.2 18 projects for strengthening of State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERTs) have so far been approved. Various other States are in the process of formulating their detailed project proposal. As regards strengthening of University Departments of Education, the UGC has selected Department of Education in five universities under Special Assistance Programme at the level of Departmental Research Support (DRS). These Universities are Kashi Vidyapeeth, M.S. University of Baroda, Osmania University, Rohilkhand University and Punjab University. The UGC has, also decided to assist some distinguished university departments on regional basis for taking up M.A. courses in Education.
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4.6.3 The District Primary Education Programme (DPEP), which provides institutional support by strengthening state resource organisations like SCERT and the district level institutions like DIET has also taken initiative for decentralised academic resource support at the block and cluster level. Block Resource Centres have been set up in a few States for the purpose of planning, management, supervision of inservice training of Primary School teachers and other functionaries at the grass-root level, which has received encouraging response. It is proposed to further augment the availability of these resource centres at sub-district level by establishment of BRCs as extensions of DIETs during the IX Plan.
4.6.4 It is proposed to institutionalise a system of concurrent monitoring and evaluation of DIETs with a view to facilitate better and speedier implementation of this programme.
4.6.5 A significant innovation in reaching out to teachers in remote areas through satellite based interactive technology has been tried successfully in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. A National Action Plan for providing in-service training to primary teachers through interactive distance education has also been developed with the assistance of ADB and UNESCO and under the guidance of a National Steering Committee chaired by Vice Chancellor, IGNOU with assistance of ADB and UNESCO. The NAP contains a 10 year's perspective and is proposed to be dovetailed into the 9th Five Year Plan.
4.6.6 The progress of Teacher Education Scheme since 1987-88 is as indicated below:-
Sl.No. Nomenclature Cumulative Achievements
1. Amount spent (Rs.in crores) 337.225 (as on 3 1.3.1996)
2. Number of Teachers oriented
under the Special Orientation
Programme for
Primary Teachers (1986-90) 40 lakh teachers
3. Number of District Institutes
of Education and Training
(DIET) sanctioned. 425
4. Number of Secondary Teacher
Education Institutes up-
graded into CTEs/IASEs. 108
5. Number of SCERTs Strengthened18
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National Council for Teacher Education 4.7.1 The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has been established as a national level statutory body by the Govt. of India vide its notification dated August 17, 1995 with the objectives of achieving planned and coordinated development of teachers education, regulation and proper maintenance of norms and standards of teacher education and for matters connected therewith. The mandate of the NCTE is quite wide and includes regulatory as well as developmental functions. Some of the major functions are laying down norms for various teacher education courses, recognition of teacher education institutions, laying down guidelines in respect of minimum qualifications for appointment of teachers, surveys and studies, research and innovations, prevention of commercialisation of teacher education, etc.
4.7.2 As per the provisions of the Act, four Regional Committee for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western regions have been set up with Hqs. at Jaipur, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar and Bhopal respectively. These Regional Committees have to consider the applications of institutions of teacher education for recognition/permission in accordance with the provisions of the Act. So far, 1524 applications have been received, 108 institutions have recognised, 226 institutions have been granted provisional recognition and 62 institutions have been refused recognition. The remaining applications are under consideration of the Regional Committees.
4.7.3 During the brief period that the Council has been in existence, the Council has laid down norms and standards for pre- primary, elementary and secondary level teacher education institutions. Norms for B.Ed. through distance education mode and M.Ed. have also been prepared and are likely to be notified soon. On the basis of the recommendations of an expert committee, the NCTE has taken a decision that the education for the first degree/diploma should be only through face to face institutional course of teacher education of minimum of one year academic duration. The decision has been communicated to all State Govt., Universities, Boards of Education, etc. However, with a view to providing avenues for professional growth of in-service teachers and to clear the backlog of untrained teachers in some regions of the country, B.Ed. through correspondence/distance education is being continued on a limited scale. For this purpose, NCTE has issued regulations laying down guidelines for the universities/institutions running B.Ed. through correspondence/distance education mode on the basis of recommendations of an expert committee headed by Prof Rain Takwale, Vice-Chancellor, IGNOU as approved by UGC.
4.7.4 Several publications have also been brought out during the year. Some of these are:
(i) Policy Perspectives in Teacher Education
(ii) Empowering the Under Privileged class of Teacher Education.
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(iii) Different Modes of Education used for Teacher Preparation in India.
(iv) Human Rights and National Values Self-learning Module for Teacher Educators.
(v) Professional Status of Teachers.
(vi) Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education Discussion Document. 4.7.5 During the year 1996-97 a number of seminar, workshops, symposia, awareness meetings, etc. have been organised. A number of projects and studies have also been taken up. Some of the more important ones are :
(i) Formulation of competency based teacher education curriculum for elementary teacher education institutions.
(ii) Re-structuring of curriculum framework of teacher education.
(iii) State level studies on teacher education current status, issues and future projections.
(iv) Development of quality training material for teacher education institutions.
(v) Human rights and national values for teacher educators.
(vi) Study of profile of teacher educators.
4.7.6 In addition, a few projects were also taken up with the assistance of international agencies, notable among these are a UNESCO sponsored conference on professional status of teachers and preparation of its reports and compendium of papers presented in the conference, preparation of self-learning modules for teacher educators in Language, Mathematics and Environmental Studies with the assistance of Commonwealth of Learning Hindi translation of ILO/UNESCO recommendation concerning the status of teachers and the report of experts on the applications of the recommendations.
Bal Bhavan Society India 4.8.1 Bal Bhavan Society India, (BBSI) New Delhi, was established by the Government of India in 1956 at the initiative of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru. An autonomous institution fully funded by the Department of Education, the BBSI has been contributing towards enhancing creativity amongst children in the age-group 516 years especially from the weaker sections of society. The children can pursue activities of their choice such as the creative arts, performing arts, environment,
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astronomy, photography, and other integrated physical and science related activities, in a joyful manner. The programmes are so designed as to explore the inner potential of a child and giving him opportunities for expression of ideas through various media. Bal Bhavan thus aims at the all around growth of a child in a free and congenial atmosphere to help him develop a scientific temper.
4.8.2 Since its inception, the membership of Bal Bhavan has grown from 300 in 1956 to over a lakh in the recent years. In order to cater to the requirements of the children who cannot afford to participate in Bal Bhavan activities at the Headquarters, 52 Bal Bhavan Kendras, spread all over Delhi, have been opened. Two Jawahar Bal Bhavans one in Srinagar and another in Mandi, have been funded. The Bal Bhavan Society, India also provides general guidance, training facilities and transfer of information to State and District Bal Bhavans in the country.
4.8.3 During 1996-97, a large number of activities relating to educational and creative development of children have been organised by Bal Bhavan. These include workshops, conferences, camps, training programmes, cultural exchange programmes, conventions, sports and cultural activities etc. benefitting thousands of children and trainers. During summers, large number of children pursued various activities of their choice at Bal Bhavan. The more notable among this year's summer programmes were the Cultural Craft Conservation Convention, Workshop on Integrated Approach to Performing Arts, Origami Workshop, Book Illustration Workshop, Workshop on Egypt, Sri Lanka, Puppetry Workshop and Aquarium Workshop. Other special programmes were Environment Week, Literacy Camp, Trekking and Educational Trips. In October, 1996, World Habitat Day was observed with the theme of Urbanisation and Human Solidarity. A mass painting activity and elocution contest was organised on this occasion. The 7th National Conference of Young Environmentalists was held in September, 1996 to focus the attention of children on several environment problems and their probable solution.
4.8.4 Every year, a National Children Assembly is organised by Bal Bhavan from 14th November, in which children of all affiliated Bal Bhavans from all over the country take part. The Assembly during 1996-97, was organised during 14th-20th November, 1996. The theme of this year's Assembly was "Moral Values". In order to give children in-depth knowledge about all the facets of our magnificient star, a permanent new gallery namely "Surya" has been added in the National Childrens' Museum of Bal Bhavan. The first National theatre festival was also held in Bal Bhavan during the year. In this festival theatre groups from various parts of the country and the children interacted with the troupes to acquaint themselves with different forms of theatre performance. In recognition of the national character of the activities of Bal Bhavan, it has been renamed as "NATIONAL BAL BHAVAN".