 REPORTS OF THE COMMITTEES OF CABE
COMMITTEE ON MODEL SCHOOL AND
 IMPROVEMENT OF STANDARDS

The Committee on Model Schools and Improvement of Standards considered the Working Paper and particularly Section II : Transformation of the Educational System and Section III : Improvement of Standards. It also examined the scheme of Model Schools prepared by the Ministry of Education and Social Welfare.

The Committee makes the following recommendations:

(1) The scheme of Model Schools should be adopted as an important method of improving standards. A copy of the scheme as approved by the Committee is given in the Appendix'

(2) As recommended in the Working Paper, about 10 per cent of the primary. middle and secondary schools should be upgraded to optimum levels. No private schools should be included in this programme.

(3) As suggested in the Working Paper, an attempt should be made to improve every other school also to certain minimum standards, partly through guidance and State grants and partly through local community support.

(4) The Committee approves the proposals made in the Working Paper for change in the content of education and curriculum reform. The Ministry of Education and Social Welfare should prepare model curricula for classes I-XII and make them available to State Governments by December, 1972, for adoption. These curricula should be adopted by the model schools. They may also be commended for adoption in the upgraded and other schools. Necessary changes to suit local conditions and needs, however, could be made. An attempt should be made to introduce the new curriculum( with new text books prepared) in the first year of the Fifth Five-Year Plan.

(5) The Ministry of Education and Social Welfare should prepare guidelines for improvement in teaching and examination reform and make them available to State Governments.

(6) The Ministry of Education and Social Welfare should set up a Study Group, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, for making the maximum use possible of mass media and modern educational technology in improving standards. The Report of this Group should be made available to the State Governments as soon as possible.

APPENDIX

Scheme for the setting up of the Model Schools

Origin of the Scheme

1. The Education Commission headed by Dr. Kothari recommended establishment of quality schools with a view to raising standards in education. At the secondary stage, the target suggested was to have one secondary school in each Community Development Block (para 10.31). Due to shortage of resources, this recommendation has not been implemented at any stage.

2. Recently, there has been a suggestion for the establishment of adequate number of model primary schools and one model secondary school in each district. The matter has been examined in the Ministry in consultation with the NCERT and the Commissioner, Central Schools Organisation, and a tentative scheme was prepared. The scheme was discussed at a meeting of the Education Secretaries/Directors of Education of the States and Union Territories held on the 4th and 5th May, 1972. The scheme was modified in the light of the suggestions made at the Conference.

Scope of the Scheme

3. The model schools, both primary and secondary, will cater to talented children as well as children from the deprived sections of the Community. The secondary schools will be developed on the lines -of the comprehensive schools of the United Kingdom. In addition, these schools will have a large programme of part-time education, out- of-school education, continuing education and extension work which will cover the entire school and non-school population.

4. The model primary schools will be used as a Centre for several educational and community activities.

5. Pre-school education may be imparted either through a Balwadi or nursery school attached to the model primary school. Such a centre can also be used as a nutrition centre and creche for pre- school children. A child health centre may also be operated as part of the pre-school educational activities.

6. The Science laboratroy of the school supplemented by a science museum will be utilised to carry the message of science to the schools and adult population of the block. A mobile van will be attached to the museum.

7. The school will also be a centre for promoting educational technology and modem teaching practices for the benefit of teachers from the surrounding primary schools.

8. It will also be used for promoting population education, national integration and proper social values.

9. It is expected that the playground attached to the school will be available for rural sports activities. Scouting, Science Clubs and similar activities in the block will be centred in the model school.

10. The school will also cater to continuing education. For this purpose, a library will be attached to the school which will have facilities to supply books to the population in the block.

11. The Campus will also act as a community centre, cultural centre and a social service centre.

12. A production centre will be attached to the school which will be used both for normal school activities and for continuing education.

13. A youth centre, the branch of Nehru Yuvak Kendras at block level, will also be attached to the school to promote youth and phyisical culture activities in the block.

14. The different activities proposed for the model school are indicated in schematic form at the end.

Primary Schools

15. Primary schools with classes I to V will be set up in each Community Development Block. Each class will contain

about 30 students per section. To start with, there will be 2 sections per class. There will be provision for hostel accommodation for 50 per cent of the total strength of the school. No tuition fees will be charged from any student. 25 per cent of the students will receive completely free education which will include free board and lodging, free uniform, reading materials and travel charges to and from the students' residence twice a year. The students selected for these concessions should belong to the most deprived sections of the community in the block. These students will also receive textbooks issued free from textbook banks established in the schools. Another 25 per cent of the students will get all the facilities mentioned above except free board and lodging. Such of the students belonging to We deprived sections of the community, who do not wish to reside in the hostels, may be provided transport charges to enable them to attend the schools as day scholars. They will get other concessions meant for scholars belonging to the most deprived sections of the community.

16. The total enrolment of the school will ultimately be 500.

17. Admissions: The school will be co-educational. Admission will be open to the residents of the block unless there are vacancies after satisfying local needs. However, till such time as a school is established for each block, admission will be open to adjoining blocks also. Admission will be based on selection tests, including a talent test and means test. The National Council of Educational Research and Training will develop a suitable procedure for evaluation for selecting the candidates. The validity of the selection procedure will be tested continuously by suitable follow up studies by the NCERT.

18. Curriculum: The curriculum to be followed in these schools will be based on primary school curriculum to be developed by the NCERT. Till such time a curriculum is developed and approved, the curriculum followed in the Central Schools with suitable modifications will be followed.

19. Medium of Instruction: The medium of instruction will be the mothertongue. As regards teaching of language, the policy in the respective States would be followed.

20. Staff : The schools will be headed by a Principal on a scale of pay equal to that of a trained post-graduate teacher. At least 50 per cent of the teachers will be trained graduates. Others

may be trained S. S. L. C. or similar categories. At least one lady teacher will be posted in the school. The staff will be paid the State scales of pay or Central scales of pay, whichever is higher.

Secondary Schools

21. Secondary schools with classes VI to XII will be established in each district. The total strength of a school ultimately will be 2,000. The seven classes will have four sections each to start with and each section will have 30 students. Facilities will be provided for hostel accommodation to 50 per cent of the students; 25 per cent of the students will have full scholarships which will include free board and lodging, free uniform, reading materials and travel charges to and from student's residence twice a year. These will be from the most deprived sections of the population in the block/district. Textbooks will also be issued free from the school's textbooks bank to these students. Another 25 per cent of the students will receive free studentships which will enable them to obtain free education, though they will have to pay for board and lodging. 50 per cent of students will pay tuition fees of Rs. 1 00 per year.

22. Admissions: Admission will be open to residents of the district. Any spare capacity will be used for giving admission to students from outside the district.

23. Curriculum: A special curriculum to give comprehensive education with accent on production and social services will be followed. The school will provide general education up to 10th standard. In classes XI and XII, there will be different streams, with adequate arrangements for transferability of credits. The school will have an attached production centre which will produce articles useful to the population in the district.

24. Medium of Instruction: Medium of instruction will be State language. As regards teaching of languages, the policy of the respective State will be. followed. There will be provision for teaching additional languages, including classical languages and modem world languages and where feasible, other modern Indian languages.

25. Staff : Staff will, as far as possible, be postgraduate trained teachers.

26. Other Programmes: The model secondary schools will be utilised for teacher training, adult literacy, out-of-school edu- cation, continuing education and for carrying the message of science to the surrounding population.

27. It is proposed to attach a science museum and a mobile science laboratory to each school.

28. A youth centre and cultural museum will also be attached to the school.

29. These programmes will be financed from the funds provided under respective plan schemes for science education, teacher training, youth services, cultural activities, adult literacy, etc. They will be under full time staff under the general directions of the Principal of the Model School.

30. There will be one Vice-Principal exclusively in charge of out-of-school education and another exclusively incharge of Youth activities and National Service Scheme.

Administration

31. The Model Schools should be run by an autonomous organization which will have three main organs:

(1) National Council : This will be responsible for overall co- ordination and will lay down broad general policy. The Union Education Minister will be the Chairman. AR State Education Ministers and some educationists nominated by the Central Government will be the Members.

(2) State Management Committees: The administrative control of the schools in each State shall vest in the State Management Committee of which the State Education Minister win be the Chairman and the Director of Education the Member-Secretary.

(3) Local Advisory Committees: Each Model School will have a local Advisory Committee constituted by the Sate Management Committee concerned.