MEMORANDUM ON ITEM NO. IV TO CONSIDER THE REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE CENTRAL ADVISORY BOARD OF EDUCATION ON SCHOOL EDUCATION
The Standing Committee of the Board on School Education met at New Delhi on the 6th & 7th August, 1965, to consider matters con- nected with school education. The report of the Committee is given below.
The Committee has expressed the view that Item Nos. 4, 5 & 7 of the report need not be placed before the Board.
The recommendations of the Committee on the following items of the report were, therefore, placed before the Board for considera- tion:
Item No. 1 Promotion of science education at the school stage.
Item No. 2 Introduction of diversified courses at the secondary
stage of education.
Item No. 6 More generous provision for technical or vocational
education at. the post-matriculation stage. Taken to-
Item No. 9 Inclusion of the scheme for technical high schools in gether
the Central Plan for financial assistance.
Item No. 3 Basic Education on-to consider the progress made so
far and suggest the lines for further action.
Item No. 8 Social Studies (Government of Mysore).
Item No. 10 Extension services Project for Primary teachers train-
ing Schools on the lines of extension services project
for secondary teachers training colleges.
Item No. 11 Improvement of condition of service of teachers in the
Fourth.-Plan.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE MEET-
ING OF THE C.A.B.E. ON SCHOOL EDUCATION HELD
ON 6TH & 7TH AUGUST, 1965 Item No. 1: Promotion of Science Education at the School Stage.
The Standing Committee on School Education took up for con- sideration the paper placed before it. It was generally felt that the importance of science education was so great that immediate step should be taken to expand teaching facilities at the school level and at the same time ensure that the quality of teaching is also of a high standard. The Committee felt that at the elementary stage, deve- lopment of a scientific outlook rather than acquisition of scientific information should be the aim. It noted the steps taken in the Third Plan and the proposals made for strengthening and expanding the facilities of teaching of science in schools in the Fourth Plan.
2. The following are the recommendations made by the Com- mittee :
(i) At the. primary stage, science education should be linked with the study and observation of the physical surroundings and should lay special emphasis on nature study, health education etc.
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(ii) At the middle stage whether formal teaching of science should commence in the form of general science or the study of one or more branches of science as separate disciplines should be decided on the basis of expert opinion. Provision of a small laboratory is in any case essential
(iii) At the secondary stage, increased provision should be made for the study of elective science courses. For students who, do not offer elective science, provision should be made for the teaching of general science as a compulsory subject so that the future citizens of the country would possess the desired basic scientific outlook.
(iv) It is essential that the teaching of biological sciences be also emphasised in schools/colleges so as to increase the availability of larger number of auxiliary-nurses, midwives and other medical personnel.
(v) The teaching of science should be strengthened in the train- ing institutions for elementary teachers. At least one science gra- duate should be appointed on the teaching staff of each of the train- ing institutions and adequate laboratory facilities should be provid- ed. Teacher trainees should be given instruction in content and me- thodology of the subject.
Steps should also be taken to strengthen science teaching in training colleges by providing adequate number of science teachers and laboratories.
(vi) While Summer Institutes were performing a very useful function for the retraining of science teachers in the latest advances in scientific knowledge and the improved techniques of teaching science, it was observed that the teachers were unable to make ef- fective use of their training on account of the defective curriculum and inadequate laboratory facilities and other handicaps. It was stressed that measures should be taken to ensure that the work of the Summer Institutes has the desired impact on science teaching in schools and that there should be a follow-up in the form of science kits, periodicals, etc., which would be available to schools.
(vii) It was felt that as a result of the competition from indus- try, schools were unable to secure the services of adequate number of science graduates and post-graduates of the requisite calibre, al- though the output of science graduates has increased in recent years. This situation was unlikely to improve unless more attractive sala- ries were offered to science graduates and post-graduates who were willing to work in schools. Steps should also be taken by universi- ties to expand facilities for turning out more- science graduates
(viii) Steps should be taken for the preparation of model uni- form syllabi in general science and elective science courses at all stages of education.
(ix) While provision should be made for the general expansion of facilities for the teaching of science, urgent attention should be given to the development of such facilities in the rural areas.
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Item No. 2 : Introduction of diversified courses at the secondary stage of education.
The Committee carefully considered the Paper placed before it and noted that diversified courses in technology, agriculture, home science, commerce and fine arts were being provided in multipur- pose schools. They also noted that technical courses were being pro- vided in technical high schools and junior technical schools which sought to provide vocational bias of different degrees. In light of the actual experience reviewed, the Committee noted that a com- paratively small percentage of students, who completed these diver- sified courses, actually took jobs. It was agreed that a greater stress should be laid on the vocational character of these courses.
2. While reiterating the recommendations made on the subject at the 31st Session of Central Advisory Board of Education held at Bangalore, the Committee made the following suggestions:
(a) Steps should be taken in the Fourth Plan to remove the deficiencies of the existing multipurpose schools in respect of staff equipment, accommodation etc., in accordance with norms to be prescribed on a careful study, keeping in view rising prices and the need to increase the vocational content.
(b) Existing syllabi should be reviewed by a committee of ex- perts, experienced headmasters and representatives of industries, agriculture, etc., in the light of the best experience gathered in the field with a view to increasing the practical content of the courses.
(c) In introducing diversified courses, care should be taken to locate the technical courses preferably in industrial areas. Care should also be taken in respect of other diversified courses so that there is a closer link between the schools and the prospective area of employment.
3. The Committee also considered the proposal for setting up junior agricultural schools in the Fourth Plan with a view to pro- viding good vocational education in agriculture and in allied profes- sions to students. The Committee welcomed the ideas underlying the scheme. The Committee, however, was of the view that admis- sion to such schools should be restricted mainly to children of fami- lies which own lands or farms or to children who could be employed on farms.
Item No. 3: Basic Education-to consider the progress made so far and suggest the lines of further action.
The Committee considered the Paper placed before it and after a general discussion agreed with the line of approach suggested by the National Board of Basic Education, which met in February, 1965, and its recommendations are reproduced below :
"(1) Education at the elementary stage throughout the country should progressively, and as quickly as possible be made to conform to the system of Basic education. The existing Basic schools should be strengthened and developed fully to become effective Basic schools of high standard. The remaining elementary schools should be enabled to progress towards the same goal by introduction of ap- propriate activities, the particular crafts to be adopted in each school
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being selected to suit local environments. (ii) Post-Basic schools should be developed as an integral part of the system of education at the secondary stage. The existing post-Basic schools should be specially strengthened to rise to a high standard. Adequate provi- sion should be made in all secondary schools for production centred and other programmes as a continuation of Basic education at the elementary stage. (iii) Teacher training institutions should also be strengthened adequately so that teachers trained therein are compe- tent to implement the programme of Basic education more effective- ly. This strengthening would include reorganisation of curriculum, establishment of model Basic schools for practice teaching, provision of residential accommodation and physical facilities for organising community and other activities. (iv) Educational administration in the Centre as well as in the States should be suitably strengthened and oriented to achieve the object of developing a sound system of Basic education."
Item No. 4: Separate education for boys and girls in schools and
colleges, (Govt. of Kerala). The Committee agreed with the views of the Government of Kerala and noted that as in most States separate institutions for girls were being opened at the secondary and collegiate levels when- ever the number of girls justified, the opening of such institutions and it is not necessary to put it before the Central Advisory Board of Education at its next Session.
Rem No. 5: Inservice training of teachers and their future work.
Kerala). While agreeing that secondary schools should be equipped and staffed properly, the Committee emphasized the need for an adequate programme of inservice training for improving the professional com- petence of teachers. It, however, felt that it was not necessary for this item to be placed before the Central Advisory Board of Educa- tion.
Item No. 6: More generous provision for technical or vocational
education at the post-matriculation stage. (Govt. of
(Kerala). This was taken up under item 2.
Item No. 7: Implementation and development of the programme of
education in international understanding in further-
ance of the East-West Major Project and Associated
Schools Project of Unesco. (Ministry of Education). The Committee approved the Unesco programme of education for International Understanding in secondary schools and teacher- training institutes and suggested that this programme should be in- troduced in a limited way in selected secondary institutions. It, however, felt that it was not necessary for this item to be placed be- fore the Central Advisory Board of Education.
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Item No. 8: Social Studies. (Govt. of Mysore) While considering the point raised by the Government of My- sore, the Committee noted the useful work which was being done in the Department of Curriculum, Textbooks and Methods of the Rational Council of Educational Research & Training. The Com- mittee was also informed that the Education Commission was al- ready seized of the problem raised by the Government of Mysore in regard to social studies. The Standing Committee agreed that it was necessary to examine most carefully the teaching of social stu- dies in schools and the impact thereof, and further recommended that as the Education Commission is examining the entire question it would be advisable to await the findings of the Education Com- mission for deciding upon the line of action to be pursued in future.
Item No. 9: Inclusion of the scheme for technical high schools in
the Central Plan for financial assistance. (Govt. of
Gujarat). This was taken up along with Item No. 2.
Item No. 10 : Extension services project for primary teachers train- ing schools on the lines of extension services pro- ject for secondary teachers training colleges.
The Committee noted that the National Institute of Basic Edu- cation, N.C.E.R.T. had established over 40 Extension Services Cen- tres for inservice training of elementary teachers. The Committee recommended that this useful programme should be strengthed and expanded during the Fourth Plan.
Item No. 11: Improvement of conditions of service of teachers in
the Fourth Plan. With the permission of the Chair, the urgent need for increas- ing the salaries of teachers at the school level was then taken up. Introducing the subject, the representatives of Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal stressed the urgent need to bring about qualitative im- provement in the existing system and said that unless qualified and trained teachers were attracted to the teaching profession the effec- tive implementation of the scheme contemplated in Fourth Plan would be well nigh impossible. Opinion was unanimous that unsatis- factory salary scales were the main reasons why persons of the re- quisite calibre were not being attracted to the teaching profession. Al- though during the Third Plan period, the Centre and the State Gov- ernments have made a systematic effort in this direction, the results so far achieved have not been commensurate with the needs.
A general discussion thereafter followed in which attempts made since the attainment of Independence were reviewed. The Committee agreed on the urgent need to take effective steps to meet the situation. It was realised that the financial implication of the problem has been the main obstacle in taking any effective measures in this connection. The Committee recommended that the expendi- ture involved in raising the salary scales of teachers should form an integral part of the Plan expenditure, as the entire resources of the States have already been tied with the Fourth Five Year Plan.