IV SPEECH OF KM. SELJA, DEPUTY
 MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND
 CULTURE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN
 RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
 

I wish to join the Union Education Secretary in extending a warm welcome to the members of this August body and the special invitees. I feel privileged to participate in this meeting of the CABE. This meeting has a special significance in that it is considering a Programme of Action which would guide the educational development of the country for the next few years. It is my belief that the draft POA which has been presented to you for consideration spells out concrete measures for action in important areas of national endeavour like the universalisation of elementary education, adult literacy, vocationalisation and enhancement of standards. With your experience and perspective, I am sure, we would be receiving valuable suggestions for better management of programmes.

2. The efficiency of implementation of any programme is to be judged not by the yard stick of money spent but by the effectiveness of these programmes and the contribution to the betterment of the life of the people. This is especially so when the economy is facing a resource crunch. While all efforts are made to ensure higher allocation for education, we will have to make optimum use of the available resources. The monitoring and evaluation of the programmes have, therefore, to be perceived from the utility angle.

3. Vocationalisation of education is very important. We are having more and more youth with graduate and postgraduate degrees but without readily marketable skills. It is true that education does not guarantee employment but it is the bounden duty of educationists to ensure that the products of education institutions are employable. The stress-of vocational education, therefore, is on turning out skilled persons who can join wage-employment or self employment. In the vocational education programmes it is necessary to pay specific attention to girls and to impart them non-stereotyped and modern skills.

4. The need of the hour is to lay more stress on the education of women. The problem of universalisation of elementary education is virtually the problem of the girl child. Participation of girls is considerably lower than boys at all stages of education and the drop out rates are invariably high. Girls are grossly under-represented in science courses, vocational and technical education. Gender concerns should cut across all education programmes. Serious efforts need to be made at all levels to create the conducive condition for participation of women and girls on an equal footing with men. The Revised Policy Formulations, which were laid in the Parliament recently, in May 1992, envisaged that at least fifty per cent of the teachers recruited should be women. I would appeal to my colleagues from States to ensure that this provision is translated into a reality, for appointment of women teachers would give a fillip to the enrolment of girls and their retention in schools. In adult literacy programmes there should be a focus on women for women literacy has an important connection with problems like population control, nutrition and health. The torch of knowledge is to be carried through the hands of women as they are the ones who nurse and nurture the young. The light of the home has to become the light of the nation. Then only we will become a nation who can hold its head high with pride in the comity of nations. I am sure the sincere implementation of this Programme of Action will lead us to that prospect.

5. I am sure that today's deliberations would offer valuable suggestions for better implementation of the action plan.

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