V INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY SHRI ARJUN SINGH, MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
We are meeting here today at the 48th meeting of the CABE to consider the revised Programme of Action. In the annals of this historic body, there are not many occasions when the CABE met twice in a year. The last occasion was in 1986 when two meetings of the CABE were held, one to discuss the National Policy on Education, 1986 and the second to discuss the POA. This precedent is being followed this year.
2. The Revised Policy Formulations approved by the last meeting of the CABE were, as it is, placed in both Houses of Parliament on 7th May, 1992. You would recall that at that meeting, I had observed that the Programme of Action (POA) would be revised. The draft document prepared in consultation with the, State Governments and educationists is now placed before you for consideration.
3. The experience in the implementation of the National Policy on Education and the Programme of Action has brought home to us the need for effective management of programmes and monitoring of implementation. I notice that substance is often lost in the seemingly endless debate on forms; unending analysis results in paralysis of action. It is futile to talk of goals in isolation. As has been said,
Show us not the aim without the way For ends and means on earth are so entangled. That changing one, you change the other too Each different path brings other ends in view.
(Ferdinand Lassalle)
Given the rising expectations people have from Government, in general, and of education, in particular, it is time to be action-oriented.
4. I am given to understand that the constant endeavours of the Steering Committee and Task Forces has been to make the POA more practical and action-oriented. I look forward to your valuable advice and concrete suggestions for implementing the National Policy on Education and POA.
5. This revised POA has been framed at a time when the country is faced with many challenges; the increasing strains in our country's socioeconomic milieu call for greater attention to the value and equality aspects of education. After the NPE and POA the National Curricular Framework has been formulated with a view to inculcating national values in the students. Further re-organisation of the content and process of education would be necessary so as to create awareness about national integration and adherence to certain national values and concerns such as secularism, scientific temper, an understanding of our composite culture with its rich diversities and of our history.
6. At the same time, education has to be an instrument for empowerment of women. Particular attention needs to be paid to the educational needs of SCs and STs, minorities and other disadvantaged groups who feel left out in the development process.
7. It would be necessary to pay particular attention to the cultural dimensions of education and to the modalities of integrating sports and education. The POA does deal with these aspects but there is need to bestow greater attention to them. Therefore, I propose to organise a special meeting of the CABE to discuss these issues in greater detail, in November 1992.
8. The revised POA, I hope, would be a charter for action in the next few years to come, stirring the educational community as a whole to accomplish the national goals and objectives such a UEE, adult literacy, vocationalisation of education and improvement of quality of education at all stages. In this great venture, all of us, the Union, the States, Educationists and public personalities should come together and work in unison and in concert. I would commend to the State Governments the
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recommendation in the POA that the States should formulate their own POAs keeping in view the specific situational requirements.
9. I am sure that this meeting of the CABE would be a landmark in the history of education in the country. I now call upon Smt. Chitra Naik, Member, Planning Commission, who was the chairperson of the Steering Committee, to initiate the discussion.