2. The Group noted that current status of implementation of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Teacher Education, especially the District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs). It
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felt that the scheme needed much greater attention by State Governments-especially in the matter of induction of willing, com- mitted and competent persons in these institutions, and their proper orientation. It is now three years since the scheme began. The Group felt that all-out efforts need to be made by State Governments to operationalise the maximum possible number of DIETs etc. within the next few months. It also strongly recommended that Central Government should continue assistance for salaries, programmes, etc. for all institutions sanctioned during the VII Plan for the entire VIII Plan period, besides meeting commitments of non-recurring nature.
3. The Group also noted with concern that Teacher Education Institutions which are sub-standard and/or indulging in malpractices continue to exist in some States, and in a few of them, even continue to grow. It urged State Governments to urgently take effective steps to curb such institutions.
4. The Group stressed the crucial importance of SDERTs as a support system for ECE School Education, Non-Formal Education and Teacher Education, and urged that these bodies be suitably strengthened for the purpose at the earliest, with adequate assistance from the Central Govt.
TEACHERS' REPRESENTATION IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS 1. Under Article 171 of the Constitution, voting rights in Legislative Council elections from teachers' constituencies are at present limited to teachers working in institutions `not lower in standard than that of a secondary school'.
The issue of non-inclusion of elementary teachers was discussed by the Group. It noted that these Councils at present exist in only four States. A number of views were expressed on the subject. One view was that discrimination between different types of teachers was unreasonale. Another view was that elections from teachers' constituencies resulted in considerable politicisation of teachers and affected that the smooth functioning of the education system. Yet another suggestion was that teachers, including elementary teachers, should be represented on the Councils-but through nominaton of meritorious teachers rather than through elections.
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Most members in the Group felt that the issue needed in-depth and comprehensive consideration. The Group accordingly suggested that CABE constitute a Committee to quickly go into all aspects of the matter and make its recommendations for the Board's consideration.
Educational Management Although the Group was not able to discuss educational management, it recognises the critical importance of a effective, properly functioning and people oriented decentralised system of education administration. It is, therefore, recommended that in the next meeting of the CABE the matter should be placed for in-depth consideration particularly to galvanise and revitalize the system to meet the needs of the kind of micro planning approach, we have recommended in which the communities, the people and decentralised functioning would be the main features.
PARTICIPANTS IN THE GROUP ON
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Chairperson
1. Dr. (Mrs) Kamala Das
Minister of State for Education
Orissa
Rapporteur
2. Dr. L. P. Pandey
Director, Basic Education
Government of Uttar Pradesh
3. Dr. Ramchander Purve
Education Minister
Bihar
4. Shri Ashoka Bajpai
Minister of Education
Uttar Pradesh
5. Shri K. Kandaswamy
Councellor (Education)
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
6. Dr. S. Anandalakshamy
Senior Fellow, MCRC
Madras.
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7. Dr. Syad Hasan
Director, Insan School/College
Kishanganj, Purnea
8. Dr. (Smt.) Radhika Herzberger
Director, Rishi Valley School
Chittor, Andhra Pradesh
9. Dr. D. P.Pattanayak
Bogadi Road
Mysore
10. Dr. Suman Sahai, President
T. C. S., Tilhar
Uttar Pradesh
11. Shri Kertikaya V. Sarabhai
Centre for Environment Education
Ahmedabad
12. Dr. (Smt.) J. H. Trivedi
Bombay.
13. Prof. R. H. Dave,
Chairman, MILL Committee
14. Shri K. Penchallaiah
Director of School Education
Government of Andhra Pradesh
15. Shri Phool Singh
Director, Primary Education
Government of Bihar
16. Shri A. K. Joti
Director, Higher Education Government of Gujarat
17. Shri S. S. Kaushal
Director, Primary Education
Government of Haryana
18. Shri M. L. Chandra Keerthi
Commissioner, Public Instruction
Government of Karnataka
1.9. Smt. Lizzie Jacob
Secretary (General Education)
Government of Kerala
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20. Shri Lalit Kumar Joshi
Secretary, School Education
Government of Madhya Pradesh
21. Shri S. P. Srivastava
Director, State Institute of Education
Government of Madhya Pradesh
22. Shri S. S. Salgaonkar
Director, MSERT, Pune
Government of Maharashtra
23. Prof. (Dr.) Mahapatra
Director, SCERT
Government of Orissa
24. Shri Talitsuba
Director of School Education
Government of Nagaland
25. Shri P. S. Bhupal
Director, SCERT
Government of Punjab.
26. Shri Damoddar Sharma
Director, Primary & Secondary Education
Government of Rajasthan
27. Shri T. Natchimuthu
Director of School Education
Government of Tamil Nadu
28. Shri H. S. Dhar
Hindi Education Officer
Dte. of School Education
Government of Tripura
29. Shri D. Ghosh
Director, School Education
Government of West Bengal
30. Shri S. C. Behar
Consultant, NIEPA
31. Shri S. D. Roka
Professor, NCERT
32. Shri R. P. Singh
Professor, NCERT
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33. Prof P. N. Dave
NCERT
34. Dr. C. J. Daswani
Head, Deptt. of NFE and Education of SC& ST NCERT.
35. Prof. J. S. Rajput
Joint Educational Adviser
Department of Education
Ministry of H. R. D.
36. Shri K. M. Acharya
Director
Department of Education
Ministry of H. R. D.
37. Ms. K. Dhingra
Director (EE)
Department of Education
Ministry of H. R. D.
38. Shri Amitabh Mukhopadhyay
Deputy Secretary
Department of Education
Ministry of H. R. D.
39 Shri A. K. Mehra
Deputy Secretary (NFE)
Department of Education
Ministry of H. R. D.
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