APPENDIX J : INTEGRATION OF THE WORK AND PLANS OF ALL-INDIA RADIO IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION WITH THOSE OF THE CENTRAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
The All India Radio has been broadcasting educational programmes from seventeen stations (Jullundur, Delhi, Lucknow Allahabad, Patna, Calcutta, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Bombay, Ahmedabad, Poona, Rajkot, Bangalore, Trivandrum and Madras, Tiruchi-Vijayawada) and programmes for the universities from six stations. It is, however, felt that fuller advantage could be taken of these broadcasts if concerted efforts were made by the All-India Radio, the Ministry of Education, the State Departments of Education and the Universities. At present, the liaison between the All-India Radio and the State Departments and the Universities is rather weak. The All India Radio has been endeavouring to improve programmes by making them responsive to the needs of the listeners and by seeking the advice and guidance of Consultative Panels set up in, broadcasting stations as also by studying the programmes and policies of the Ministry of Education. In August last, the All India Radio appointed Shri C.L. Kapur, retired Education Secretary and Director of Public Instruction, successively of Panjab, and PEPSU as Chief Producer of Educational Programmes at the Directorate. Steps are being taken to appoint Assistant Producers of Educational Programmes at stations putting out school broadcasts. For effective utilisation of educational broadcasts, however, it is necessary to organise listening as also preparatory and follow-up activities. It will also be necessary to set tip, in selected teacher training institutions and the better equipped schools, a monitoring service, so that the All India Radio has the advantage of constructive criticism from practical educationists. The relation of school broadcasts to curricular and prescribed courses and classroom instruction, has so far, been in a state of vague indefinition. A plan to make school broadcasts integral part of school work will have to be evolved and place will have to be given to listening educational broadcasts in the assessment of students' work in the promotion examination. The pooling of the resources of AIR and of State Departments, will also need examination.
Another point that will need the attention of the Central Advisory Board is the appointment of liaison officers by the State Departments of Education.
The standardisation, purchase and repairs and maintenance of radio receiving-sets and of providing playback facilities in educational institutions will need thought and action. Yet another point is the
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inclusion of a few topics on radio education in the training of teachers.
To give radio education a status in the eyes of people working in the field of education, it will be necessary to include some mention of the position of radio education in the annual report on the working of the State Education Departments. Similarly, it could be insisted that Inspectors of Schools while inspecting schools should include in their log-book remarks an assessment of the position of organised listening to school broadcasts in the institutions inspected.
Some states have already established an audio visual aids section in the Directorate of Education. The desirability of adopting this plan in other States may also be discussed.
Some States have levied special fee for audio-visual education, as for instance Hyderabad. The question of levying similar fees in other States, will also need discussion.
Copy of a circular letter written by the Director General, All- India Radio to Education Secretaries and State Directors of Education inviting their cooperation is added.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DIRECTORATE GENERAL, ALL INDIA RADIO Broadcasting House, Parliament Street, New Delhi.
No. 3(8) P3/56 Dated :-10.8.1956.
My dear
I am writing to seek your cooperation for the full utilisation of school programmes broadcast by the All-India Radio. There has been so much emphasis on audio-visual education recently that it is hardly necessary for me to stress the importance of education through the radio. I had the privilege of meeting some Directors of Public Instruction at the UNESCO seminar on audio-visual education held last year at Lucknow. We had then discussed both aspects of this question viz., improvement of the programmes broadcast for schools and need for organised listening in the schools.
2. So far as the improvement of programmes is concerned, All India Radio wishes to make the programmes as responsive as possible to the needs of schools and to the advice of expert educationists. You will be glad to know that Shri C.L. Kapur Retired, Director of Public Instruction, Punjab and the PEPSU, who has had wide and varied experience of education in different phases has been appointed the Chief Producer of Educational Broadcasts in the All-India Radio, Besides we are going the appoint persons with practical experience of education and with aptitude of presentation of programmes, as Assistant Producers (School Broadcasts) at different stations. On the basis of experience gained in regions where school broadcasts have been a success some general instructions to the AIR stations are
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being issued and it is hoped that after these steps have been taken there will be uniform improvement in school broadcasts all over the country.
3. Much of this effort will, however, be of no avail of organised listening of these programmes in schools having radio sets is not arranged and if these programmes are not followed up by further discussions in the class room, group activities, written and oral exercises and occasional assessment of listeners. Whatever be the views on the general nature and value of audio-visual methods of education, it will be accepted on all hands that radio programmes could give to a large number of schools that are not fortunate in having teachers of uniform ability in all subjects, the facility of lessons and talks by some of the best teachers and authorities on these subjects. Likewise, it will perhaps be conceded by all that carefully planned and presented radio programmes for schools do make a difference to the general knowledge of pupils, so important in present-day education. Thus, there is a strong case for treating school programmes as an integral part of the regular studies in schools. In any case, listening and follow-up discussions about school broadcasts could be treated as part of social studies and general knowledge studies of the pupils and could be taken into account at the time of annual promotions and assessments.
How exactly this should be done will depend upon the conditions in different States. I shall be grateful if you could consider the following, among other, suggestions :
(a) Instructions may be issued to heads of schools to the effect that school broadcasts may be treated as a regular item of school routine and not merely as an extra-curriculum activity.
(b) Wherever there are radio sets, organised listening may be ensured by drawing up a time table so that by rotation (or through internal relay system) classes might hear programmes under the guidance of teachers. Even where class wise listening is not possible, radio clubs could be formed ant) credit could be given to the regular members of such clubs for the progress shown by them as a result of regular listening of the programmes. For every such club there should be a teacher-sponsor.
(c) School managements could be asked to give allowances to teachers in charge of organised listening by pupils, just as allowances are given to drill- masters, scout-masters, teachers in charge of first-aid etc.
(d) Short training courses might be arranged at schools and colleges with the assistance of the local Assistant Station Director of the All-India Radio and the Director, Staff Training School, AIR, New Delhi at these courses, selected teachers could be given an idea of the technique of school broadcasts and teaching through audio-visual aids.
(e) The Programme to enable schools to own radio sets for educational purposes may be speeded up and an attempt may be made to encourage every high or higher secondary school to have a set.
Knowing as I do your interest in modern methods of education I have ventured to offer these suggestions and I shall look forward to
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having your reactions. Since the AIR is spending a considerable sum of money over educational programmes you will appreciate our anxiety to see that the expenditure is justified by the extent and manner of listening in educational institutions. The Chief Producer of Educa- tional Programmes, Shri C.L. Kapur, will continue to be in touch with you and will also be writing to you from time to time.
Thanking you.
Yours sincerely, Sd/- J.C. Mathur
To
All State Directors of Public Instruction & Directors of Education
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