APPENDIX E :
INTRODUCTION OF BASIC EDUCATION IN
 ANGLO-INDIAN AND CONVENT SCHOOLS
 AND SIMILAR OTHER INSTITUTIONS
 

The principles and technique of Basic education are recognised as educationally and psychologically valuable for Elementary schools. The C.A.B.E. has recommended the adoption of this system for all Elementary schools. If the principles and technique, are sound there is no reason why they should not be, given a trial, even though in a small measure, in Convent and Anglo-Indian schools. These schools provide education to a large number of children of the upper middle class in major towns of India. In certain respects e.g. standard of smartness, manners and personality-development, these schools act as a model to the general schools where the standard of fees and therefore of qualification of staff etc., is lower.

It therefore, desirable that, at these institutions, the new system of Basic education should be given a trial. Unless that is done the children of the upper middle class in cities and towns will remain out of this important national experiment. There will also be a suspicion in the minds of the common people whose children go to the general schools that the technique and principles

+ Proceedings not attached. Please see printed Proceedings of the Conference of University teachers of History regarding teaching of History in the Universities held on the 6th and 7th March, 1954.

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of Basic education are not considered to be sound for the children of the upper middle class.

The suggestion here is not that the Anglo-Indian and Convent schools should be compelled immediately to change over to the Basic system, but they should be called upon to join this important national experiment by introducing in some classes this technique. Already crafts are practised as hobbies in some of these schools. These crafts can now be included in the regular curriculum and in some classes the method of co-relation may also be attempted for the teaching of general subjects through crafts. Before this is done, selected teachers from these schools may be placed under training in a specially organised camp where principles of Basic education and its technique should be thoroughly discussed.

It is suggested that this recommendation may be made by the Central Advisory Board of Education to the Ministry of Education who should call upon the Board of Anglo-Indian Education as well as institutions individually to join the experiment. Secondly, the Ministry may be requested to organise a training course for these teachers and to sanction grants to each State Government for assisting these schools for the non-recurring expenditure in giving a trial to Basic education.