APPENDIX J (b)- REPORTS OF EDUCATION MINISTERS' CONFERENCE HELD ON 19TH AND 20TH FEB. 1949 AND A MEETING OF PROVINCIAL OFFICERS-IN-CHARGE OF SOCIAL EDUCATION HELD ON 25TH JULY 1949
In order to implement the recommendations of the Final Report of Adult (Social) Education Committee of the Central Advisory Board of Education (1948) a Conference of Provincial Education Ministers was convened in New Delhi on 19th-20th February, 1949. The Conference recommended that Social Education in the Provinces should as far as
possible proceed along the lines laid down in the Scheme prepared by the Government of India, the chief features of which were : the provision of Social Education classes run by teachers and volunteers, audio-visual aids, post literacy facilities and a suitable administrative machinery.It was also decided to reserve Rs. 10 lacs out of Rs. 1 crore, set apart by the Centre for Social Education, for Central Activities and distribute the remaining 90 lacs among the Provinces in proportion to their illiterate populations. Each Province was asked to contribute to its Social Education Fund an amount at least equal to that received by it from the Centre during a period of 3 years.
The Conference asked the Universities to investigate the desirability or otherwise of mobilising students for Literacy work, and also recommended a set-up to further the use of films in Social Education.
Again, on 25th July, 1949 a meeting of Provincial Officers-in- Charge of Social Education was held in New Delhi to co-ordinate more closely the Social Education Work of the Provinces. The meeting appointed a committee to prepare a Social Education Handbook for teachers and Social Workers. It standardised the Social Education courses (180 hours to be covered in 90 days) and fixed the students to teacher ratio (30-1). The meeting advised the Teacher Training Colleges and Normal Schools to include teaching of adults as a compulsory subject in their curricula and also recommended to the Provinces to institute short term refresher courses and Mobile Units for training Social Education Workers. It also recommended the preparation of suitable literature and charts for maintaining and promoting literacy and Social Education.
The Provinces were asked to submit their schemes of Social Education to the Government of India at an early date to enable it to pay them their shares from the Central Social Education Fund. Unfortunately, by the time the Provinces had sent their schemes the financial situation of the country had deteriorated and it was possible to pay only on the basis of the expenditure actually incurred by the Provinces and their firm commitments.
Copies of the Reports of the Conference and the Meeting are submitted for consideration.
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REPORT OF THE EDUCATION MINISTERS' CONFERENCE HELD
IN NEW DELHI ON THE 19TH-20TH FEBRUARY, 1949. At the meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education held at Allahabad on 6th-9th January, 1949, the final report of Adult (Social) Education Committee appointed last year by the Board was adopted with a few minor modifications. The question of calling a meeting of the Provincial Education Ministers in New Delhi sometime in February 1949, for the purpose of considering the implementation of the scheme was also informally discussed.
2. Accordingly, the Conference met in New Delhi on the 19th- 20th February, 1949, under the chairmanship of the Hon'ble Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Minister of Education, Government of India. The following were present :-
The Hon'ble Shri Gopi Nath Bardoloi.-Assam.
The Hon'ble Acharya Badri Nath Verma.-Bihar.
The Hon'ble Shri B. G. Kher.-Bombay.
The Hon'ble Shri T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiar.-Madras.
The Hon'ble Pandit Lingaraj Mirsa.-Orissa.
The Hon'ble Shri H. N. Roy Chaudhury.-West Bengal.
Dr. Tara Chand, Educational Adviser to the Government of India, Ministry of Education.
Prof. Humayun Kabir, Joint Educational Adviser to the Government of India, Ministry of Education.
Shri Ram Saran Upadhyaya.-Bihar.
Shri B. D. Joshi.-Bombay.
Shri G. C. Chatterjee.-East Punjab.
Dr. V. S. Jha.-Central Provinces and Berar.
Shri T. P. Santanakrishna Naidu.-Madras.
Shri Chuni Lal Sahni.-United Provinces
Shri A. Kazmi.-Jammu & Kashmir.
Dr. D. M. Sen.-West Bengal.
As the Hon'ble Maulana Abul Kalam Azad could not attend on the 20th, the Hon'ble Shri B. G. Kher acted as Chairman in his place.
Shri L. R. Sethi, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Education, acted as Secretary to the Conference.
3. The Agenda before the conference is given in the annexure I.
4. Papers circulated to the members along with the Agenda are given in the annexure II.
The importance of implementing as early as possible the educational development programme was emphasised by the Hon'ble Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Minister of Education, Government of India, in his inaugural speech. He stressed the need of making an immediate start with the scheme for Social Education and the training of teachers required for the spread of basic education, He pointed out that freedom
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had roused great expectations among the people, but the unprecedented problems which came in the wake of the partition of the country and later on the financial difficulties which India faced in recent months had unfortunately held up progress in all spheres of national activity. The Government, said the Chairman, were anxious to devise ways and means by which inspite of the financial stringency a start should be made for the implementation of the educational schemes. While it was important to improve the financial position of the country as soon as possible, the urgent need for the spread of education could not be minimized.
The Hon'ble Minister also said that the committee on Social Education appointed by the Central Advisory Board of Education had recommended that the education of adults should not be confined to imparting literacy alone, but should give them training in the elements of citizenship. This was a task which could not wait. He hoped that all the Provinces would agree to make a start with the social education schemes during the next financial year. He also stressed the importance of making a beginning in training basic education teachers. In view of the large number of teachers required to implement the basic education schemes, he expressed the willingness of the Ministry of Education to extend financial assistance to the provinces.
5. The Conferences carefully considered the Memorandum given in the annexure and recommended that Social Education in the Provinces should proceed along the lines laid down in scheme (b) of the Memorandum;
Provided that the number of teachers required for the scheme should be calculated on the basis of one teacher for 90 adults, each teacher taking three batches of 30 adults each during a year.
6. The Conference accepted the proposal of the Government of India that of the sum of Rs. 1 crore earmarked by the Centre for Social Education, 10 lacs may be reserved for central activities and the remaining Rs. 90 lacs distributed to the provinces.
It was agreed that the 90 lacs of rupees at the disposal of the Ministry of Education should be distributed among the provinces in proportion to the number of illiterate population in each. The population should be calculated on the basis of the 1941 census after allowing for increase or decrease on account of partition of India or merger of States. The Provinces would be required to contribute an amount equal to the Central subvention but in order to help Provinces which may find it difficult to provide their full quota in the first year, it was agreed that each Province should submit the first three years' scheme of their five-year programme on Social Education and spread their contribution over the three years in any manner they liked, provided their quota at the end of the three year period equalled that of the Centre.
The Hon'ble Gopi Nath Bardoloi (Assam) and the Hon'ble Harendra Nath, Chaudhury (West Bengal) wished to place on record their views that backward Provinces and Provinces that had particularly Suffered from the partition should be given special grants in addition to what they were entitled to on the basis of illiterate population.
7. The Conference was of the opinion that there was no need for a Central Board of Social Education. The Ministry of Education could whenever they considered it necessary, call together an ad hoc body for expert advice on any matter pertaining to social education.
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8. In connection with the implementation of the approved scheme of Social Education, the Conference made the following observations :-
(i) The Provinces should review their own schemes of Social Education so as to bring them in line with the scheme approved in the Conference;
(ii) The Universities should be requested to investigate the desirability or otherwise of mobilizing students for literacy work;
(iii) Existing Normal Schools and Training Colleges should include in their courses the theory and methods of teaching adults ;
(iv) The Centre should maintain a union/catalogue of films and film strips acquired or prepared by the Ministry of Education and the provinces, and circulate periodically to all the Provinces fresh entries on the Union Catalogue.
(v) The Government of India should encourage the use of visual-aids by-
(a) facilitating the supply of raw films and projectors to the Provinces, and
(b) making the tax on projectors refundable on produc- tion of a certificate from the Provincial Government that the projectors were being used for educational purposes;
(vi) The Provinces should start circulating libraries.
9. The Conference authorised the Hon'ble Minister of Education to decide the basis for the distribution among the Provinces of the grant for training of teachers for Basic Education.
In his concluding remarks, the chairman of the second session, the Hon'ble Shri B. G. Kher, asked the Provinces Governments to consider the value of Museums as agencies of Social Education. He expressed his thanks to Provincial Ministers for Education and their Advisers for the cooperation given by them in the work of the Conference.
The Conference terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chair proposed by Dr. Tara Chand.
ANNEXURE I.
AGENDA 1. To consider the Scheme of Adult (Social) Education, as given in the Memorandum.
2. To consider the allotment of Rs. 90 lakhs among the different Provinces.
3. To consider the Constitution and functions of the Central Board of Social and Adult Education and its relation with the Provincial Boards.
4. To consider the question of implementation of the Scheme.
5. To consider the plan of utilizing the grants for Basic Education (Teacher's Training).
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ANNEXURE II
MEMORANDUM ON SOCIAL EDUCATION 1. The Report on Adult (Social) Education prepared by the Committee of Central Advisory Board of Education- envisages a reduction of 50 per cent illiteracy in 5 years within the age group 12-45. It has therefore the following implications
2. Total estimated illiterate population of Indian Provinces (Vide Appendix 'A').-20 crores.
Estimated percentage of age group 12-45, 43 per cent. allowing for increase of population and other factors, the total illiterate population to be educated in ten years.-9 crores.
Average population to be educated in one year.-90 lacs.
3. The main responsibility of educating 90 lacs adults In one year will fall on teachers, whose number (1945-46 figures) are follows
Teachers in Primary Schools.-4 lacs.
Teachers in Middle & High Schools.-1 1/2 lacs.
Main recruiting field will be from the category of teachers in primary schools.
4. Two schemes possible
(a) Scheme depending entirely on teachers
Number of adults which one teacher can teach in one class-60. Hence 90 lacs of adults will need-1 1/2 lac teachers.
Actually, since the syllabus of Social Education recommended at
Appendix.'B' can be done by a teacher taking a daily class for about 2 hours in 6 months, there will be only 75,000 classes at a time in the whole of the country.
(b) Scheme using teachers as well as volunteers
Teachers will teach in 6 months.-60 lacs.
Volunteers will teach in summer camps in 2 months.-30 lacs.
Number of teachers required.-1 lac.
Number of volunteers required including 5,000 leaders- 55,000.
5. Spread over 5 years the cost per adult educated comes for
Scheme(a) = Rs. 27/- per adult. Scheme(b) =Rs. 30/4/- per adult.
6. It is assumed that no building expenditure will be required for working this scheme of Social Education.
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7. The detailed scheme for 5 years is as follows :-
Estimated Expenditure for
1949-50 1950-51 1951-52 1952-53 1953-54
Item Rec. Non-Rec. Rec. Non-Rec. Rec. Non-Rec. Rec. Non-Rec. Rec. Non-Rec.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
(a) SCHEME UTILISING SERVICES OR 1,50,000 TEACHERS IN A YEAR i.e., 75,000 CLASSES AT
A TIME.
(i) Recurring expenditure
on teachers and adult st-
udents.
1. Allowance to teachers Rs.
10 per teachers per month or 90,00,000 90,00,000 90,00,000 90,00,000 90,00,000
Rs.60/- for 6 months Rs 1/-
per adult.
2. Supervisors 1 for every
50 class, grade Rs. 50-Rs. 14,40,000 14,40,000 14,40,000 14,40,000 14,40,000
-90 p.m. -20/- D.A.Average
Rs. 80/-., 1,500 supervis-
ors.
3. Equipment for 90 lacs
adults; Books, slates,tak- 2,92,50,000 2,92,50,000 2,92,50,000 2,92,50,000 2,92,50,000
hties, exercise books and
necessary stationery stat-
ionery Rs. 3/4/-per adult.
4. Prizes for 3 adults in
a class Rs. 5/- per adult. 22,50,000 22,50,000 22,50,000 22,50,000 22,50,000
5. Cost of Kerosene oil-
13.50 lacs tins @ Rs. 6/- 81,00,000 81,00,000 81,00,000 81,00,000 81,00,000
per tin-9 tins for one
class.
Contingencies Rs. 5/- per 45,00,000 45,00,000 45,00,000 45,00,000 45,00,000
month
Total 5,45,40,000 5,45,40,000 5,45,40,000 5,45,40,000 5,45,40,000
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(ii) Non-recurring expen-
diture on teacher and adu-
lt students.
1. Chowkies for teachers Rs.
15/-, Black Board for class 22,50,000 .. .. .. ..
Rs. 30/- per class 75,000 X
30.
2. Petromax lamps. 3 lamps
per class Rs. 50/-per lamp 1,22,25,000 .. .. .. ..
75 X 150.
3.Matting for 45 lacs adu-
lt -1 yd.per adult Rs. 1/8/- 67,25,000 .. .. .. ..
per yd.
Total 2,12,00,000 .. .. .. ..
(iii) Visual and Audal App-
aratus.
1. Radios-one for every cla-
ss @ Rs.500/- including bat- 3,75,00,000 .. .. .. ..
tery set.
2. Mobile Films Units Cost
Rs.30,000 for 1 fully equip- 7,50,00,000
ped unit. If one centre is
visited once in a month, it
will require 2500 vans.
3.Cost of Films, 4 units on
one visit, i.e.,24 units for 36,00,00,000 .. .. .. ..
one class @ Rs. 200/-per un-
it
Total 47,25,00,000
(iv) Working and mainten-
ance costs of visual and
audal apparatus.
1. Working and Maintena-
nce of radios :
(a) Working and Maintena-
nce cost of radio Rs. 10/- 90,00,000 90,00,000 90,00,000 90,00,000 90,00,000
per month each.
(b) Replacement of batte-
ries repairs etc.Rs. 100/- 75,00,000 75,00,000 75,00,000 75,00,000 75,00,000
per year per radio.
2. Working and maintena-
nce of mobile film units.
Rs. 250/ per month. 75,00,000 75,00,000 75,00,000 75,00,000 75,00,000
Totals .. 1,65,00,000 2,40,00,000 2,40,00,000 2,40,00,000 2,40,00,000
Totals (i) to (iv) Scheme
(a) 7,10,40,000 7,10,00,000 7,10,00,000 7,10,00,000 7,10,00,000
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
(b) SCHEME UTILISING SERVICES OF 1 LAC TEACHERS, 50,000 VOLUNTEERS 5,000 LEADERS
i.e., 1 LAC ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES AND 5,000 SUMMER CAMPS.
1. Allowances to teach-
ers i.e., Rs. 60/- per 60,00,000 60,00,000 60,00,000 60,00,000 60,00,000
year.
2. Supervisors-1 for ev-
ery 50 classes i.e., 9,60,000 9,60,000 9,60,000 9,60,000 9,60,000
2,000 in all Rs. 80/-per
Supervisor for 6 months.
3. Equipment for 90 lacs
adults Books, Slates,ta- 2,92,50,000 2,92,50,000 2,92,50,000 2,92,50,000 2,92,50,000
khties, exercise books
and necessary stationery
Rs. 3/4/-per adult.
4. Prizes for 3 adults in 22,50,000 22,50,000 22,50,000 22,50,000 22,50,000
a class Rs. 5/- per adult.
5.Kerosene oil 9 lacs time
(in classes) .. 54,00,000 54,00,000 54,00,000 54,00,000 54,00,000
6. Contingencies Rs.5/-p.m.
(a) Classes .. .. .. 30,00,000 30,00,000 30,00,000 30,00,000 30,00,000
(b) in camps .. .. .. 5,00,000 5,00,000 5,00,000 5,00,000 5,00,000
7. T.A. for 50,000 volunt-
eers and 5,000 leaders,Rs. 5,50,000 5,00,000 5,50,000 5,50,000 5,50,000
10/- per volunteer.
Messing charges for 50,000
Volunteers & 5,000 leaders 66,00,000 66,00,000 66,00,000 66,00,000 66,00,000
Rs. 2/-per person per day
for 60 days.
Total .. 5,54,10,000 5,54,10,000 5,54,10,000 5,54,10,000 5,54,10,000