 III. ELEMENTARY EDUCATION IN THE
 FOURTH PLAN

Pre-Primary Education

Pre-Primary education is important for the physical, mental and emotional development of children. The need for pre-primary education is particularly great in the case of children from slum areas or from poor families whose home environment is unsatisfactory. Children who attend pre-primary classes show better results at the primary stage, the incidence of wastage and stangnation being comparatively lower in their cases. Every encouragement should, therefore, be given in the Fourth Plan to voluntary organisations to expand facilities for pre- primary education, particularly in the rural areas. On account of the constraint on resources, Government's role will be limited to the following programmes which may be included in the Plan :-

(a) Setting up in each State at least one institute with an attached model nursery school for organising training of teachers, production of literature and experimentation;

(b) Opening a limited number of schools in slum areas;

(c) Providing grant-in-aid on a limited scale to municipalities and corporations for setting up pre-primary schools in industrial are s for children of workers; and

(d) Organising low-cost pre-school classes in rural areas with community support.

An ad hoc provision of Rs. 2.00 crore is made for these programmes of which Rs. 1.00 crore is shown under "teacher training sector" and Rs. 1.00 crore under the Elementary Education Sector.

Elementary Education-The Main Objectives

2. The programmes in the elementary education sector have been drawn up keeping in view the following broad objectives:-

(a) By the end of the Fourth Plan the facilities for primary education (classes I-IV/V) should be spread all over the country so that no child may have to walk more than one mile to attend the nearest primary school. As for the middle stage (classes V/VI- VII/VIII), steps should be taken to expand facilities during the Fourth and Fifth Plans, in such a manner that by the end of the Fifth Plan, a middle school should be within a walking distance of three miles of every pupil in the country. The Second Educational Survey will provide guidance in regard to the location of new schools.

(b) The Constitutional directive regarding provision of universal education for all children up to the age of 14 years should be achieved latest by 1990-91 and the provision for universal education for all children in the age-group 6-11 should be completed by 1980-81. Since conditions vary widely, each- State will have to work out its own perspective plan of elementary education and decide upon the enrolment targets for the Fourth Plan keeping in view this long-term perspective. In fact, it will be useful to prepare a pers- pective plan for each district.

(c) Wastage and stagnation should be eliminated in the next 15 to 20 years according to a phased programme. In the Fourth Plan, a definite target of reduction of wastage and stagnation, by say 25% of the present incidence, should be laid down and vigorous efforts made to achieve it.

(d) A core programme for raising the standard of elementary education should be implemented in the Fourth Plan. This will include the revision and upgrading of curriculum, the preparation of better textbooks, the provision of minimum physical facilities, the improvement of facilities for the teaching of science and the introduction of work experience.

(e) Salaries and conditions of service of teachers should be improved. The facilities for pre-service training of teachers should be adequate in number and quality. The proportion of untrained, teachers should be progressively reduced. The facilities for in- service training should be expanded and opportunities and incentives should be provided to teachers to improve their academic and professional qualifications.

Location of new schools

3. As stated already, the target in the Fourth Plan is to provide a primary school (classes I-IV/V) within easy reach of every child. The Second Educational Survey reveals that only about 5% of the rural population do not have facilities for primary education. The Survey identified about 16,000 habitations with population of 300 and above which are not served by the existing primary schools. During the Fourth Plan the highest priority should be given to the opening of primary schools in these and groups of other habitations which have a total population of 300 and above. In regard to middle school education (classes IV/V-VII/VIII), the Survey shows that in 1965-66, 82.25% of the rural population living in 7,12,894 habitations had the necessary facilities i.e. children in these habitations did not have to walk more than three miles to attend middle classes. According to the Survey, about 4,000 to 5,000 habitations with population 1,500 and above were not served by the existing middle, schools. In locating new middle schools during the Fourth and Fifth Plans, preference should be given to these habitations, and groups of other habitations with a total population of 1,500 and above. With the help of the Survey, a district-wise programme of opening new schools during the Fourth Plan should be prepared keeping in view the targets indicated in para 2(a).

Targets of additional enrolments

4. It has been stated that each State should work out the addi- tional numbers of pupils which it must enrol during the Fourth Plan in order to achieve the targets indicated in paragraph 2(b) above. In the case of the age-group 6-11, the minimum effort which the country would need to make is to enrol about 180 lakh additional pupils in classes IN during the Fourth Plan so as to raise the overall percentage of enrolment in that age-group from about 79.2 in 1968-69 to about 92.2 in 1973-74. Since additional enrolment in classes VI- VIII during the Fourth Plan will depend on the number enrolled in the lower classes and the transfer ratio from these classes, it has been estimated that it will be feasible to enrol 60 lakh additional pupils in these classes. In addition, it is proposed to enrol about 10 lakh more pupils through the provision of part-time education. If these targets are realised the percentage of enrolment in the age group 11- 14 will rise from 34.7 in 1968-69 to 45.9 at the end of the Fourth Plan. The details may be seen in Statements I & II:

Cost of additional enrolment

5. (i) it has been assumed that the average annual salary of a trained matriculate teacher during the Fourth Plan will be Rs. 2,000/- and that of a trained graduate Rs. 3,000/-. It has also been assumed that the new teachers appointed in primary classes (I-IV/V) during the PI-an period will be mostly trained matriculates. In the middle classes, about one-fourth of the total number of teachers recruited during the Fourth Plan will be trained graduates, as against 17% graduate teachers at this stage during 1965-66.

(ii) The teacher-pupil ratio in primary classes is about 1: 40 at present. It will be extremely difficult to find the necessary financial resources to enrol 180 lakh additional pupils and maintain the present teacher-pupil ratio. It would, therefore, be advisable to introduce in the primary classes the double shift system, at least in classes I & II Since the effective teaching time in these classes does not exceed 21 to 3 hours, one teacher should be able to teach the two classes under the double shift arrangement. This will make it possible to increase the teacher-pupil ratio to 1:45. In the middle classes, the teacher-pupil ratio assumed in this paper is 1:30 against the present ratio of 1:25.

(iii) Working on these assumptions the average annual cost per pupil in respect of teacher emoluments, provident fund contribution and other benefits works out to Rs. 49/- at the primary stage and Rs. 82.5 at the middle stage. To this may be added another 10% to cover the non-teacher costs, such as salaries of class IV servants, contingencies etc. The total per pupil direct cost will thus be Rs. 54 at the primary stage and Rs. 90.75 at the middle stage. The cost of part-time education has been assumed at 50% of the cost in regular full-time classes i.e. Rs. 45 per pupil per annum. With the proposed increase in the teacher-pupil ratio, existing teachers should lye able to teach 70 lakh additional children, in classes IN and 26 lakh additional children in classes VI-VIII. Thus provision for teachers, accommodation etc. has to be made for expansion of facilities for 110 lakh additional children in classes I-V and 44 lakh additional children in classes VI-VIII (including 10 lakh children through part- time education). The total cost during the Fourth Plan for the two stages will come to about Rs. 178.20 crore and Rs. 106.06 crore respectively. Assuming further that the cost to Government will be 85% of the total direct expenditure at the primary stage and 80% at the middle stage, the provisions required in the Fourth Plan for expansion of facilities at the two stages will be As. 151.30 crores and Rs. 84. 85 crore respectively.

6. (i) In addition to the programme outlined in the foregoing paragraph regarding expansion of facilities for education at the primary and middle stages, it is proposed to give the school system responsibility for imparting functional literacy to all persons in the age-group 11-17, who have either missed primary education or were unable to complete it. It is felt that part-time education from an hour to an hour and a half every day given over a period of one year should suffice to make persons in this age group functionally literate. These classes will be held in the existing primary and middle school buildings outside the normal school hours. A teacher of the school will be given an allowance of about Rs. 25/- p.m. to conduct the literacy class. Taking the average attendance as 15 per class the cost of making one person functionally literate will be about Rs. 20/- per year. Ultimately, this system should be effectively linked with the regular school system and it should be possible for a young man to pass his various examinations through this part-time study.

(ii) The Kothari Commission estimated that about 200 lakh persons in the age-group 11-13 alone could be brought under this programme. However, in view of the constraint on resources and the need for building up the programme on a sound basis it might be more prudent to keep a target of enrolment of 50 lakh pupils during -the Fourth Plan. The cost-will amount to Rs. 10 crore.

Assistance to backward States

7. A major proportions of additional enrolments will take place in some of the backward States like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. It is feared that these States will not be in a position to meet the expenditure from the State resources and the Central assistance which they may reasonably expect to receive according to the prevailing pattern. It will, therefore, be necessary id give special central grants to these States over and above the State Plan ceilings.- This special Central assistance should generally be subject to the condition that the grantee States make adequate contributions from their Plan and non-Plan resources to the funds needed for expansion of facilities for primary education.

Special programmes for girls

8. Since the major problem in achieving universal enrolment is to enrol large numbers of girls, it will be necessary in most of the States to undertake, special programmes to encourage enrolment of girls. These programmes include social enrolment drives through publicity and propaganda, provision of girls hostels and quarters for women teachers, provision of stipends for girls, appointment of school mothers, construction of separate sanitary blocks for girls in mixed schools, provision of attendance allowance for teachers etc. It is proposed to provide Rs. 20.00 crore for these programmes.

School meals and free text-books

9. The provision of free school meals and supply of free-text books is necessary in the case of poor children, particularly those living in back. ward areas. About 1 crore children ire, it present, supplied mid-day meals in schools. The food-stuffs for this purpose are being made available largely by CARE and other foreign agencies It is proposed to increase the coverage of this programme by 50 lakh children, thus covering roughly 20% of the pupils enrolled in classes IN at the end of the Fourth Plan. Various suggestions regarding the form which this programme may take in the Fourth Plan are under discussion. However, assuming the annual cost of feeding and ad- ministrative charges for one child as Rs. 20 and Rs. 5 respectively, the total cost of extending the benefit, of the school meals programme to 50 lakh additional pupils in the Fourth Plan will amount to about Rs. 37.5 crore. A phased programme of supply of free text-books to 15% of the elementary school pupils, numbering over 9 crore at the end of the Fourth Plan, at an average cost of Rs. 3 per annum will cost about Rs. 12.50 crore.

10. A programme of this magnitude can be organised only with the voluntary contribution of the community, the Government support being limited to about 25% of the expenditure i.e. about Rs. 10.00 crore for school meals and about Rs. 3.00 crore for free text-books. The percentage of State assistance will vary in inverse proportion to the prosperity of an area.

Wastage and Stagnation

11. The incidence of wastage and stagnation is about 60% in the primary classes. The incidence is particularly high in classes I and II Various studies have been made from time to time and valuable suggestions have been made by the Kothari Commission to eliminate this evil. It is proposed to lay down a definite target for the reduction of wastage and stagnation say 25% during the Fourth Plan. It will be necessary to create administrative cells at the Centre and in the States to direct and coordinate efforts to achieve this objective. A sum of Rs. 1 crore is provided for this purpose.

Qualitative improvements

12. (a) Strengthening State Institutes of Education.- To cope with the programmes of revision and upgrading of curriculum, preparation of text-books, general reading materials, teachers' hand- books and audio-visual aids and introduction of improved evaluation techniques, the State Institutes of Education will be strengthened. It is proposed to provide a sum of Rs. 1.5 lakh per year for 20 State Institutes for their development activities. The total cost during the Fourth Plan will be Rs. 1.50 crore.

(b) Buildings and equipment. -There is an actue shortage of accommodation in primary and middle schools. Apart from the heavy backlog, the new enrolment of about 110 lakh children in classes IN will require the construction of about 2,45,000 additional rooms and provision of simple equipment. It is proposed that the responsibility for providing buildings and equipment may be placed mainly on the village communities, the contribution of Government being limited to about Rs. 600/- per class-room, which will be roughly 25% of the cost. The cost to Government will amount to about Rs. 14.70 crore. Similarly, against about 1,00,000 additional class-rooms required for middle classes, it is suggested that government assistance may be provided at the rate of Rs. 1,200/- per room-Rs. 1,000/- for the class room and Rs. 200/- for equipment. The cost will amount to Rs. 12.00 crore.

(c) Introduction of work experience.- An ad hoc sum of Rs. 5 crore will be provided for, (i) research and experimentation, (ii) training courses for teachers, (iii) publication of teachers' guide- books, (iv) purchase of equipment etc. The emphasis will be on making effective use of facilities already existing in basic and other schools.

Development of Science Education

13. There are about 4,72,000 primary sections. Considering this large number, the emphasis during the Fourth Plan period should be on developing competencies of the primary school teachers for handling improved programmes of science. A selected number of schools may be equipped to develop experimental programmes and gather experience before large scale programmes are implemented.

(i) Strengthening of existing 1, 400 teacher training schools with laboratory and workshop equipment.- There are at present about 1,400 teacher training schools preparing teachers for primary schools. There are no laboratory facilities in these schools. It is proposed that in the pre-service training the content of science and its methodology should be included as an integral part of the course for all primary school teachers. To achieve this, each training school has to be

adequately provided with science and workshop equipment so that competencies of demonstration and improvising science equipment may be developed in future primary school teachers. A provision of Rs. 1.40 crores is proposed for this purpose at the rate of Rs. 10,000/- for each training school.

(ii) Provision of science kits to 21,000 primary schools.- It is proposed to provide science equipment kits to 21,000 primary schools (60 primary schools per educational district) at the rate of Rs. 200/- per kit. This will enable these schools to teach the new courses of general science more effectively. The total cost of this programme will be Rs. 42 lakhs.

(iii) In-service training of 2 1,000 primary school teachers of selected schools.- With a view to enable selected primary teachers to teach new courses of general science, the teachers of 21,000 primary schools (which are proposed for the supply of science kits) will be trained through a two month in-service programme in 700 selected neighbourhood higher secondary schools/training schools. The total cost of this programme will be Rs. 41.3 lakh.

(iv) Provision of mobile laboratory-cum-training vans.- As a pilot project to improve science teaching at the primary stage and provide in-service training to a large number of teachers through well-trained staff, it is proposed to provide 20 State Institutes of Science Education with a mobile van unit fitted with a projector, a small laboratory and a library. Important topics of the syllabus will be taught by the staff of these mobile units in selected primary schools, where teachers of the neighbourhood primary schools will observe and discuss the teaching. Each van will be provided with a trained science graduate, an under graduate and driver-cum- projectionist. The total cost of this programme will be Rs. 17 lakhs.

Middle Stage

(v) Establishing 150 science training centres in selected science colleges. -The Kothari Commission has recommended that science at the middle stage should be taught as individual disciplines of physics, chemistry and biology in place of the existing courses of general science. In order to achieve this, each middle school with a single section would need at least two science and mathematics teachers competent to teach modern courses of physics, mathematics, chemistry and biology. To train such teachers, it is proposed to run a new two year course for matriculates who will be trained as science and mathematics teachers for middle classes. 130 such training centres are proposed to be opened. The yearly intake of each centre will be 8O. The non-recurring expenditure on buildings, hostel facility and equipment is estimated at Rs. 5 lakh per centre. The training cost is estimated at Rs. 600 per trainee. Each trainee will be paid a stipend of Rs. 500 per year. These centres will prepare candidates for a course leading to diploma in science education to be awarded by the universities. The course will consist of content, methodology and practical work. The cost of this programme will be Rs. 7.50 crore non-recurring. The recurring cost of the phased programme will be Rs. 9.24 crores.

III. ELEMENTARY EDUCATION IN THE FOURTH PLAN