 EQUITY AND DIVERSITY  (NAVODAYA VIDYALAYAS)

Shri H.R. Dutt, Research Officer, State Institute of Education, Jammu (25th October, 1990)

- The Common Schools and Neighbourhood Schools should be introduced in a phased manner. The Navodaya Vidyalayas should be continued.

Shri H. Thoi Thoi Singh, Education Minister, Manipur (25th October, 1990)

- The idea of common school system in a welcome one but all educational institutions should be provided sufficient funds, infrastructure and the amenities to improve the standard of education.

Shri N. Janardhana Reddi, Minister of Education, Andhra Pradesh, (25th October, 1990)

- The Navodaya Vidyalayas are not elitist. It is through this scheme that the `have nots' are getting quality education for the first time. They should be continued. Efforts should also be made for improving the conditions of the ordinary schools.

Shri S.N. Bajpai, Education Minister, Uttar Pradesh, (25th October, 1990)

- The public school system is not really providing education of high quality but creating a sense of elitism in the students. While the common school system is good, efforts should be made for bringing improvement in the school complexes.

Shri Kishan Singh Sangwan, Education Minister, Haryana, (25th October, 1990)

- Physical facilities in the common schools should be improved with a view to improving their quality.

Shri K. Ramamurthy, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Gujarat, Gandhi Nagar (25th October, 1990)

- There should be no separate/special. schools like the Navodaya Vidyalayas. The concept of common schools is a welcome one.

Shri V. Sankara Subbaiyan, Secretary (Education), Government of Tamil Nadu, Madras, (25th October, 1990)

- Introduction of the common school system involves more expenditure. It may be tried out in selected areas on a pilot basis.

Shri K. Chandrasekharan, Education Minister, Kerala (25th October, 1990)

- Navodaya Vidyalayas should be opened in the remaining districts also.

Shri Ashok Kumar Mishra, Secretary (Education), Government of Orissa, Bhubaneswar (25th October, 1990)

- The concept of common school system is a welcome one.

Shri P. Mathew Samuel, Director of Education, Government of Pondicherry, Pondicherry (25th October, 1990

- The Navodaya Vidyalayas should not be considered as elitist institutions. The per unit education cost is not much in the Navodaya Vidyalayas. These Vidyalayas change the outlook of students remarkably apart from contributing to national integration.

Dr. V.R. Nagpure, Director, SCERT, Pune (25th October, 1990

- Talented students should be nurtured and Navodaya Vidyalayas should be established in every district.

Shri K. Venkata Sivaiah, Commissioner of Collegiate Education, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad (25th October, 1990)

- Elitist education should not be discouraged. The elites are necessary to bring-about innovations and scientific developments.

Shri T. Venka Reddy, Director School Education, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad (25th October, 1990)

- It is difficult to operationalise scheme of common school.

Prof. P.V. Indresan, IIT Delhi, New Delhi (26th October, 1990)

- Segregated nurturing of talent is necessary. Therefore, special schools like Navodaya Vidyalayas should be provided for gifted children.

- Ideas such as common school system and centralised national curriculum would not prove to be very effective in local specific situations. A common school system for the entire country and national core curriculum are contrary to the perspectives given in the NPE and also to the proposal for modularisation of curricular subjects.

- Public schools may continue but merit should be the only criterion for admission. However, 50% of the seats be reserved for those who can pay the fees of the other 50%.

Prof. N.K. Jangira, Professor of Special. Education, NCERT, New Delhi, (26th October, 1990)

- In the pre-service teacher training programme, pedagogy and methodology to educate the disabled should be included. It may be necessary to have an in-service training programme of sensitization of teachers which would include various components of non-formal education, vocationalisation of education and distance education to make the teachers aware of the needs of the disabled and ways and means to handle them.

Dr.(Mrs.) Sarojoni Varshney, Retired Principal, Mahila Mahavidyalaya Banaras & Prof. of Education, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (26 Oct. 1990)

- Common school system should be established. Rich schools should adopt other schools in the vicinity having less facility.

Prof. M.V. Mathur, Former Vice-Chancellor, Rajasthan University and Former Director, NIEPA, Jaipur (26 Oct. 1990)

- Equity in education cannot be ensured in an unequal society.

Prof. C.S. Jha, I.I.T., New Delhi (26 Oct. 1990)

- The confusion between elitist education and good or excellent education should be cleared. IITs are elitist institutions but they give excellent education. If elitist education gives quality education and they are accessable to all in the society then they should be welcomed. The navodaya vidyalaya would be an experiment in the right direction if it develops as a role model and resource centre for the region.

Shri M.P. Chhaya, Education Consultant, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, New Delhi (26 Oct. 1990)

- The Navodaya Vidyalaya scheme is an exceptionally good one. It provides opportunities to the students from weaker sections of the society to compete with others on their own merit. The scheme serves the purpose of creating a classless society. In the Navodaya Vidyalayas students learn and practice the dignity of labour. The students also experience values. Some other significant aspects of Navodaya Vidyalayas are:

* Implementation of three language formula

* Continuous comprehensive evaluation predominently in nonformal way

* Activity based child centred education

* The teachers are oriented in the methodology of teaching periodically

* SUPW activities for about 3 hours in each day

* Pre-vocational experiences are given to the students in classes IX and X. This provides strong base for students who may opt for vocational courses at post secondary stage.

* 20% students from each Navodaya Vidyalaya are transferred to a Navodaya Vidyalaya in other state where the language is different. Such inter mixing of students of different states in conducive to national integration.

The Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme should be given a fair trial of atleast 5 more years.

Prof. Vijaya, IGNOU, New Delhi (26 Oct. 1990)

- The scheme of Navodaya Vidyalayas should be given a fair trial.

Prof. Suraj Bhan Singh, Chairman, Commission for Scientific & Technical Terminology, New Delhi (26 Oct. 1990)

- The main reason for the failure of common school system in India is the poor standard of government and government aided schools. Lack of allocation of adequate funds for raising the standard of these schools is another reason. One way of improving school education is establishment of a network of schools on the pattern of central schools.

- Navodaya Vidyalayas should not be discontinued before the introduction of common school system.

Prof. R.S. Ayyar, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (26 Oct. 1990)

- For proper development of the country the practice of the principles of equality, excellence and nurturing of talents in every sphere of life including education is necesary. Common school system should have sufficient flexibility. Each student should get opportunity to develop his/her talent.

Dr. A.K. Srivastava, Director, Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore (26 Oct. 1990)

- Navodaya Vidyalayas should be continued.

Dr.Jacob Aikara, Department of Sociology of Education, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Bombay (26 Oct. 1990)

- Most of our teachers in rural areas are nor competent to reach even the ordinary children. They are not capable of taking care of specially talented children. The stand taken in the Perspective Paper in this regard is not practical.

Shri S.L. Jain, Principal., Mahavir Model Vidyalaya, New Del-hi (26 Oct. 1990)

- The idea of common school is not bad but the private sector should be allowed to play its role. By charging fee a school does not become `bad'. In the name of common school system good private schools should not be done away with.

Shri Shatrughan Prasad Singh, Joint Secretary, Bihar Madhyamik Shikshan Sangh, Patna (29 Oct. 1990)

- Before introducing common school. system qualitative improvement in government, local bodies and aided schools should be brought about.

- Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme should not be given any further encouragement.

- The growth of private schools and public schools should be curbed.

Shri Y. Srinivasa Rao, Head Master, PHR Management High School, Ranganyalaya, Andhra Pradesh (29 Oct. 1990)

- The common school system should be implemented at the earliest.

- Segregated and nurturing of talent is not advisable. Instead, individual guidance system should be introduced.

Prof. A.K. Sharma, Joint Director, NCERT (Views of NCERT) (29 Oct. 1990)

- The emphasis on creation of a non-competitive learning environment is misplaced in the present social and economic conditions of the country. Since resource constraints would not allow provision of desired level. of facilities in all schools. There would be a need to nurture capable and talented children belonging particularly to the deprived segments of population in rural areas through the Navodaya Vidyalayas.

- The NCERT surveys indicate that the concept of neighbourhood school has no relevance to rural scenario. It is only the public schools in urban areas which need to be changed to neighbourhood schools. However, article 30 of the constitution is an impediment to the implementation of this concept.

Shri Labh Singh Kadian, President, Haryana Prant Adhyapak Sangh, Panipat (29 OCt. 1990)

- School education should be uniform.

Shri N.S. Mann, Secretary, All India Primary Teachers Association, New Delhi (29 Oct. 1990)

- Common School System should be introduced.

Shri Tarseen Lal, General Secretary, Association of Heads of High Schools, Punjab (29 Oct. 1990)

- Admission to Navodaya Vidyalayas should be based on intelligence, interest, aptitude and attitude tests and it should be open for all.

Shri S.N. Manor, Ex-President, Joint Council of Delhi Training Organisations, New Delhi (29 Oct. 1990)

- Common School system should be introduced.

Dr. Ns.) Vimla Srivastava, Reader, Baikunthi Devi College, Agra (29 Oct. 1990)

- The Navodaya Vidyalayas should be allowed to continue for some more time.

Dr. Y. Mohendra Singh, Principal, Moirang College and General. Secretary, Manipur Principals' Council, Imphal (29 Oct. 1990)

- Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme should be discontinued. Instead, neighbourhood schools should be opened.

Dr. John Vallamattam, Editor, Indian Currents, New Delhi (30 Oct. 1990)

- Segregated nurturing of talent is not proper but a special. system for development of talents will have to be devised.

Shri J.N. Kaul, President, SOS Children's Village India, New Delhi (5 Nov.1990)

- Provisions should be made for the education of children with special. needs such as the handicapped, orphans and those belonging to socially and economically disadvantaged groups.

Shri Shiv Samaddar, Chairman, Academic Council Gandhi Vidya Mandir, Sardar Shabna and Editor, Educational Technology, (5th Nov.1990)

- The existing Navodaya Vidyalayas should be continued.

Smt. Sudha Kaul, Director, Spastic Society of India, Calcutta (5 Nov. 1990)

- A three dimensional approach should be adopted for the education of disabled children. They could be imparted education along with other children in the ordinary school. This will prove to be pedagogically useful to them. The second approach is to provide education to the disabled in the common school with the provision for special classes for them. These special classes should be conducted by specially trained teachers with view making up their deficiencies. The third approach is to have special schools for disabled children. This is necessary in the case of those with a high degree of disability.

- Teachers should be given special training to enable them to teach children with special needs. This would mean that our B.Ed courses should have some component which should orient the teachers to teach disabled children.

- Voluntary organisations functioning in the area of education disabled should be given encouragement and financial support.

Smt. Hem Lata Swarup, President, Manushni and Mahila Vikas Sangthan, Kanpur, (5 Nov.1990)

- Though a welcome suggestion there are difficulties in implementing the common school concept and neighbourhood scheme.

Shri G.N. Saibaba, PGDTE Participant, Central Institute of English and Foreign Language, Hyderabad (7th, November 1990)

- There should be only one pattern of schools i.e. common schools.

Dr. (Ms.) Saroj Lalwani, Chief Commissioner of Guides, Bharat Scouts and Guides, New Delhi (7th November, 1990)

- There is no need to do away with good private and public schools but there is a need to raise the educational. standards of all other schools.

- Instead of providing reservation, arrangements should be made to provide best education in the schools to all including the disadvantaged groups.

Ms. Suvarna Sen, Council Member, Calcutta University Students' Union, Calcutta (7th November, 1990)

- Privatisation of education should not be allowed.

Shri P. Sreerama Krishnan, Student Member, Syndicate, University of Calicut, Calicut (7th November, 1990)

- The question of continuance of Navodaya Vidyalayas should be examined realistically.

Shri D.K. Saxena, Chief Coordinator, National- Coordination Committee of Young Scientists and Research Fellows, AIIMS, New Delhi (7th November, 1990)

- The dual system of education should be abolished.

Shri O.P. Kohli, Member, Executive, Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad,New Delhi, (7th November, 1990)

- The quality of general schools should be improved by strengthening the school management system and ensuring teachers attendance.

Shri M.S. Prakash, P.G. Students, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, (7th November, 1990)

- Common school system should be introduced.

Shri Ravindra Nath Roy, President, National Council., All India Students' Federation, New Delhi (7th November 1990)

- There should be only one type of schools in the country.

Prof. B.P. Khandelwal, President, Council of Boards of School Education, New Delhi (26th October, 1990)

- Common school system is laudable and all schools must ensure quality of education. The community should be actively involved and the common school should be a community school. The medium of instruction should be the mother tongue.