 CONTENT AND CURRICULUM

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

- The proposal to replace the text-books by "lists of reading" would not be appropriate at lower levels.

Shri Hari Kumar Audichya, Education Minister, Rajasthan (25th October, 1990)

- It is necessary to develop a sense of dignity of labour and linkages of education with curricula. There should be flexibility to opt for various vocations according to needs and interests of children.

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

- The teaching of Science and mathematics should commence at the Primary stage itself. Provision should be made for laboratories and qualified teachers for teaching these subjects.

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

- The present single textbook system should be changed and students should be exposed to more textbooks. The syllabus should be uniform throughout the country.

Shri Rajat Kar, Director, SCERT, Orissa, Bhubaneswar (25th October, 1990)

- Syllabi should not be changed too frequently and efforts should be made to minimise the curricula load.

Dr. (Mrs.) Rajammal P. Devadas, Vice-Chancellor, Sri Avinash Lingam Institute for Home Science & Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore, (26th October, 1990)

- Schooling should be made more attractive and their programmes should be integrated with income generating activities.

- Nutrition and health may be added to the list of life oriented subjects to be taught in schools.

- Number of working days in educational institutions should be increased by reducing number of holidays. Consequently the three year degree course can be reduced to one of two years.

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

- 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.

Prof. Ram Lal G. Parik, Vice-Chancellor, Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad (26th October, 1990)

- The idea of national core curriculum is a disastrous one.

Dr. S.Muthu Kumaran, Vice-Chancellor, Bharatidasan University, Tiruchirapally (26 Oct. 1990)

- The existing school syllabi need revision. The syllabus should include only such matters which are really necessary.

- Religious education should be included in the school curriculum Education should emphasize the need for religious tolerance.

Prof. B.R.K. Raju, Programme Adviser (NSS) Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, New Delhi (26 Oct. 1990)

- Efforts should be made to make all students at the undergraduate level participate in NSS, NCC or sports activities so that they develop values of social service, discipline etc. The participation of teachers in such activities should be made a mandatory part of their work.

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

- Too much decentralisation in the areas of evaluation and formulation of syllabus will lead to lack of uniformity in standards and adoption of corrupt practices.

- The proposal to have ungraded class rooms and freedom for first generation learners to drop in the school at any time may pose pedagogical problems.

Shri R.K. Kapila, Chairman, Forum of Public Schools and Principal, Luxman Public School., New Delhi (26 Oct. 1990)

- The load of school bag should be reduced.

- Instead of increasing the `learning hours' in a day the number of working days should be increased. Increasing the learning hours in a day is psychologically unsound.

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

- Lessons on national integration, emotional integration and communal harmony should be included in the curriculum. The curriculum should be rural based.

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

- In the curriculum for women dance, drama and home science should be included.

All India Federation of Educational Associations, (29th October, 1990)

- Physical. Education and health education should be given importance.

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

- The suggestion to have list of readings is not easily implementable because of the difficulties in developing multiple sets of books and supplying them well intime. The proposal is academically sound but is fraught with academic, administrative and financial hurdles.

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

- There should be a common curriculum throughout the country

Shri Lalit Kumar Das, Chief Design Engineer and Chairman, IDD Centre, IIT Delhi (30 Oct. 1990)

- India has a long and glorious tradition in art, crafts and handicrafts. Education should integrate these traditions and exploit the expertise available locally in them.

- ITIs and Polytechnics should be converted into Poly Craft and Designing Centres. They should provide training in a number of trades and crafts including jewellery making, stone cutting, designing, pottery etc. Art, craft and design education should be introduced at all levels from primary to university level.

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

- Education should not make us insulated from the world. Ideas of world culture, world religion and world language should not be totally ignored.

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

- Education in family welfare and planning should be an integral part of curriculum right from primary school to higher education. Such a component of health education should be value based because the aim of health education is to develop a healthy and strong human being.

Shri Vinay Chandra Maudgalya, Chairman Gandharva Maha Vidyalaya, Mandal, New Delhi, (5 Nov. 1990)

- Cultural Activities and music should be given a prominent place in education. Music can play an integrative role. It will. help in the emotional development of the child.

Smt. Usha Satija, Vice-President, Bhartiya Shikshan Mandal New Delhi (5 Nov.1990)

- India has a rich spiritual heritage. The education system should integrate this heritage. Moral education should be a part of school education.

- Physical training, music and prayers should be included in the school curriculum.

Shri N. Satyanarayana, President, Constructive Forum, New Delhi 5 Nov.1990)

- Moral education should be included in the curriculum.

Smt. Nirmala Despande, Harijan Sevak Sangh, Delhi. (5 Nov.1990)

- In the general education courses science should be synthesised with spirituality.

Shri R.S. Bhardwaj, All India General Secretary, Bhartiya Shikshan Mandal, New Delhi (5th November, 1990)

- The curriculum and syllabus should develop an Indian angle. Minority communities specially Muslims should be brought to the main stream of the nation through education.

Shri Natwar Thakkar, Secretary, Nagaland Gandhi Ashram, Chu-chu- Yimlang, Nagaland (5th November, 1990)

- With a view to developing scientific temper, science and heritage museums should be established in every district. The tribal should not be labelled as aboriginals as, such categorisation would keep them away from the main stream. Their culture is part and parcel of the composite Indian culture and heritage. Books should be written to reflect on the composite national culture.

- Managerial skills should be inculcated in students right from the primary stage.

Shri Prembhai, Director, Banawasi Seva Ashram, Govindpur, U.P. (5th November, 1990)

- Lesson should be learnt from our ancient Gurukul system and incorporated in the present education system. Children should be attached to the people who practice the trade/profession which they are learning.

Shri S.W. Dhabe, Ex-MP and President All India Physical Education and Allied Teachers Association, Nagpur, (6th November, 1990)

- The subject of physical education has been totally neglected so far. Physical education and sports activities would help in the development of physical, intellectual and moral faculties of individuals and enable them to acquire right to work and employment. It should be remembered that the `universal declaration of human rights' states that every student has a fundamental right of access to physical education and sports.

- There should be a graded curricula for physical. education for different levels or stages in education. Physical. education be made an integral component of all. systems of education.

- Central Advisory Board of Physical Education be set up to advise on all matters of physical education and to set uniform pattern. All India Council of Sports be revived.

- Physical Education Colleges should come within the jurisdiction and control of Education Department and not under the control of Sports Department.

- Physical education should be made compulsory subject of teaching in schools and colleges. The Government should not allow a school. to be opened without adequate land for play and games.

- One Physical Education teacher should be appointed in every educational institution. There should be parity between physical education teachers and other teachers in schools and colleges in all respects.

Smt. Sudarshan Pathak, General. Secretary, All India Physical Education and Allied Teachers Association, New Delhi (6th November, 1990)

- A proper policy for funding the physical. education in schools system should be evolved.

Shri Davendra Sharma, Federation of Publishers and Booksellers Associations of India, New Delhi (6th November, 1990)

- At the early stage of education, curriculum should be flexible so as to promote creativity in the child.

Physical education should be given a prominent place in school system.

Shri N.K. Bhatt, Vice-President, INMW Federation, INTUC, New Delhi, (6th November, 1990)

- In the programme for eradication or illiteracy voluntary organisations should be involved. The private and public sector undertakings should make special efforts for spreading literacy and should ensure that none of their employees remains illiterate. The management of such undertakings should make provision for library, play ground, debating hall etc. for school and community. They should invest on research and development related to education instead of restricting the same to their products.

Dr. Balwant Rao Satija, General Secretary, Bhartiya Shikshan Mandal, New Delhi.

- Music should be included in the curricula. Sports should be made compulsory and Sanskrit should also be a compulsory subject.

Shri G. Prabhakar, General Secretary, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, New Delhi (6th November 1990)

- India has a rich cultural tradition. This tradition should find place in our school curricula and text books. This is necessary for promoting national integration.

Shri Shukhdev Ray, Secretary, Physics Society, IIT, New Delhi, (7th November 1990)

- Stress should be laid on comprehensive internal assessment, sports, games and other co-curricular activities, social services, rural orientation to educational programmes by making SUPW and NSS compulsory, re-designing of the teaching methods etc.

Shri Mrigank Sharma, President, Student Bar Association, National. Law School of India, University of Bangalore, Bangalore (7th, November 1990)

- The curricula/syllabi especially at the secondary and higher level, should develop creativity and expression of emotion, rather than suppress it, as is the case at present.

- Students should be granted maximum flexibility to select courses or combination of courses suiting their aptitude and requirements.

- There is a need for functional interaction in the various societal processes and that legal literacy be introduced in order that an awareness is created regarding an individual's rights and duties.

- There is a need for continuous upgradation and updating of the syllabus so that it has relevance and is in tune with societal trends.

- Learning should be by doing. Students participation should be ensured in community development projects, community services, NSS, environmental awareness, cultural. activities and the like to sensitize students.

- Institutions of secondary and higher levels of learning should be provided sufficient autonomy with regard to curriculum, syllabi content and process, evaluation, teacher training and the like.

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

- The school, curriculum should be relevant to the needs of the learners. The textbooks need to be revised and re-written to incorporate modern ideas. There is also need for proper coordination between traditional and modern knowledge.

Shri Gregory Sequeira, President, P.G. Students' Union, Managalore University, Mangala Gangotri (7th November, 1990)

- Teaching methodology needs to be changed Seminars, workshops, debates etc. could be effectively used in teaching.

- Teachers should be involved in preparation of syllabus and development of school curriculum.