TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
 

University of Calcutta, Calcutta (Seminar, held on 19th and 20th September; 1990)

- `Tribunalisation of justice' may create more problems than it will solve but formation of participative mechanism may be of great help in solving internal problems at the centres of higher education.

Gandhi Peace Foundation, 221-23 Dean Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, New Delhi- 110002 (Consultation held on 13th and 14th October; 1990)

- Teachers' education and selection is pivotal. Efforts at both governmental and non-governmental levels should be towards creating a body of teachers infused with idealism and character. Decentralisation of educational management is a crucial factor in generating commitment in teachers to their profession and for towards up-holding the sanctity of a noble profession.

Dr. N.R. Madhava Menon, Director, National Law School of India University, Central College Campus, Bangalore-560001 (Colloquium at Bangalore on 3rd November, 1990)

- Greater attention should be given to teacher education as that is the surest way to develop the new education.

Fr. A. Orea, Inspector, Catholic Schools, Post Box No.2, Ranchi-834001 (14th November, 1990)

- There should be a system of on-going formation for all teachers. Regular seminars, refresher courses and demonstration of new techniques should be recognised features of the teaching

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profession. Training college staff, retired teachers of recognised competence and persons with expertise in various fields communication, art, craft, music, dance, games, gardening, animal husbandry etc. - should be involved in such programmes. Much of this could be done on a voluntary basis with only TA and local hospitality required for those conducting such courses.

- Teacher training courses need to be overhauled. Much more practical work and class room experience are essential. The trainees should also need to learn how to use the educational technology. Language teachers need special training since language is the vehicle of education.

- The teacher-pupil ratio must be Improved. There are schools with 100 children in a class., while 60-70 seems to be the norm. There should be an immediate effort to reduce numbers to 50 per section while working towards an Ideal of 1:35. State governments and local education bodies must be urged to sanction more teaching posts, specially in rural schools where children often need more individual attention to reach acceptable standards of learning.

- The system of ranks in class which results in the excessive and selfish competition, should be replaced by a system that encourages effort and promotes co-operation.

Shri Modumita Mojumdar, Article in the 'Sunday Mail', New Delhi, dated 14th October., 1990

- The kind of education that the panel seeks to introduce everywhere requires much more from the teacher than he or she is willing to give (and is capable of giving, given the teacher-student ratio).

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Without the proper motivation and training of teachers, the standard and style of education, which is already poor and largely ineffectual, will only become worse.

Ms. Usha Rai, Article in 'The Times of India', New Delhi dated 23rd September, 1990

- The Paper does not make any reference to teacher training except in a general vein. It neither acknowledges the inadequacy of our teacher training programmes nor calls for strengthening of the existing infrastructure. It is all the more surprising that no reference has been made to the Gandhian institutes of teacher training which have been recognised by the UNESCO.

- The teacher - student ratio should be improved.

- More professionalism should be infected into education.

Dr. Gauri Shankar, Gandhian Institute of Studies, Rajghat, Varanasi, (23 November., 1990).

- The details of education complexes should be worked out minutely.

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