SECTION E : GENERAL
 

I. Goals of Education

Universalisation of elementary education has emerged as a universally accepted objective of any education policy. Some of the states like Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & kashmir have favoured even legislation to make education free and compulsory at the elementary stage. Extracts from some of the summary records of the seminars relating to goals are given below :

Assam

- There is the need for quality improvement at the elementary stage of education and launching of vigorous efforts to reach the desired goal of universalisation of elementary education within a short period of time. As the corner-stone of the educational system, national integration and inculcation of moral and spiritual values should be considered as the major goal and objectives.

Bihar

- the state government, by and large, is in support of the views expressed in the national document.

- The first and foremost objective of the National Education Policy is to take education to one and all. The aim of national programme for expansion of education should take note of the problems of an average Indian woman to improve the condition of her life also. An important objective of a National Education Policy is to devise ways and means for the spread of secondary education with a view to meet the quantitative pressure on it.

Gujarat

- Education will have to be the basis for development of human society through development of attitudes, values, capabilities both of knowledge and skills. Education provides strength and resilience to people to respond to changing situations.

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Jammu & Kashmir

- Legislation to make education free and compulsory at the elementary stage be enforced with immediate effect.

Meghalaya

- The new education policy should seek to protect the interest of the tribal people and ensure them horizontal and vertical mobility. Disparity between the tribals and others should be removed.

Nagaland

- Education should be an effective means to equalise opportunities and reduce disparities among people.

Orissa

- The main thrust in the new design for education has to be towards obliteration of the blot of illiteracy, modernisation, promotion of quality and excellence, gearing of education system to meet the challenges of emerging areas of science and technology and orienting the education process to encompass development of the country's human resources so as to promote the realisation of the full potential of the individual thereby making education a potent instrument of national development. The new education system has to balance equity with efficiency by ensuring quantitative expansion and qualitative upgrading of education and continuously forging and strengthening the, bidirectional links with other national development processes.

- Universalisation of elementary education is a constitutional mandate, a national commitment and non-negotiable objective. If fulfilment of this national objective is not to be postponed further, the recruitment of this sector should be the primary charge on resources available for development of general education.

- It may not be feasible to aim at universalisation of elementary education for all children in the age group 6-11 by 1990.

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Rajasthan

- Universalisation of elementary education is not only out constitutional commitment but an essential ingredient of national, social and economic development. Therefore, it must be given top priority among all sectors of education.

- A realistic time framework to achieve the goal of UEE should be decided.

- For universalisation of elementary education, education of illiterate adults should also become a national commitment. Education should seek to perfect physical, intellectual, emotional, psychic and spiritual aspect's of an individual's personality.

Uttar Pradesh

- Elementary education is to be made the corner stone of all education and should lead to the all round development of the child. It should equip the children with knowledge of language, mathematics, science, social studies and socially useful productive crafts. It should develop in them love for their motherland, spirit of national unity and amity between communities and mutual cooperation and tolerance and regard for a democretic way of life and social justice.

- Elementary education is to create scientific temper and critical ability in the children to shift right from wrong and also develop in their the ability to appreciate the beautiful aspects of our cultural heritage and to condemn outmoded traditional values.

West Bengal

- The national educational system is not adequate for national aims and aspirations and calls for radical simultaneous actions on educational and social fronts.

- The major policy has to be universalisation of elementary paramount importance. The document does not outline the education and the need for preventing drop-outs must receive necessary corollaries for reaching such a goal. For effective universalisation, adequate finances must be made available to the

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states and the Union Government must participate in cost sharing, Education at the elementary stage must be made free along with other facilities being made available to the learners. But the document does not seem to visualise such a perspective. The document does not indicate a definite action plan for eradication of illiteracy.

Dadra & Nagar Haveli

- Universalisation of elementary education may be given more emphasis in tribal areas.

Delhi

Universalisation of elementary education needs concerted and coordinated efforts of the Government, community experts, teachers, parents and the media.

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II. Structure of Education

Assam

- There should be a uniform structure of school education thoughout the country. Structural reorganisation of school education is considered necessary for better efficiency in administrative and academic spheres of school education.

- Boards of elementary education may be set up in every state to deal with the academic aspect of the elementary education so as to derive better results in the field of elementary education. Such Boards should enjoy greater amount of autonomy for better functioning.

- Primary and middle level upto class VII or VII in one school should be placed under the Board of Elementary Education. high or Higher Secondary level from class VIII or XI upto class XII in one school.

Bihar

- The plus 2 course should be introduced in all viable secondary schools. The higher secondary stage should comprise of two broad components termed as (i) the general education spectrum and (ii) and after this particular stage.

- For those who wish to continue and improve their qualifications, there should be sufficient scope in terms of admission to polytechnics and other Technical/Agricultural Institutes.

Gujarat

- The 10+2 system should be introduced in all the States within the school system.

- While the 10 year school system is necessary, variants in the form of post-basic schools (Uttar Buniyadi) or in the form of technical schools (under the Sarjeant Committee Report) which substitute technical and rural subjects in place of social science subjects should be allowed to continue.

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Haryana

- The proper place of the plus 2 stage is in the senior secondary school. College education may start only with the plus three stage.

- A uniform structure of first degree with three years (after the 12 years of schooling) may be introduced in all the universities in the country. However, options should be kept open for the universities to have two years pass course followed by one year specialised course for the who intend to pursue Master's degree studies.

Madhya Pradesh

- The 10+2 pattern, which has emerged as a national system should not be changed now.

Manipur

- The new policy should lay down the principle for a uniform pattern of education for all the citizens of India.

- The pre-primary classes should be attached to the lower primary school. This will enable to provide pupils with proper background for primary education.

Meghalaya

- Different levels of education should be restructured.

Nagaland

- The educational structure should be as follows :

        
             Pre-primary                        upto the age of 54
             Elementary
                  Primary                            4 Years
                  Secondary                          4 years
                  Hr. Secondary                      2 years
                  Pre-university                     2 years
                  First Degree                       2+1 years
                  Post-degree                        2 years
        
                                          

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Orissa

- There is a strong case for some measures of uniformity in the matter educational facilities available in different States and educational standards at various levels. This approach is relevant not only for higher education but also for primary and secondary education.

Rajasthan

- The education ladder should be structured on 10+2 at secondary level and +3 at Degree level in all the States.

- Liberal Central assistance may be provided to those states which have not been able to introduce 10+2 system due to paucity of resources. As far as possible uniformity should be achieved in the structure of education throughout the country.

Utter Pradesh

- The 10+2+3 pattern of education must be adopted for the whole country.

Arunachal Pradesh

- A uniform system of 10+2 may be followed by the whole country to facilitate mobility and bring about national integration.

Pondicherry

- The 10+2+3 pattern of education may be followed by the whole country.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

- Single teacher schools need conversion into double teacher schools in case some qualitative improvement is to be made in the field of education.

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III. Content & Curriculum

Assam

- Ethical education should be taught in phased manner at all stages of education right from primary stage, say from Class V, as it is considered to be of imperative necessity in the entire system of education with a view to building up India as a nation of good citizens.

Bihar

- Care should be exercised in the selection of such topics in textbooks for Moral Education that they do not propagate any particular idea that may be interpreted or viewed in terms of indoctrination.

Keeping in view the objectives of New Education Policy, it is also important to adopt a national policy in matters relating to the preparation of standard text-books for all stages of education.

Gujarat

- The school curriculum should strengthen the unity within diversity and also instil in the students the need for promoting both a democratic and a just society.

- As regards higher education, it should be within a system where equal opportunity is provided and it should be a system which produces a higher proportion of competent professional manpower, which is of assistance in increasing productivity and promoting economic growth.

Haryana

- The content of education at school level needs to be recast, keeping in view the traditional values and composite culture to make the educational process function in relation to the felt needs and potentialities of the people.

- There is need for periodic review and revision of the school curriculum. There should be a common national core curriculum to the extent of 65% to ensure uniformity is academic standards at

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the school level. Value education permeate all aspects of school curriculum and need not be created as a separate subject.

Himachal Pradesh

- Population education needs to be imparted in schools. There should be systematic curriculum research so that the revision of the curriculum could be carried out on scientific lines both at the and college level. That facility should be available at the State Board of School Education and the University.

Jamnu & Kashmir

- Inter-state exchange of expertise and experience can contribute towards raising of educational standards and also strengthening national integration.

Manipur

- Content of education shall be cummulative in nature i.e. a few new elements should be added at each successive stage of education. Any element once introduced should as far as possible continue at the successive stages with appropriate adjustments in its content in accordance with the age and need of the learner. Further, content of education should not be presented in terms of academic disciplines of facts of knowledge. It will be expressed in terms of topics which are related to the different asppects of life of the learners.

- The new elements to be emphasized in the curriculum are the following :

Adeqauate knowledge are appreciation of local environment, participation in social and community life, social service, essential knowledge of modern life and living, social and cultural education, political and national education, reparation for future needs, science and technology.

- There should be a National Core Curriculum in the following academic areas:

Languages under 3 Language formula, science, mathemaics, social studies, containing integrated course of history, geography and civics.

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Meghalaya