RESOURCES FOR EDUCATION
 

1.Financial Resources

Financing of education has been seen as vital subject. Some letters, though not many, have expressed their opinions on this aspect of education. however, all the letters that have touched this subject are unanimous in their opinion that "more funds should be earmarked for education. One letter has gone on to state that "Although education is accepted as important by all concerned, financial aid is never adequately provided. it is, therefore, recommended that it should be treated as an investment for better future. Education is the most vital input for reduction of social distance and economic disparity".

Regarding the extent of financial allocation to education, the views expressed are : "next only to defence, budgetary provision for education should receive the highest priority"; "Budget of education should be equal to defence budget" and "10% of the Budget should be allocated for education to meet its increasing needs".

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2. Responsibility for Financing of Education

The onus for financing of education does not rest solely with the Government. This seems to be the view of the majority of the letters on this issue. Though the question of who should pay, and how much, remain debatable issues. One view is that "The responsibility of higher education should be taken up by the well-to-do people of the society and the professional educational institutions of the area"; another view is that "the responsibility of the state should vary with the level and field of education : (a) Primary education should be open, free and compulsory in accordance with Article 45 of the Constitution; (b) secondary education may be provided with stress on vocational training by Government at nominal charge; and (c) higher education, technical/professional career or other should be imparted at a fair price while giving concessions to economically backward and first generation learners. The students from high income group, shall initially pay reasonable charges, but once they start earning or the strength of the higher education, they have acquired, they shall repay 40% of the total cost spent on them by the State. If they go abroad, a bond should be executed for reimbusement to the extent of 80% of the cost."

3. Mobilisation of Financial Resources

Mobilisation of funds for education, it has been suggested, could be through a "special education cess levied on all persons according to their income (both in urban and rural areas)" or "fees (could) be charged on the basis of unit cost to these who can afford to pay" or, as is one view "society should contribute voluntarily", but "the practice of capitation fee must be stopped at any cost."

4. Control of Financial Resources

The control of purse strings is another matter on which some views have been expressed. According to one view "Education should be controlled by Gram Panchayats (in rural areas) and the education fund should be given directly to the Gram Panchayat".

Human Resources

5. Quality and Quantity of Personnel Required

On the basis of the quality and quantity of human Resources required for our educational effort, a fairly large number of groups

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have sent in their opinions

"India needs millions of new, devoted and inspiring teachers to implement her gigantic programme of educating the nation to usher in the 21st Century. We have to launch massive recruitment and teacher training programmes. We should better utilize our vast manpower resources of educated unemployed young men and women by giving them a short-term in-service training, just like war time emergency military training to face the enemy."

In the same vein, another group has stressed that a. "cadre of dedicated teachers be created" though it cautions another communication that "National education will never serve our purpose if the teaching class is not put in, a pivotal position in our educational affairs.

The opinion that the strength of both teaching and non-teaching personnel in education need to be increased has been expressed. "To introduce better education and evaluation, it is required to increase the teacher-student ratio to double the present one." In rural areas, one memorandum said "the staff in the school should be directly proportional to the number of students. The number of peons should also be in proportion"

"The quality of teachers has to be very much improved and "Teachers should emphasise moral and ethical values and arrangements should be made that they adhere to these values." Some expression has been given to the current value system of teachers "Teacher have become money minded `and as a, result, have, in general, become oblivious of their own objectives of a teacher."

6. Mobilising Human Resources

"Freedom fighters should be associated with committees supervising implementation of 20 point programme and other advisory committees appointed by the Government.

"We can have millions of teachers, student-teachers; social workers-teachers, young and old retired educational personnel or any voluntary organisation and individuals interested in rendering national educational services to educate India with a motto "Vidya Dan, Maha Kalyan".

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Efforts should be made to motivate persons to come forward and make their contributions towards "educating India" by "Taking people into confidence (this) will also make it easier for them to enter into meaningful partnership with the government in the task of providing education for all and also providing) quality education. The immediate responsibility for supervision must rest with the local community. This local community could, with advantage, be involved in identification of problems, assessment of resources, implementation of programmes, monitoring and evaluation".

Our educational force could comprise persons from all walks of life through a formal or non-formal arrangement.

"Education in an informal way can utilize voluntary effort all experts in trade or profession or senior experienced parents can be lecturers or instructors. Also, if experts and seniors who are now shunned by the common mass of society, and who feel despondent, are brought in this academic activity, they will enrich the common level of education by their knowledge. It may be suggested that all professionals be informed from the very beginning, to offer themselves for such academic activity whenever needed. Along with voluntary organisation, professional bodies should also be encouraged to undertake such activities granting them some monetary support where necessary".

"The teaching personnel should include mobile teaching, teams, full time, part-time and even spare-time locally available personnel, particularly women. Secondary School and College Student should take part in the programme as a requirement for their certificates and degrees. Retiring teaching and administrative personnel could also be involved in the task". "There is a great necessity to encourage private agencies with necessary support and public recognition to involve themselves in educational activity" and "Central and state Government should encourage private enterprise for opening primary and secondary schools".

7. Effective use of Human Resources

The effective use of resources has also been emphasised. "Teachers and educational administrators are the most necessary tools, and instruments through which all the educational policies end programmes are to be implemented. So, we should employ and use this instrument proficiently with masterly skill to implement successfully our educational policies and programmes".

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Selection and Training of Teachers

8.Characteristics of a good teacher

"Dedicated, talented and noble teachers with missionary zeal should be appointed for the teaching profession". "The teachers should feel committed to democracy, secularism, cultural heritage and composite culture of India", "Teachers should be experienced and learned", "Teachers should be at least 40 years old", "Women should be preferred as Teachers". Here are some of the view points that have been received about the kind of teachers that should be appointed.

9. Methodology and Criteria of Selections

One memorandum states that "Recruiting agencies should take lot of care in appointing a teachers. Written examinations and merit only should be the basis of selection". Another memorandum has suggested that "Selection of teachers be done on the basis of passing the required attitude (sic) test for teaching. "Yet another advocates a rigurious selection process for teachers who have commitment to the profession and competence and for it". "Only these persons should be recruited as teachers to be trained who are positively inclined towards the profession".

Selection and training of other educational personnel has also been touched upon, "Selection of headmasters of primary and secondary schools (should) be based only on merit and they should be given training in social dynamics, developmental administration and public relationship".

Selection for higher education has also drawn response. "At the lecture level, Ph.D. degree should not be insisted by the UGC because that has given rise to a black market in Ph.D degree. and entry of 2nd rate students as teachers into university".

10. Responsibility for Teacher Selection

Who should select teacher who have been touched on by most groups though a view has been expressed that : "To draw talented persons in the profession, it is necessary that recruitment is made at two levels. school and university, by competition, like those for PCS and IAS. They should be caught young, and trained by their job at government expense.

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11. Importance of Teacher Training

The importance of teacher training cannot be under estimated. In fact it is of primary importance. "Educational reforms should be introduced after proper administrative preparation and due training of teachers who should be taken into full confidence by the administration". "Teacher orientation programme should be given priority before implementation of new policy".

"Like any other profession, teaching profession is a highly specialised job and perhaps more, important than any other profession. The job is that of nation-building. To turn out highly competent and dedicated teachers who can devotedly work for the profession, there. should be a professional course of training for teachers of sufficient duration".

"Teacher is a kingpin in the entire process of education. Teacher Training therefore assumes a significant place, in any educational reform".

"Before we try to educate the child, we have to educate the teacher, convince him about the efficacy of teaching his pupil to prepare for life itself".

Changes suggested in Teacher Education

Changes in teacher-training have been suggested both in structure and content.

12. Structural Changes

Structural changes suggested are "B.Ed. system should be replaced by a 4 year course after +2 stage and should be meant specifically for the who wish to take up teaching professions".

"There should be a three year course for secondary school teachers profession after 10+2 with an Internship for a period of six months".

"For nursery and primary classes, Higher Secondary passed youth should be tained as teachers. They should be, assigned work of removal of illiteracy through the pre-planned curricula prepared by the experts. Graduates should be employed for middle and higher secondary

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classes after `short term' teacher training courses, while allowing them to prepare for B.Ed. examination through self study or correspondence courses to take their examination as a private candidate from a recognised university. Point is, that our programmes of eradication of illiteracy and universal education should not suffer for lack of teachers and teacher training".

13. New Orientation Required

A new orientation has been suggested, regarding the programme of teacher education itself. "In order to meet the current and emerging needs of education at all stages, it is necessary to introduce a new orientation in the teacher training programmes, both pre-service and in-service. Consequent upon the explosion of information, increasing stress on national unity and integrity calls for a change in the role of teachers. Therefore, fundamental changes needs to be effected in all aspects of teacher training, so as to reflect the new demands of the curriculum".

"Teacher training programme should focus on the new role of teacher as an inventor and innovator of dynamic methods of instruction, as a leading agent of changes and as a facilitator and monitor rather than as a mere transmitter of information".

"Serious attempts should be made to strengthen the teacher training institutions. Training programmes for in-service teachers for enhancing their competence, arousing their motivation, updating their knowledge of content, and, for reorienting them to the new developments related to instructional practices need to be undertaken in a systematic manner".

Another writes that "the real motivation should come from the joy of work. The right type of teacher's training is likely to emphasise this aspect of motivation.

"Necessary changes should be brought about in the present content and scope of value-orientation in education and for this purpose, teacher's training should aim at development and promotion of highest values of physical, mental, aesthetic, moral and cultural values amongst the teachers.

"All educational colleges, and colleges for teachers' training should provide in-service training for teachers, directed towards

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(i) Increased knowledge of subject matter

ii) Shifts in attitude and perspective;

(ii) Greater skill in teaching methods;

(iv) Curricular research and action programmes; and

(v) A decent and humane behaviour with mankind

14. Content of Teacher Training

Regarding content of teacher training programmes, suggestions are:

"Teacher should feel committed to democracy, secularism cultural heritage and composite culture of India. The subject of national history, history of freedom struggle, Indian Constitution, religions of India, and respect and tolerance of each religion, and the underlying unity in the regional cultures should be effectively implanted in the minds of teachers. Teachers' training should provide strong foundation in subject content, methods, materials, teaching aids and stimulate innovatons and experimentations and should mould teacher as an agent of change".

"Community life should be an integral part of training in the training colleges and institutions".

"The course should provide for subject teaching, contents, methods, psychology educational philosophy and developments in educational, technology. It must also include compulsory subject's of history and culture."

Another view: "The teacher has to be taught only how be can inculcate in the child, two qualities:

1) That of self respect

2) love

It must be taken up from the time the child enters school till at least 10 years. He will imbibe these qualities by listening to stories given by the teacher or through comments made by the teacher. hew books will have to be written for the teachers".

15. Remuneration, Service Conditions and Transfers

The need to make the education field more attractive to the right kind of people has repeatedly been emphasised in the memoranda.

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The memorandum refers to the teacher "as the lowest paid social engineer".

16. Salary Structure.

"Uniform pay scales have been asked for according to their qualifications. The scales should not vary from state to state".

"Terms and conditions of service of teachers should be attractive and well comparable with positions in industry, business and public administration, demanding parallel qualifications. As recommended by kothari Commission 1964-66 the salary scales of teachers in colleges and universities should be reviewed quinquennially. This should be done in consultation with teaher representative bodies. There should be good rapport between teachers association and academic institutions with a view to avoid litigation which is now on the increase".

17. Disincentives advocated for private practice

At the same time, the practice by some teachers of making extra- money on the side by giving tuitions has been condemned.

"Teachers who give private lectures should be punished".

"Teachers do not teach, and demand that students take private tutition from them for +which poor parents have to pay even though they can not afford private tuition., Even in private tuition, the teachers are not honest and no one can say anything if they do not teach".

18. Service Conditions and Facilities

Better service conditions have been asked for. "Better service Conditions for teachers are needed and towards that end even nationalisation of education may be thought of. Better emoluments will attract `talented' teachers/researchers".