 FINANCING OF EDUCATION

"A teacher need not retire. His services may be utilised as in many other countries till he is creative". (BHU comments).

The concern for teachers is clearly reflected in most of the recommendations of the voluntary and other educational organizations. A number of them have not only criticised the prevalent status, roles and responsibilities of teachers but also have come up with a variety, of constructive suggestions. While most of their suggest-ions revolve around the much published issues like increasing the opportunities for professional growth, pay and perks, and improving the service conditions and status, some suggestions relating to their training, accountability and their role in politics are strikingly significant. However, most of the suggestions pertain to school teachers.

Teacher Training Duration and Contents

The experts in the field of education have been developing and trying out a variety of curricula for teacher training both at diploma. and degree levels. The duration of the training course varies from one to four years depending upon the nature of the programme. At present, the majority of the teachers training institutions offer one year B.Ed. programme, with the exception of Regional colleges of education with offer an integrated four years bachelors degree in education. besides, two years diploma course in teacher training for elementary school teachers is also offered by several institutions. Some organizations specially the society for Education research and

development, Baroda, which appreciates the integrated programme suggests further modifications. They prefer a four year integrated teacher training programme for elementary school teachers to the presents two years programme. They suggest that a begining should be made in the VIIth Plan to establish an integrated programme and urge that the Government of India should take over the programme, as its responsibility. To quote "Preservice education should be the responsibility of the Centre whereas inservice training should be the responsibility of the states". It is also pointed out that teacher training course should have the same status as other professional courses like medicine and engineering so that "teaching would not remain". as at present, as "a last minute option in one's decision of a career".

The idea of introducing a training course for new college teachers has also been recommended by some of the educational institutions. One of the criticisms levelled against the teacher training institutions, is that of their selection procedure. Some of the organization recommend the adoption of standardised selection procedures, while some others have highlighted the importance of giving due weightage of aptitude, interest, commitment along with academic qualifications. However, one, of the voluntary organizations has stressed the need for developing a special cadre of teachers on the basis of "uncompromising merit criteria and parameters: commensurate with emoluments and working conditions".

Not many organizations seem to have given serious or systematic thought to the contents of training programme. According to a voluntary organisation, "teacher training should include all those subjects which help students develop all round personality. It has further spelt out that "Training should include course, competencies, communication skills, individual guidance, group dynamics, social participation and cultural orientation". One, of the institutes of education the state institute of' educational research and. training (Rajasthan) suggest that the teachers should be trained in the use of computer, educational technology and programmes instruction and open leaving. Another from Tamil Nadu feels that besides, social work and human resource-development should also form the part of teacher training programme. In short, the plea is to modernise the teacher training programme and "reorient it with emphasis on how to help students to learn-rather than on how to teach".

Teaching Professional : Recruitment and Service Conditions

Teaching being an important profession pursued by a sizable percentage of educated class in India has attracted the attention of several organisations. In general, most of the organizations whether voluntary or others, have demanded better remuneration, improved service conditions and avenues for professional growth and promotion. One voluntary organization Bharatiya Shiksha Mandal (Orissa) has highlig conditions and avenues for professional growth and promotion. One voluntary organization Bharatiya Shiksha Mandal. (Orissa) has highlighted the need of same pay scale for all categories of teachers irrespective their cadre.

Realizing that there. is enough scope for streamlining the teaching profession, the federation of christian societies, Mangalore, which runs 4.5 institutions in India suggests a. novel idea of introducing teaching licence which should be renewed every three years based on refresher courses attended, innovative practices taken up and quality of' teaching. Another voluntary organization (Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal, Orissa and a teacher organization. But many other organisation feel that the teachers should be recruited by an independent agency in every state like Banking and other services or by a Teachers Service Commission. The management of all category of institutions should be directed to appoint teachers selected by the independent agency. A conference of the national and state award winning teachers of Madhya, Pradesh also reiterated the need of appointing teachers purely on merit.

It has been observed that although female teachers are available, in urban areas, not many of them are willing to be posted in rural areas. In order to overcome this problem, it is suggested that atlest one lady teacher from every village should be recruited to serve the local rural schools. Sometimes it may be rather difficult to get suitably qualified person's in rural areas. In such cases the suggestion as for instance, the suggestions of the Indian Federation of University Women's Association, Bombay, is that the services of retired teachers on half or one third of salary should be utilised. A teacher association from Pondicherry has suggested that incentives in the form of rural allowance to those who reside near rural schools or quarters with modern facilities be provided to attract tralented teachers to rural areas. The State Institute of Educational Research and Training, Rajasthan goes a further recommend that if qualified lady teachers ate not available in rural areas even less qualified local women should be appointed.

More than one third of primary schools in India are single teacher schools and if due to any reason the teacher fails to turn up, the school remains closed. To ensure the functioning of such schools, it is recommended that there should be atleast two teacher in all primary schools.

The need for having a code of conduct for the teachers and assessing their performance are too sensitive but, significant issues on which surprisingly, most of the educational organizations have not made nay comments. however, group of teachers namely Teachers of Saraswathi Bhavan Education Society's Arts College Aurangabad have emphatically favoured the idea. They feel that "those teachers found guilty of violating the code of conduct should be removed either through legal resource or by an agreement between teachers, managements and the government". According to them the teachers should not only be accountable but also be assessed and evaluated on the basis of reputation as scholars, teachers and authors. They suggest that assessment may be made either by subject specialists or by self assessment or by a combination of both. To quote "The attitude to assessment should be to encourage the teacher to improve and not to admonish and discourage him". It would be wrong to assume that this reflects the general trend for instance, one of the teacher organizations has opposed the idea stating that there is no need for code of conduct for teachers alone. Some organization, have suggested for example, the Ramakrishna Mission, that in higher educational institutions, teachers accountability should be considered in terms of "students success in examination, participation in research, extension activities, seminars, conferences, and publications".

Although the different organizations have demanded better avenues of promotion none of them with the exception of two have commented upon the prevalent Merit Promotion Scheme. Both of them have vehemently condemned the scheme. One of these organisations opins that "if suitable facilities are given, there is no reason why a teacher should not show merit, thus obviating the need for merit based scheme, and why the seniority - based promotion should not yield desirable results" Another teacher organization demands promotion after five years, whereas yet another weges for demands revision of pay scales for college teachers every ten years. A third proposal from the Ramakrishna Mission Vidya, is that teachers promotion should be based On merit cum qualification.

Teachers and Politics

Although the participation of teachers in politics is a widely debated topic as is evident from the document towards restructuring of Indian Education citizens perespection, very few organizations have expressed their views on this subject. All of them endorse the view that teachers should have the freedom to express their views on politics and also take part in it. However there are some exceptions, the Vidya Bharati, (Lucknow), for instance in suggesting that the teachers should not contest elections. There is also some support to teachers unions to incourage them for constructive work. While some teacher organizations recommend that only a teacher should become Education Minister, there are others demanding, that representation of teachers on university bodies should be by rotation.

The means between teachers and their political participation has been reviewed by another organization.

The Teachers of Saraswati Bhawan College Aurangabad, resolve that:

"The teachers being integral part of the community cannot be divorced from politics. They cannot be made neutral and non- political. Nor will it be desirable. It is desirable that they should not be made tools by others - individuals or groups and parties to further their interests. Depoliticization in education in the latter sense is acceptable but in the former sense may not be desirable. It is necessary therefore to maintain the balance by a lowing the teacher to hold his political views, to propagate and plead for them but not allow him to sacrifice his role as a teacher to that of a politician his minion". The All India Federation of Elementary Teachers Organization strongly advocates "full civic and political rights to teachers".