EDUCATION FOR WOMEN'S EQUALITY
 

13.1 The content and processes of education are being modified to introduce the value of Women's equality at all stages of education, in formal as well as non-formal areas. NCERT has already prepared

- Exemplar materials for Women's equality units in curricula;

- In the massive programme of teacher training there are special modules on women's equality; - The existing textbooks are being screened to avoid sexist bias.

13.2 A Project entitled "Education for Women's Equality" based on NPE and POA to be implemented in ten selected districts in the current year has been formulated. The project proposal has been prepared in consultation with the State Governments, academics interested in women's issues and women development workers. The main features of the project are as under:

(i) The project envisages a comprehensive programme of women's devel- opment and views the problem of women's education as linked with overall improvement in women's status.

(ii) The participation of girls at the elementary stage can be sub- stantially enhanced by provision of support services, provision of local women teachers and effective non-formal education pro- grammes. This project will take responsibility for ECCE and supplementation of the inputs of other Departments.

(iii)A literacy centre is envisaged essentially as a place for educa- tion, recreation and the forum for an understanding of the proc- ess of development to enable women to actively participate in it.

(iv) Special vocational and pre-vocational programmes will be intro- duced in girls' secondary and higher secondary schools. These courses will be related to the work opportunities in the region. A variety of part-time/non- formal vocational courses will also be organised.

(v) District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) will be required to subserve the objective of the Project, namely, be an instrument for women's empowerment. Training of all teachers in the districts concerned, men as well as women, will be reoriented towards this goal.

(vi) In the project districts there will be a strong wing on women's education. Academics interested in women's development and women activists will have a dominant say in this wing. The programmes meant for women's development will be closely monitored and arrangements provided for introduction of mid-term correctives.

13.3 The project has been approved by the Ministry of HRD and sent to the Planning Commission and the Netherlands Government for their appraisal. In order to create an awareness of the programme, identify agencies at the State, district and block levels, and start the orien- tation of the officials and workers involved, preparatory activities ha ire started. A consultant to the National Resource Group to orga- nise this activity has been appointed.

A Planning Meeting was held by ES on 6.2.88 with the Project Consultants, women activists and non-Govt. organisations and Secretaries of the concerned State Governments viz. Karnataka, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.

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