8.8.1 Technical education including vocational education is represented by a smooth continuation of skill formation through
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learning of what', 'why' and how' of technology with the help of application of science-and analytical tools. Building up of wholesome vocational competence-of this nature has been ensured by the system which originated in Germany and subsequently extended to East European countries, Japan, Korea and Singapore. This system had a number of advantages with which these countries have captured the consumer market in the field of technology all over the world today. Vertical mobility of the technical manpower from base level to higher level through upgradation of ,education not only ensures a better quality of industrial products and higher productivity in a competitive market but also has a built-in healthy motivation in the social frame for entering into labour force right at the base level and then to rise in career. But unfortunately, the Indian system has continued to operate in the form it was imported a century ago.
8.8.2 In its implementation the vocational education programme organised in pursuance of NPE and POA has come to be largely designed for development of skills and technical manpower for meeting the requirements of the organised sector which accounts only for a small percentage of the total work force- In order to make right to work a reality, courses should be designed with linkages to all kinds of production enterprises, small. or big, urban or rural, industrial or agricultural. The vocational courses of secondary schools, Shramik Vidyapeethas, ITIs, Polytechnics and rural institutes should cater to the highly diversified employments in the unorganized sector small enterprises engaged in maintenance, repair and service vocations (automobile repair, plumbing, electric motor winding etc.), agro forestry, cottage industries, animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries, renewable sources of energy, watershed management, health and hygiene, ecological sciences etc.
8.8.3 The problem faced by school education in today's context is near exclusive emphasis on knowledge through theory alone. Even when theory is taught, its teaching remains barren and partial due to the pedagogic constraint of divorcing knowledge from practice. The accent is to be on integration of theoretical knowledge with skills, attitudes, productive work, social responsibility and creativity. Education is to be linked with the emerging problems of the world of work. For this purpose, the method of project work should be an Integral feature of the educational process.
8.8.4 If the vocational courses are not meaningfully linked with the user agencies, empowerment for work would remain an idle concept. The isolation of vocational education from the employment market in the organised and unorganised sector must be broken. This is, no doubt, envisaged in the vocational education programme now under implementation as well. But much progress has not been achieved because of apparently continued emphasis on designing of courses for the organised sector, not to speak of the rather sluggish progress in bringing about modifications in the recruitment procedures of the user agencies. The problem of establishing linkages between vocational education and the
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employment market in the unorganised sector becomes much more complex both because of the highly diversified nature of this sector as well as its vastness.
Recommendation In order that the process of vocational education is enriched by a meaningful combination of teaching of theory and practice and effective linkages are established with the 'world of work', work benches' and practice schools' may be identified, accredited and involved as described below:
- work benches' and 'practice schools' are work situations selected for the purpose of giving vocational training and direct experience to students within production units or developmental activities of the official agencies. This arrangement offers a more effective educational strategy for providing vocational experience to students than what can be arranged within the four walls of the 'class room'. Here the training would revolve around real problem solving and on-the-job development of skills. Whereas I practice school' is a more institutionalised arrangement with larger units in the organised sector, 'work benches' can be carved out of smaller units from the unorganised sector as well within the neighbourhood of the school. In both cases, the school would not be required to make any substantial investment on skilled personnel or equipment, the same being contributed by the 'world of work', with or without a mutually worked out fee.
-Education at these work places would be through student involvement in work activities which would be clearly identified against different areas and levels of work. Further, information would be available to the students in regard to how, under a given work area, one could move from one level to another (vertical mobility) , and skills could be transferred from one work area to another (horizontal mobility). A tested evaluation system would be identified to assess students attainment in the work activity and its inter-relationship with nature and society. Based on this assessment, certificates would be awarded by the accredited I work benches I , whether in private or public sector, government or voluntary organisations, and these should be acceptable for employment in any part of the country. Of course, this would call for devising of proper accreditation guidelines and procedures, as well as periodic review by authorised bodies, and this task will have to be done carefully, so as to ensure that this educational innovation does not degenerate into unhealthy social and educational practices. Further, special attention should be given to identify and accredit 'work benches' in the rural sector, especially from economies built around activities such as farming, forestry, animal
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husbandry, dairying, fisheries, watershed management, and ecological conservation.
- Personnel in the 'work benches' and 'practice schools' are not merely to engage themselves in teaching process but are also to be involved in the planning and designing of vocational courses, preparation of text materials and evaluation in a sense in the entire process of education.
8.9.0 The vocational education model envisaged by the Committee would call for effective collateral and complementary steps in the area of teacher education and training; management styles; administrative responsibilities and structures; and meaningful wages and incomes and employment policies as recommended below:
Recommendations (i) Teacher education courses for vocational education at both the secondary level and post-secondary level should be redesigned in order to prepare teachers who would be equipped, besides general theoretical background and skills, with the necessary interest and attitude for preparing students to meet the requirements of a developing society. Technologists, foremen, skilled craftsmen and other trained personnel from the 'world of work', when recruited as teachers for vocational courses, should be given specially designed bridge courses in areas such as Psychology, Pedagogy, Evaluation, Content Planning etc.
(ii) The management, planning and implementation should be decentralised to the level of individual high schools or school complexes, as well as colleges/universities, thereby involving actively, the Heads of institutions in decision making, alongwith representatives of local enterprises from both the industry and agriculture as well as those of official development agencies and voluntary organisations. This would necessitate shift from the present practice of designing vocational courses under centralised initiatives at the national level. Courses have to be designed at the institution levels (schools/colleges) to the extent possible, drawing upon the resources of DIETs. This would also call for greater autonomy at the institutional level in order to fully exploit local and/or regional industrial, agricultural, commercial and development potential in framing courses and curriculum. This will further facilitate matching of manpower needs at different stages of development planning. The criticality of institutional autonomy for ensuring success of vocationalisation calls for redefining of roles of various central or state-level agencies under the Department of Education (NCERT, SIE,
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SCVE etc.), so that these agencies would play only catalytic and resource-sharing roles, rather than directing, determining and detailing all processes.
(iii) The existence, at present of multiple and parallel authorities implementing and supervising vocational education, no doubt, is to be seen as a major contributor to ineffective implementation of vocationalisation. This has been brought out by the POA also. Hence, vocational education- should be the responsibility of the Department of Education, though other Departments/agencies must collaborate and be even involved in the planning of vocationalisation.
(iv) The concept of National and State Councils of Vocational Education should be re-formulated in the framework of decentralised planning, management, evaluation and accredition in order to involve the world of work', private or public, in expanding the reach of vocationalisation of education to the masses.
(v) Above all else the Department of Education should coordinate with the concerned agencies under the Central and State Governments for the establishment of appropriate wages And income and employment policies without linkages to which vocationalisation of education, however carefully designed, will not be a success.
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Sidelights
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION : TAMIL NADU STYLE The system of vocational education obtaining in Tamil Nadu is rather innovative and flexible and is distinct from the 'terminal- competency' based vocational courses that are centrally designed and recommended by the NCERT. Briefly, the modalities are the following:
* Reporting on employment potential in the district based on local knowledge rapid assessment/surveys by the Chief Education Officer. (The employment potential may relate to specific employments in the organised or unorganised sectors or even individual industries).
* On receipt of report from the Chief Education officer, action on the part of the State Directorate of School Education to having consultations with expert resource bodies/concerned industries and formulation of syllabus and course design in Tamil language. (For example, if the employment potential is in the textile industry, consultation may be made with the South Indian Mill Owners' Association or South Indian Textile Research Association).
* Recommendation of the syllabus to the concerned Heads of schools through the district authorities.
* Draft of teaching personnel on part-time basis from the concerned industries for teaching in the schools. (Permanent staff are not normally appointed for the purpose).
* Facilitation of employment of the vocational graduates in the industries concerned where potential was originally identified.
* Discontinuance of the course when the employment potential reportedly ceases to exist.
In Tamil Nadu, already 24% of the students in the higher secondary level have been diverted to vocational education (1987-88) (About96,000 vocational students against a total of3.85 lakhs students at the higher secondary level)As of now, the State has 68 vocational courses.
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VIGYAN ASHRAM EXPERIMENT A successful project is being carried out at Vigyan Ashram, Pabal in Pune Distt. The school has developed itself into a community resource, by training the students of Classes IX and X to learn the technical skills required by the community in a wide spectrum, such as in metal work, eletrical work, automechanics, construction work, pest control, growing of vegetables, biogas and solar cooker, poultry and dairy etc. Multiskilled instructors are engaged by the school to train the students and the students then become the trained community resource to make. available their technical services, which the community pays for. Thus the programme begins as SUPW and grows into vocational skills. Government grants are used for the provision of instructors but the service costs are paid by the community.
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NISTADS STUDY In the process of preparation of this Report, a study was undertaken to assess the willingness of the persons engaged in business and industry to join in partnership and to assist in providing short-term training to the students. The study was titled: "Using Unorganised Sector as Places of Learning : A Case Study of Repair and Assembly Workshops". The study was undertaken by the National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies, New Delhi. The study covered five trades, namely Motor Vehicle, Air Conditioner, Typewriter, Stabilizer Repair Shops and Heating Assembly Units. Trainers (Ustads) were interviewed as well as trainees already working in these places. Due to shortage of time, the study was restricted to work stations in Delhi. The Ustad uses the apprentices when he finds that he cannot cope with the work demands. The fresh ones are put with senior ones and in the final phase of training, given independent charge of a particular task. While the formal student learns in school, the working child is learning in a work station, in much harsher circumstances. Can these working children be brought into the mainstream education to update their knowledge? Can the education system provide the flexibility needed in terms of content and timings? Will the Ustad agree to apprentice spending some time, away from work, to update his education? A third issue that the study looked into was the possibility of utilizing the skills and capabilities of the Ustads for vocational education of students in formal schools. The impression gathered from the Ustads is that they would agree, where there is more work and extra hands or free labour is required, not otherwise. But the encouraging aspect of the study was that several Ustads were interested in the proposal. A good deal of appropriate, communication would be necessary to enable those engaged 'in work stations to see the need to join responsibly in the process of education and training than merely continue to wait and pluck the fruits of education and training, when ready.