SECONDARY EDUCATION
Secondary Education is a crucial stage in the system of education. It provides the foundation for the pursuit of scholarship, at the same time, it constitutes the earliest stage of interface between education and the world of work. At present, secondary education is the weakest link in the educational system in the country. It mostly prepares the children for higher education. The products of secondary education are generally unemployable with the result that the number of matriculate job seekers on the live registers of the employment exchanges has been swelling from year to year. Efforts have been made to reform secondary education system since the Second Five Year Plan, especially after the submission of the report of the Education Commission (1964-66) and the adoption of the Resolution on the National Policy on Education. Howev- er only much more remains to be done in several directions to achieve the desired results. Since secondary education is of great signifi- cance for the country's social and economic development, special attention should be paid to its development on proper lines in the Seventh Plan.
Uniform Educational Pattern All the States, except Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, have switched over to the 10 plus 2 pattern at the secondary stage of education and even these two have decided to switch over to 10+2 pattern beginning in 1985-86. It will facilitate the students to move from one State to another without disrupting their educational career and will help to maintain comparable standard of education in all the States in the country and will enable planning of quality improvement programmes, promotion of innovations and introduction of reforms on a national scale. As far as possible plus 2 stage may be located in the school system.
Expansion of Education The demand of secondary education has been growing with the expansion of facilities at the lower stage. In expanding the facilities special attention will have to be given to the development needs of the back- ward areas, under-privileged sections of the population and of girls. The tendency of making education free for all upto the secondary stage should be discouraged and measures taken to ensure equality of access to secondary education, particularly for the socially and economically under-privileged.
Keeping in view the likely increase in student population at the secondary stage necessary provision has to be made for additional facilities by expansion of existing schools, opening of new schools where needed, and by promoting long distance education and open school system. The unplanned growth of high/higher secondary schools should,
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however, be checked. Norms for establishment of secondary schools should be established and schools should be opened strictly according to the norms. It is suggested that during the Seventh Plan, new sec- ondary schools should be established where a clear local need is established and there is reasonable chance of a new school growing into an economically viable and educationally efficient institution. Keeping in view the past trends of enrolment for secondary education stage provision may be made for an additional enrolment of about 36 lakh students 22 lakhs in high schools stage (Classes IX and X) - 14 lakhs at higher secondary stage (Classes IX and XII) - during the Seventh Plan.
Languages Generally the three language formula has not been implemented in the spirit in which it was introduced. The position regarding the imple- mentation of three language formula varies from state to state. In some states three languages are taught in classes VI to VIII, two languages in classes IX and X and one language in XI and XII while in some other states two languages are taught in classes IX to XII.
One of the difficulties experienced in the introduction of the three language formula is the paucity of teachers in languages other than the regional language. Another difficulty relates to the paucity of time at secondary and higher secondary stages in view of the other academic courses which must be given adequate weightage. However, considering that language is the vehicle for learning of all other subjects and importance of learning of second and third language for national integration, it is suggested that three language formula may be implemented earnestly in the country. Keeping in view the demands of academic courses in higher classes and the fact that students learn languages easily at an early stage it is suggested that three lan- guages may be taught in classes VI-VIII, two languages in classes IX-X and one language in classes XI-XII.
Science Education: The teaching of science at high/higher secondary stage of education needs to be made universal and uniform and the facilities accordingly strengthened. Efforts should be made to update and modernise science curricula, improve the laboratories and libraries in schools and upgrade the competence of science teachers. Since the cost of labora- tory equipment is high and the quantity needed is considerable, the production of scientific equipment on a large scale and at modest cost should be encouraged. Regional production centres for the manufacture of science kits and laboratory equipment may be set up. Central as- sistance should be made available to the states for strengthening of teaching of science in secondary education and for opening of addi- tional science sections at the higher secondary level. Similar atten- tion should be paid for improvement of teaching of mathematics.
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Socially Useful Productive Work SUPW/Work Experience Programmes have been accepted in principle for a long time. Establishment of Basic Schools throughout the country was an early positive stop but could not gain roots due to certain inher- ent complexities in the context of fast changing socio-economic condi- tions of the society. Work Experience recommended by Education Commis- sion (1966) was a laudable effort to bridge the gap between work and education. The concept of SUPW accepted in 1977-78 envisaged purpo- sive, meaningful manual work resulting in either goods or services useful to the community as an integral part of the entire spectrum of school education.
These concepts have also been implemented by many of the States and UT's under one name or the other for a long time but have not made a significant impact as was envisaged. Since the problem remains, an urgent need is there to provide fresh direction and impetus for its more effective implementation. The general aim of the work education programmes should be the linkage of education with the world of work, both as an area as well as the medium of education at all levels. However, these aims must not yield differentiated curricula either to exploit or conform to the existing disparities or in any way, to promote them. The individual aspirations should be respected and honoured and the concept should find acceptance on the basis of its own intrinsic merit. The contents of SUPW should, therefore, provide for strong linkages with other academic subjects so that the acquired knowledge could be applied for the actual benefit of the community.
Specifically while the SUPW concept of participation in a large number of activities drawn from the areas of human needs may continue for the elementary stage of education for the time being, there is a need to develop certain programmes of pre-vocational character for more struc- tured and effective implementation. A school can select an area of community specific production process around which the theoretical learning and practical work within the school and outside may revolve. This may allow for closer linkages between theories learnt and skills acquired and their real life applications.
It will also allow for better utilisation and integration of the community expertise in the teaching-learning process. A cluster of three of four schools with a given pre-vocational course may feed to the school offering a corresponding course for vocational studies at the higher secondary stage. Besides, the support system for develop- ment, training, management and supervision available or being de- veloped for vocationalisation may also be utilised for the secondary stage SUPW (pre-vocational) programme. The pace of expansion in such an organised fashion will get automatically linked with the expansion of vocationalisation programme and would eventually cover all the secondary schools of the country in a phased manner. This strategy would also alleviate the difficulties presently encountered in the area of conceptual clarity, community acceptance, vertical linkages, standards of achievement, pedagogical and managerial inputs and sever- al other constraints experienced during the preceding decade.
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The financial constraints have also affected the SUPW programme to a great extent. While eventually the programme should be self sustaining and remunerative as desirable, some financial provisions must be made for certain components of the programmes. These may involve:
1. Staff salary for SUPW cells in each state exclusively charged with functions in the area of SUPW/WE. This may be properly dovetailed with similar staff component required for the vocationalisation programme.
2. A modest programme budget for this Cell for developing materials, conducting training programmes and undertaking other promotional activities.
3. A separate budget component for holding District level, State level and National level SUPW/WE exhibitions for children and teachers and also for instituting a system of awards.
4. Payment of salary and allowances for special teacher/part time specialist teachers and some needed infrastructure in secondary level schools offering pre-vocational programme.
Vocationalisation of Education The two year higher secondary stage of education is important because it marks the terminal stage of formal schooling for nearly half of those students who join it. In absolute terms, the number may now be over a million each year. It is also important because it provided the bridge between the general education of the secondary stage and higher education in arts and science colleges or professional institutions.
Vocationalisation of education at this stage is perhaps the most important aspect of the 10+2 pattern. Diversification is the proper term, the aim being to channelise a considerable proportion of the student population into programme of education in much wider fields in conformity with their interest, aptitudes and abilities. In the ab- sence of such diversification leading to a meaningful and productive ability at the end of formal schooling, the country may have no other choice but to provide for more expensive and often unproductive higher education on a much larger scale, in order to cope with the conse- quences of universalisation of elementary education. Vocationalisation of higher secondary education is also a national imperative for an effective correction in the supply system of manpower, to keep pace with the planned development activities.
In view of the importance of linking education with productivity a major impetus has to be given in the Seventh Plan and the subsequent Five Year Plans to vocationalisation of higher secondary education. The schools have, therefore, to be encouraged to introduce vocational stream in the plus 2 stage on a large scale.
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Facilities of vocational education at the plus 2 stage should be suitably diversified to cover a large number of field such as agricul- ture, industries, trade and commerce, medicine and public health, home management, arts and crafts, secretarial training, entrepreneurial training etc., but it will have to be ensured that there is no dupli- cation of courses in technical vocational institutions and in schools.
In designing vocational courses, the schools should keep in mind the regional needs and local employment opportunities. More courses which have a relevance to rural needs, for example, those dealing with agriculture and allied sectors, should be introduced. Other emerging areas such as those in computer technology may also be planned to meet the projected manpower requirements.
The vocationalised courses should not be terminal in the sense that a student is unable to go for higher education; but at the same time, the vocationalisation should be of adequate level to ensure that the skill obtained will be of meaningful help and use in one's career.
The vocationalisation programme should be enlarged further in scope so as to include practical training and also to ensure that an adequate level of skills is imparted.
Suitable instruction material for the programme should be developed based on vocational survey and regional manpower surveys.
Minimum qualification for recruitment to the services in Government and public sector undertakings should be so modified that wherever possible preference is given to those completing the vocationalised stream.
Considering that inadequately provided vocational courses with few linkages with employment market has not made a headway so far, sub- stantial central and state funding and elaborate linkages with employ- ers would be needed in the Seventh Plan to make this a success. It seems clear that without direct central funding this programme may continue to stagnate in Seventh Plan also, as earlier. The scheme of Central assistance should provide for (i) macro-management system at national, regional and state levels, (ii) national network for devel- opmental and technical support employing the resources and expertise available under various central and state Governments and public sector undertakings, (iii) recurring and non-recurring expenditure at the school level including the cluster of schools offering SUPW (pre- vocational) programme, and (iv) career teachers at school level and vocational guidance counselors at the district level.
Educational Technology In recent year substantial progress has been made in communication technology which has made it possible to reach schools in isolated and district places. Experience has already been gained for utilisation
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of mass media for improvement of education in the country. It would be necessary to build upon this experience and ensure that the technology that has now become available through INSAT is increasingly used for improving the instruction at the secondary stage.
Computers have become common place in most of the developed countries. With the reduction in cost of equipment the schools system in the country will also increasingly begin to use computers as aid to in- struction. The decision to make a small beginning for providing com- puter literacy/education to students in selected secondary schools has already been taken. The possibility of expansion of the programme during the Seventh Plan need to be explored.
Teachers Improvement in the quality of secondary education needs, as a pre- requisite, the improvement of the quality and preparation of teachers. The training needs must receive consideration.
The expansion needed for secondary education has already been dis- cussed. The output of the existing teacher training colleges will be about 3.5 lakhs during the Seventh Plan. Taking the projected growth in view, and the fact that there is a larger number of unemployed trained graduates in the country it is felt that no additional teacher training institutions are required during the Seventh Five Year Plan. However, new models and unconventional and innovative methods are being developed in the field of education. It is, therefore, necessary that in-service training is provided to a teacher at least once in five years. An ad-hoc provision of Rs. 50 crores is proposed for in- service training and improving the existing training institutions.
Core-curriculum and revision of text-books The NCERT brought out "The curriculum for the Ten Year School frame- work". It also brought out a corresponding document for the higher secondary education titled, "Higher Secondary Education and its Voca- tionalisation". These curricula and their subsequent modified versions were accepted by CBSE and many states and UTs. Yet all the states and UTs have not adopted the national framework. There are many instances of major deviations. It is thus advisable to review these documents on the basis of the experience gained and recommend a core curriculum developed in consultation with the states that would ensure, at least broad uniformity and certain standards of education through out the country. Although there should be a unified core-curriculum yet the implementation of that curriculum may continue to be the responsibili- ty of state governments
The low-cost quality textbooks that were developed during mid-seven- ties were provided to school concerned and constituted an important component for the quality improvement of secondary education. These have been in use for nearly a decade. Steps must be taken during the early years of the Seventh Plan to update these
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textual materials or to develop new materials wherever necessary so that benefit of material developed in past few years like in the fields of ecology, population education, computer literacy becomes available to students at large.
Equalisation of opportunities Access to education and training is a key factor reducing the gap between the socio-economic groups and between the sexes. Lack of education and training in basic skills is one of the causes for vi- cious circle of under-development, low productivity and poor condition of health and welfare. The enrolment of girls at the secondary stage is only 30 per cent of the total enrolment. While the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes constituted about 15 and 7 per cent receptively of the total population in the country, their enrolment in the total enrolment at secondary stage is 10 and 3 per cent. Efforts have, therefore, to be made to equalise educational opportunities for girls and weaker sections of the society including education in the rural areas. Special schemes may have to be evolved during the Seventh Plan to ensure that opportunities for education, to cover more adequately, rural areas, girls, SC/ST students and other weaker sections.
A centrally sponsored scheme with 100% central assistance for the integrated education of the physically handicapped children may con- tinue during the plan.
Monitoring and Evaluation of Schemes For proper implementation of various national schemes such as voca- tionalisation of secondary education, integration of education and work, strengthening of science teaching and mathematics, equalisation of education, population education, education for national integration there is need to set up a collaborative centre-state machinery which can continuously monitor these programmes and take appropriate steps to ensure that the progress in different spheres is according to plan.