PROBLEMS OF ADMINISTRATION
 

I

ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION

In any scheme of educational reconstruction which envisages a large scale development of educational institutions of diverse varie- ties, it is necessary to consider carefully the administrative machin- ery that should be responsible for the spread of education and for its orderly development.

The present administrative set up is that in all States there is a Directorate of Education working under the direct control of a Minister who has a Secretary to assist him at the Secretariat level and a Director of Education as the executive head of the Department responsible for offering technical advice to the Minister in all educational matters and for carrying out the policy of the Department. In actual practice the Director of Education has to submit his propos- als for the reorganization and expansion of education to the Minister through the Secretary. This has actually meant that such proposals and policies are subjected to criticisms by the subordinate officers of the Secretariat and are often presented in a form which may be quite different from what was originally conceived by the Director. The Secretary himself may not be fully conversant with these problems as he is frequently transferred from one Department of the Secretariat to another. If education is not to be treated as a mere administra- tive problem, we feel that the Director of Education should be mainly responsible to advise the Minister and for this purpose we recommend that where the Director himself is not the Secretary of the Department he should have the status of a Joint Secretary and should have direct access to the Minister. It would of course be open to the Minister when he considers it necessary to consult the Secretary particularly in regard to administrative and financial matters.

Need for Co-ordination

We have noticed that in the States as well as at the Centre different Departments and Ministries have responsibility for various aspects of education for the age period of 10 to 17. Thus, while the Department of Education is responsible for most of the activities connected with school education there are other Ministries which have their own organization for imparting education of particular types. The Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Ministry of Transport and Communications and Ministry of Labour,

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CHAP. XIII] PROBLEMS OF ADMINISTRATION 173

both at the Centre and the States, have under their control, schools of different kinds which cater for the needs of this age group. It has often happened that these different Departments are not in touch with one another's activities nor is the Education Department in a position to coordinate them with a view to increasing efficiency and securing economy of effort. It seems, therefore necessary that there should be a coordinating agency and that problems of a similar nature pertaining to more than one Ministry or Department should be discussed by them thoroughly and a concerted programme of education should be formulated. In some cases, the Departments mainly responsible for producing technicians have not utilised their resources adequately for the furtherance of Technical education by starting suitable types of Technical schools. The Department of Transport and Communications, for instance, maintains a few Secondary schools of the usual type for the children of its employees. In our view the responsibility for training technicians of various grades should be shared by the Central Department of Railways along with other allied departments. This Department has a large number of workshops, and it is intended that in course of time India will become self-sufficient in the production of railway engines and all varieties of rolling stock and other necessary equipment. It is also desirable that there should be an efficient service for repairing, overhauling and the maintenance of all rolling stock and engines. We are aware that a certain number of apprentices are trained for employment in the railways, and that in some of the central workshops, work connected with the manufacture and repair of engines and rolling stock is being carried on. But if trained personnel of the required standard and in sufficient number is to be available the facilities need to be expanded and improved. Since the railways are the largest employers of technicians of all grades. it should be one of their main functions to maintain or help in the maintenance of technical schools of different grades to trained skilled labour for their work.

Again during the war, the Department of Commerce and Industry in the Central Government was responsible for starting a number of train- ing institutions for technician and many available workshops in the country were utilised for the purpose. Since the conclusion of the war, a few institutes originally started for this purpose have been kept going by the department where training is given in the craft or trade concerned but no provision has been made for general education. In the coordinated programme of Technical education at this level, agriculture has also a large part to play. It seems to us that such departments should pool their resources and adopt a uniform policy in regard to the training of various types of skilled workers needed for the different industries of the country. We may recall here what we have already stated that in all schemes of Technical education there should be room for an adequate amount of general education without which it is not possible to give intelligent training in technical skill. Moreover, the object of all education at this stage whether technical or general is to ensure that all educated youths are also trained for the efficient discharge of their duties as citizens.

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Committee of Ministers

In view of all these considerations we recommend that there should be a committee constituted at the Centre as well as in the States consisting of the different Ministers concerned with the var- ious types of education as well as the Minister for Finance. They must meet and discuss how best the resources of the departments could be pooled for the furtherance of the educational programme. The Minister of Education may be the Chairman and the Director of Educa- tion, the Secretary of the Committee.

Co-ordinating Committee of Departmental Heads

At the next level, there is need for a coordinating committee consisting of the departmental heads concerned with the various as- pects of education. Here we suggest that heads of departments respon- sible for education, general, technical, agricultural, commercial and other types should meet and discuss the working of the existing ma- chinery and the possibilities of its expansion and improvement. The Director of Education may be the Convener of this Committee and a Deputy Director of Education may act as Secretary. If there is a Deputy or Joint Director of Technical Education, he should be a member of the Committee. This Committee will have to meet several times a year to review the position and to consider methods of improvement and expansion in all relevant fields. At the outset the Committee should review the whole educational structure and draw up a master plan showing how the necessary integration can be achieved smoothly and expeditiously in the different types of schools established by the State or Centre. The whole object of this planning would be to avoid duplication, to improve and expand the facilities needed for the different educational institutions and to use them more effectively by their coordination or merging, and to lay down a programme under which special types of education may be progressively provided either in separate institutions or in multipurpose schools. Any department of the States or Centre which is interested in developing a particular branch of education should place such proposals before this Committee. It will thus afford an opportunity for getting an over-all picture of the whole field of education and enable the public and the State to know exactly what is being done and what are the plans proposed for the future.

Director of Education

The Director of Education should be assisted in his work by a number of experts, including a Joint Director of Vocational or Techni- cal Education to give expert advice on Technical education. The various Deputy Directors should deal with particular aspects or grades of education and there should be a Deputy Directress of Education, whose chief responsibility should be to, look after the education of girls, and to see to it that adequate facilities are provided for them in the educational system of the State. She should also be responsi- ble for the development of women's education and for advising on their special needs and problems.

CHAP.XIII] PROBLEMS OF ADMINISTRATION 175

Board of Secondary Education

We recommend that there should be a Board of Secondary Education under the chairmanship of the Director of Education to deal with all details of education at the Secondary stage (general and technical). This board should be composed of persons with wide experience and knowledge-of different aspects of Secondary education. We recommend that it should consist of not more than 25 members, ten of whom should be specially conversant with matters pertaining to Vocational or Technical education.

We suggest the following constitution for the Board which can of course be modified to suit special needs of the States concerned:

The Joint Director of Vocational Education

The Director of Agriculture

The Director of Industries

One Head of a Polytechnic

Two representatives nominated by Government from the senior teaching staff of Vocational Schools.

The Deputy Directress of Women's education.

Four Headmasters of High schools including headmasters of Multipurpose schools, nominated by government.

Two representatives of Provincial Secondary Teachers' Association, elected by the Executive of the Association.

Five nominees of the universities of the region, of whom two shall be professors dealing with Technical education.

Two distinguished educationists co-opted by the other members of the Board.

Two persons nominated by the Department and a Principal of a Training College nominated by government.

One of the Deputy Directors as a Member-Secretary.

Functions of the Boards

The Board will be generally responsible for the following mat- ters:

(1) To frame conditions for recognition of High schools, Higher Secondary schools and the qualifications of the teaching staff.

(2) To appoint committees of experts to advise on the syllabuses etc., for the different courses of study.

(3) To frame courses of study on the recommendation of Expert Committees that may be appointed for this purpose.

(4) To draw up panels of question Paper Setters, Chief Examiners and Assistant Examiners.

176 PROBLEMS OF ADMINISTRATION [CHAP. XIII

(5) To frame rules prescribing the minimum conditions for selec- tion of Examiners, Assistant Examiners, etc., and generally to frame such other rules as may be necessary for its effective functioning.

(6) Generally to advice the Director of Education when required on all matters pertaining to Secondary education.

In this connection we wish to point out that in some States, the Boards which have been recently constituted for the purpose are un- weildly in number and some of the interests represented on it are not likely to promote efficiency or harmony. We consider that, if Second- ary education is to progress on right lines, the Board must be a com- pact body mainly composed of experts, whose functions will be limited to the formulation of broad policies. The Board is not expected to function as an executive body which is the province of the Director of Education.

With regard to the conduct of examinations, we recommend that a small committee of the Board, consisting of not more than five mem- bers, should be appointed, with the Director of Education or a senior member of the Directorate as Convener. This committee will be respon- sible for framing its scheme and conducting public examinations and for publishing results. The Director will be assisted in this work by a senior officer with the necessary staff to carry out the day-to-day duties and responsibilities in this connection and to attend to all the details concerning the conduct of examinations.

The executive powers needed to implement the recommendations of the Secondary Education Board will be vested in the Chairman of the Board, the Director of Education. This Board shall ordinarily meet at least twice a year, but may meet on other occasions when summoned by the Chairman or on a requisition made by 1/3rd of the members consti- tuting the Board.

It will have its own office and establishment with a whole-time Office Secretary for that purpose.

Board for Teacher Training Institutions

We have referred to the need to establish many new institutions to train teachers in general as well as in vocational subjects. While the training of graduates will be arranged in University Colleges the training of under-graduates teachers will be carried on in a large number of centres for the supervision and guidance of which we recom- mend the establishment of a Board that will lay down the conditions necessary for their proper training. It should also be empowered to suggest for the consideration of the universities any improvements that may be needed in the graduate training programme.

CHAP.XIII] PROBLEMS OF ADMINISTRATION 177

Regarding the conditions of this Board, we suggest that the Director of Education will be the Chairman, with the following as members:

(1) The Joint Director of Education (Technical).

(2) Two heads of secondary grade training institutions.

(3) Two headmasters or headmistresses of schools, one of whom will be connected with vocational education.

(4) A principal of a Polytechnic.

(5) Three persons nominated by the government, one of whom at least shall have experience of vocational education.

(6) A dean of the faculty of teaching and another representative of the faculty nominated by the Vice- Chancellor or Vice-Chancellors of the universities in the State.

The functions of this Board would generally be as follows:

(1) To frame schemes and syllabuses for. the training of undergraduate teachers.

(2) To draw up the condition for recognition of such Secondary grade training centres.

(3) To draw up schemes of examinations for these teachers.

(4) To draw up qualifications necessary for the teachers of the different subjects in the training institutions.

(5) To appoint expert committees wherever necessary and to advise the Board on the schemes of special training necessary in the different vocational subjects of study.

(6) Generally to advise the Director of Education when required on all matters pertaining to teacher training.

Central Advisory Board of Education

The Central Advisory Board of Education constituted by the Cen- tral Government has been functioning for many years in order to, advise the Central Government and incidentally the States on all matters pertaining to education at different levels. Composed as it is of representatives of all educational interests as well as States, its deliberations have been very useful and its reports have furnished valuable material both for the States and the Centre. We are of opinion that such a body should continue to function as a coordinating agency to consider all India problems concerning education.

Provincial Advisory Boards

We recommend that provincial Advisory Boards should be constitut- ed in all States to advise the Department in all matters pertaining to education. The Board may function on lines similar to the Central

178 PROBLEMS OF ADMINISTRATION [CHAP. XIII

Advisory Board of Education and should be composed of representatives of the teaching profession, the universities, Managements of High schools and Higher Secondary schools, heads of departments dealing with different spheres of education, representatives of Industry, Trade and Commerce, and the Legislature and the general public. The Minister of Education should be the Chairman of the Board and the Director of Education or the Education Secretary should be the Secre- tary. This body will advise the Department of Education on all mat- ters pertaining to education, particularly its improvement both in the quality and quantity.

II

SUPERVISION AND INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS

Existing Defects

The present system of inspection of schools was subjected to criticism by several witnesses. It Was pointed out that inspections were perfunctory, that the time spent by the Inspector at any particu- lar place was insufficient, that the greater part of this time was taken up with routine work like checking accounts and looking into the administrative aspects of the school. There was not enough time devoted to the academic side and contacts between the Inspectors and teachers were casual. It was also stated that the number of schools entrusted to the care of an Inspector was too large and the range too wide for him to be able to acquaint himself with their work and appre- ciate their problems; nor was he in a position to advise and guide the teaching staff in improving the work of the school. It occasionally happened that the Inspector instead of being "the friend, philosopher and guide" of the school, behaved in such a critical and unsympathetic way that his visit was looked upon with some degree of apprehension if not of resentment. In our view the true role of an Inspector-for whom we would prefer the term Educational Adviser-is to study the problems of each school, to take a comprehensive view of all its functions and to help the teachers to carry out his advice and recommendations. We also recommend that for special subjects like Physical Education, Domestic Science, Art, Music, etc., there should be attached to the Director's Office certain experts in these subjects who will inspect the different schools periodically and help in improving the standards of teaching.