THRUST AREAS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
THRUST AREAS FOR 1996-1997 UPTO THE YEAR 2000 In response to the launching of District Primary Education (DPEP) programme in the context of Education for All by various States, the department is poised to play its role with regard to the following areas:
1. Identification of District and State Level Resource Persons for Non-Formal Education.
2. Training of District and State level Resource Teams.
3. Continuous technical and academic support for the district and State level teams.
4. creation of relevant Curriculum Frame, guidelines and proto- type materials for various groups of learners.
Some of the thrust areas of the department during 1996-97 and upto the year 2000 are :
a. evolving linkage between school education and vocational education through Non-Formal education component;
b. developing strategies for interface between formal school and non-formal education on the one hand and non-formal education and open learning system on the other;
c. addressing issues related to evolving different models of educational programmes to provide access to large number of children through alternative schooling strategies;
d. evolving innovative modules for non-formal education for the working and street children both in the urban areas as well as in the rural set-up;
e. developing skill oriented learner-specific and area-specific prototype teaching-learning materials;
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f. developing media-based materials for enrichment of teaching- learning process at the Primary level;
g. preparing innovative supplementary reading materials for promotion of linguistic skills in the learners attending alternative schooling system;
h. designing special programme for the training of functionaries working for Street and Working Children.
The department, through its field research based programmes and activities plans to identify and address the crucial areas of concern connected with learning difficulties of learners attending different educational programmes. These activities will provide sound basis for evolving strategies for training of functionaries working in different alternative schooling models at the Primary school stage.
The cardinal principles for planning intervention strategies will be strengthening academic support to the States and Voluntary Organisations for resource generation and capability building at the grassroot level. The core teams at the State and District Levels will be equipped in a way to meet the challenges of Education for All through alternative schooling modalities. In this endeavour the States and Voluntary Organisations will be helped to strengthen mutual support system.
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In the context of IX Five Year Plan, the department will gear all its programmes and activities towards networking of potential Organisations that have wealth of innovative experiences to share with others. It will also evolve newer strategies for building up capabilities of Organisations for human resource development.