SYNERGY SUB-GROUP ON PRIMARY
 EDUCATION AND LITERACY A DRAFT
 REPORT
 

In order to make an assessment of the existing situation and make recommendations for achieving the goals of education, an apex synergy group was appointed by the MHRD in four thrust areas of education, one of' them being on primary education and literacy. The group consisting of educators, planners, administrators and users of the educational system met a number of times and deliberated on the historical developments, outstanding issues, constraints, regional, social and economic factors affecting the achievement of universal primary education. The deliberations on primary education were guided by three major presentations : Primary Education in India by Dr. R. V. Vaidyanatha Ayyar, JS (DPEP); Primary Education in India: Status and Issues by Prof. A. K. Sharma, Director, NCERT ; and PrimarY Education in India : Planning and Management Issues by Prof. Kuldeep Mathur, Director. NIEPA.

A number of recommendations have emerged for accelerating the educational reforms with a sharp focus on implementation strategies and sustainable and innovative approaches to planning and management of primary education in India. While many of the suggestions and recommendations are reiteration of the earlier strategies thus underlining their urgency and importance, a number of new proposals are made which are expected to contribute to the efforts for sustainable educational reforms to achieve the national goals.

A. Issues and concerns

While the higher education system in India is still among the best in the developing world, the same cannot be said for primary education. To date efforts are being continuously made to universalise primary education and to reform that system but not with much success. There can be no social and economic renaissance without providing a sound primary education. Few reforms could do more to help the poor and the disadvantaged in the society than primary education. For the more you learn the more you earn. The country's future is going to be determined in the

primary schools.

A review of policies, programmes and outcomes In primary education showed that a number of issues have persisted over the last four decades of development planning. The group also recognised that while serious efforts were made to overcome the constraints affecting the universalisation of primary education, there are many unfinished tasks. Some important issues requiring immediate attention are discussed below

A.1 Access and equity

While 94% children have access to primary school facility within 1 km walking distance, a situation has arisen where smaller habitations and certain vulnerable and hardcore sections of the society are not adequately covered. The position with respect to infrastructure, teaching staff, teaching-learning materials, equipment and supplies has improved considerably after Operation Blackboard was launched. While the coverage of originally targeted schools is almost complete in terms of central assistance for teaching-learning materials and additional teachers, the condition of school buildings is still far from satisfactory in many rural schools located in isolated and difficult to reach areas. Far too many schools have become educational ghettos. We will have to invest in our schools.

The contribution of strategies to provide education to out-of -school children (drop-outs and never enrolled) through non-formal and alternative modes of education is not sufficient to cover all eligible children. More than a quarter million NFE centres are operating in various parts of the country. However, there is a need to accelerate it so that all the eligible children are covered in a time bound framework. Efforts to educate the working children in areas of their concentration have also to be accelerated.

A.2 Retention and transition rates

At the time of inception of development planning in India, low retention and transition rates were identified as important issues affecting the efficiency of primary education (First Five Year Plan, 1951/56). Despite this, the reforms/ programmes of educational development made little impact. Latest statistics indicate a positive impact of recent reforms on checking large drop-outs from the school system. The drop-out rate in 1993-94 was 36.32% in Classes I-V and 52.8% in Classes I-VIII. The transition from primary to upper primary stage was 33.91 % in

1991-92 as compared to 16.28% in 1950-51. And even this increase is not sufficient for universalisation of elementary education.

A.3 Learning and achievement levels

While there is not enough data to establish and monitor the variations in achievement levels, recent studies conducted under DPEP have highlighted that learners' achievement levels are low even in educationally better-off states like Kerala and Maharashtra.

Children learn for the same reason that birds fly. If a child is reluctant one should ask the question - What is turning him off learning?

Old habits, ideas, prejudices still guide us. Education has long been infected by a covert form of elitism.

A.4 Pedagogy and role of teachers

The National Policy on Education 1986 and its revised formulation (NPE, 1992) underlined the centrality of the relationship between teacher and the learner in teaching-learning process. While it is easier said than done, there are no two opinions about its desirability. Therefore, centrality must be re-emphasised and pedagogy at the primary level in particular must be made more and more child centred. Emphasis of teacher-training must shift to teaching- learning strategies for the children belonging to Classes I and II. It is at these levels that most dropouts take place. Yet the teacher- training curriculum overlooks this important aspect of pedagogy.

Teacher absenteeism and lack of motivation are factors adversely affecting the quality of education. The existing system does not provide incentives for the dedicated and well performing teachers. The teachers spend considerable time in performing duties other than teaching which also affects the quality of school education. Similarly the problems of accountability at all levels, including the teachers, is a serious issue that needs immediate attention.

A.5 Moving to sustainable scale

A number of promising innovations and experiments in the management of change in primary education have taken place in the past. But these were limited to small scale action research projects, experiments and pilot efforts of NGOs, activists

and voluntary agencies. Large scale replication of even the most promising innovations did not take place largely due to inadequate dissemination and documentation and the inherent constraints in the system. As a result, large intra and inter-district variations in the quantitative coverage and qualitative outcome of education prevailed.

A.6 Systems management

Management of primary education in the states has undergone various phases of centralisation and decentralisation. The enabling legislations authorising the local bodies to prepare schemes for compulsory primary education within their areas were in place during the 1920s but could not be implemented. Recent efforts at decentralisation of educational management through Panchayati Raj institutions will provide another opportunity in this direction.

Although the state departments of education were re-organised many times after the attainment of independence, the techniques and procedures for planning and management remain ambiguous, rudimentary and poorly developed to meet the growing challenge and complexity of educational planning in a decentralised frame. A number of parallel structures exist without much co-ordination in planning and management of their activities at the grassroots.

Lack of modernisation of inspection, supervision, data collection and analysis activities create undue delays and ad-hocism in decision making.

Training in institutional planning methodology is vitally needed to promote decentralisation. With increased availability of teachers, physical and financial resources, institutional planning will become a necessity.

A. 7 Monitoring and information systems

In the absence of adequate and timely availability of data, it is not possible for the districts and states to develop long term plans which adequately reflected changing perception and role of education, economic and social system. Efforts to establish information systems and decision support services have not been upto the expectations. The system of data collection, compilation, storage, retrieval and its sharing among various users is still organised along traditional lines which does not fully meet the requirements of a diversified and expanded system of education.

A.8 Decentralised management of primary education

After the Panchayats are constituted in states following the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments, the role of VECs in planning and management of primary education will become vitally important. Appropriate reservations for the women, SC and ST communities have also been made to ensure that interests of all segments of society are duly represented in these bodies. In order that these bodies discharge their functions with greater efficiency, a massive effort in mobilisation and capacity building will be required.

A.9 Resources for primary education

While the increase in budgetary resources for education in general, and that of primary education in particular, is significant but may be inadequate to transform the inherited system of primary education to an acceptable level of quality and efficiency.

The states are spending on an average about 20% of their budgetary resources to upgrade and maintain the education services but the inter-state variations are large. Over the years, a major shift is perceptible in the funding pattern of education and it relates to the contribution of non-government sources which declined from about 32% in 1950/51 to 11.27% in 1982/83.

Supplementing the government resources through various mobilising efforts will be necessary for strengthening of resource base for primary education.

B. Recommendations

After a review of developments, issues and concerns in primary education, the sub-group identified a number of recommendations for the consideration of the MHRD. Some of these recommendations are a mere reiteration of the earlier strategies. However, the reiteration shows their importance and significance in reforming the system of school education in India. The group has also made a number of new recommendations, taking into account the changing social and economic scene in the country, which will contribute positively to the achievement of states' targets. It is considered that a greater emphasis needs to be placed on the development of a time bound action plan for implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review of various recommendations made by the sub-group.

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While considerable progress is recorded in the last few years, much remains to be done in terms of improving real access, ensuring retention and achievement of MLLs. The focus in the coming years will be to accelerate and strengthen the processes which have already been set in motion and have demonstrated their success. New strategies will have to be evolved for the unresolved issues particularly those related to the quality improvement programmes and the education of the needy children in difficult circumstances.

That the private schools are intrinsically and uniformly better is a myth that deserves to be laid to rest. Some are among the best in the country, others are mediocre and sub-standard. The distance between the best and the average be they Government or private schools, is too big to one's comfort. The State should or would continue to play a predominant; role but the Government's role would be a departure from the past tradition of regulation and control. Government should be more open and receptive to the participation of other actors in civil society like NGOs and industry in the opening of schools, management of existing schools and teacher training institutions and in experimenting with a variety of alternatives in the teaching-learning process. We would recommend a review of the existing regulations in the country.

Educational discourse in the country has too often been exclusively devoted to pedagogic issues; while these are vital, the locus of discussions should shift to the logic of how to ensure the management of change.

B.1 Community awareness and mobilisation

* We cannot have islands of school excellence in a sea of community indifference. Parents, teachers and students constitute what may be called the Golden Triangle, the civic foundations of education reform. Students should learn, teachers should teach and parents take on the responsibilities of sending children to school and facilitating the teaching-learning process in the school. While we do not favour a legalistic approach to compulsory primary education we would strongly urge societal and peer pressure being exerted by the community so that all children go to school.

The three R's, while perhaps outdated elsewhere. are still accepted by a vast majority as accepted learning goals.

We only add that while three R's are for a teacher, the fourth R is for parents. It is to emphasise their responsibility. Though family life is hectic and harassing, diminishing guidance from parents to children, yet it has to be emphasised that solution to students' unsatisfactory motivation and performance lies at home. Structuring of extra help at school would not suffice. A co-ordination between home and school is required. We need a forum and process for this. Caring and knowledgeable adults/parents are indispensible.

* The shared vision of educational responsibility must emphasise not only goals for learning but also the responsibility that parents must accept for developing children's future. Community must start talking of "our children", instead of talking about "those children" and "my children".

* There is a need to adopt a more flexible approach for involvement of community leaders and should not be limited to merely PR bodies. The model could vary from one state to another. The VECs must have representation of parents of children attending primary schools alongwith other representatives.

* The enthusiasm and awareness generated by the total literacy campaigns need to be sustained through systematic environmental building efforts and effective management of the demand which is largely emerging from the hitherto uncovered segments of the society. The role of NGOs in this context needs to be further encouraged.

* An analysis of the reasons for the large number of children being out-of-school needs to be made and its correlation with the economic development studied in the village specific situation. The evidence should be used for micro-planning.

* Women empowerment programmes should be accorded high priority and implemented through an integrated rather than compartmentalised approach. Lessons learnt from successful programmes like Mahila Samakhya should be disseminated widely.

* Comprehensive and need based programmes for the development of community leadership should be undertaken by the resource institutions like DIETs/SCERTs/SRCs, etc.

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B.2 Role of industry

* The industry should be willing to share the social responsibility for educating their workers and children in the school going age-group. The industry should arrange classes for illiterate workers and open and fund primary schools in the large residential colonies/complexes used for residential purposes for their workers. Other possibilities to share this responsibility should be explored.

* The industrial houses should be encouraged to financially support the strengthening of primary schools, DIETs and other resource institutions particularly those located in educationally backward areas.

* The financial contributions made by the industrial houses and individuals to the cause of primary education should be eligible for tax relief.

B.3 Education of the girl child and special groups

* The education of the girl child must be given high priority and concerted efforts must be made to ensure that the enrolment, retention and achievement of girls in primary education are improved. Incentive schemes like free textbooks, free uniforms, mid-day meals should be pursued and implemented more vigorously.

* Necessary support in terms of basic facilities and security arrangements needs to be provided to encourage women teachers to work in rural and backward areas.

* Extensive use of the media should he made to educate the community, create necessary awareness and provide appropriate role models to encourage the girls to join the mainstream of education.

* As progress towards Education for All is attained, it will be necessary to reach marginal groups of population through local specific approach. Specific disadvantaged groups like pavement dwellers and communities in violence prone areas, should be given special attention through identification of their educational needs. Research should be initiated and action plans drawn accordingly.