Policy Issues in Education

With Special reference to Policy legislations, Curricula,

ICT, ODL

(A compilation of Published Articles)

By Sadaket Ali Malik

Preface

Current Education for All (EFA) global monitoring report 2009 is an eye

opener for the Policy makers in general and educational administrators in

particular. India needs to have a consensus among the strong academic

community to achieve the gender parity and universal enrolment.

I had been attempting since long to focus on the critical analysis of the

policies and programmes of several ministries of Government of India

regarding Policy issues by way of plethora of articles published in several

national, International and local print and online media.

This book policy issues in Education encompasses in a single volume the

important legislations that have taken place and suggestions for the people at

the helm of affair.

This book is just a collection of my published articles on educational policy

parameters. These articles and columns on the latest happenings in the

educational canvas of the country have been featured in National and local

dailies, also on the web logs and blogs on education.

The book intends to cover issues like Open and Distance Learning (ODL),

Information and communication technologies (ICTs), Digital learning,

Vocational education, Curricula, Education for All (EFA), to look at the

problems at national context.

I am sure this book on my articles will acquaint the readers, students,

and people at the helm, about policy issues to work cooperatively and

responsibly for education for all to achieve inclusive growth.

If this work meets the needs of even a small fraction of the educationists

at several levels who are keen on updating their knowledge bank on the

policy of education, I would feel the purpose of my work is served.

I am thankful to the Chief Editor, The Daily Excelsior Jammu Respected S

D Rohmetra, Chairman The Kashmir Times Jammu, Sh Ved Bhasin, Editor The

Employment News New Delhi, Web Editor The Meri News, Editor, Article base,

Editor The Job Quest Jammu, Editor Indiaedunews.com for giving a full page

space to my work.

I am also indebted to my Parents, my wife Fozia Fabyaan owing to thier

inspiration this work saw a light of the day. I am thankful to my learned guru

Dr. Arshad Ahmed of Jamia Millia Islamia University. Commerade Krishan Dev

Sethi, (freedom fighter of freedom struggle. Sh. Balraj puri, K K Bhat, lokesh

Verma, for their encouragement for completing this little bit piece of work.

Sadaket A Malik

Author

1. Distance education: Indian Context

2. Effective decentralization needed in Education 3. Holistic education: A UNESCO Experience 4. Rehabilitation of Disabled

5. Gender enrolment ratio in secondary education 6. Diversifying Open schooling

7. Failure in regulations of education 8. Nutritional Value of Midday Meals

9. E-governance- A new way to reach the unreached 10. Originality in Thinking for Education

11. Tears of children!

12. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad: A true educationist

13. State Knowledge Commission needs fleeting attention 14. Education for human Values

15. E-learning in India: The electronic way to learning 16. Pro-active bid to bring education on right track 17. Indian universities lack placement services 18. Open and distance Learning: A global view

19. Education for All Report 2008-an Eye Opener for Policy Makers

20. Revitalizing secondary education21. Streamlining Vocational Training 21. Streamlining Vocational Training

22. Flexible educational curricula

23. Government Policies and International Voluntary Sector 24. Needed a reflective youth policy

25. Placement facility in technical education 26. A Poet cannot become a Chemical Engineer' 27. ICTs and capacity building in Open Learning

28. Career in NGO Management 29. Public Relations as a Career

30. Career in Real Estate Management 31. Advertising- A Glamorous Career

32. State Youth Policies-The need of hour 33. Value based Education”

34. Technologising Learning in Schools” 35. Needed a reflective Youth Policy” 36. Accountability for NGOs”

37. It’s a rising tide irreversible tide in educational picture” 38. India’s unmanned moon mission-A stepping Stone”

Distance education: Indian Context

“There must be a State level Distance education regulating body in every state at the pattern of Distance education council (DEC) at the centre to ensure quality assurance”

The concept of Distance education in Indian context started by the establishment of Nalanda Open University. Distance Education is an important field of Education.

Distance education plays a vital role for the socio educational development and democratisation of any society. In Distance Education, students may not be required to be present in a classroom, but that also may be a question of option. As for an electronic classroom or Virtual Learning Environment, it may or not be a part of a distance education set up. Electronic classrooms can be both on campus, and off campus. We would call such institutions as using a 'flexible' delivery mode.

Distance Education may also use all forms of technology, from print to the computer. This range will include radio, television, audio video conferencing, computer aided instruction, e-learning/on-line learning et al. (E-learning/online-learning are largely synonymous). A distinction is also made between open learning and distance learning. To clarify our thinking we can say that 'open' education is the system in which the student is free to choose the time and place, but distance education is a teaching methodology used when the student and teacher are separated by time and place. Thus it follows that not all open-learning institutions use distance education and not all organizations that use distance education are open learning institutions. Indeed there are many cases in which students are in traditional classrooms, connected via a video-conferencing link to a teacher in a distant classroom. This method is typical in geographically dispersed institutions. Conversely, the term virtual university is sometimes used to describe an open-learning institution that uses the Internet to create an imaginary university environment, in which the students, faculty, and staff can communicate and share information at any time, regardless of location.

` In India there are several institutions offering open and distance programmes to the wide number of target groups viz, women folk, unemployed youth, engineers, medical professionals, managers and houseviews.

The setting up of an Indira Gandhi National Open university (IGNOU) has not only covered the huge populace but has helped a lot for the social and educational empowerment of the masses of the country. This institution of national importance has made a remarkable progress in Open and distance learning in India.Women world wide increasingly opts for distance education. The secondary source of data reveals that 40 to 50 percent of the students of the majority of the open and distance

education institutions are women. In India, the percentage of women in distance education is 30 to 40%.

It was observed from the sample study that 70% of the women were highly motivated by self interest, friends, members of the family, the changing environment in the society, media etc., and 30% of the respondents replied that their motivation level was low. The highly motivated group mostly belonged to urban and working sector, while the less motivated group belonged to rural areas and was less educated group with poor socio economic background. Candidates with high motivation level had the persistence to continue and proved successful in their examinations while the persistence and success rate among the less motivated group was not appreciable.

The following are the common technologies available for the instructional delivery of distance education courses.

Video technologies: Two-way video with two-way audio (also referred to as two-way interactive video).

Audio technologies: Two-way audio transmission

Internet-based technologies: Internet courses using synchronous (i.e. simultaneous or `real time') computer-based instruction (e.g. interactive computer conferencing or Interactive Relay Chat), and Internet course using asynchronous (i.e. not simultaneous) computer-based instruction (e.g. email, list-serves, and most World Wide Web-based courses).Other technologies: CD-ROM, mixed mode packages (i.e. a mix of technologies that cannot be assigned to a primary mode) and an open-ended `other, specify' category.

Resource persons pointed out that more powerful satellite, improved designs, innovations and advancements in ground reception technology are likely to lead to a considerable reduction in the overall cost of satellite technology; it is simple to install direct reception community sets for the benefit of schools and colleges.

Technology has come to stay as the backbone of communication in distance teaching methodology. Communication technology has found a client in the distance education system. That is, distance education represents the transformations of education from stage of craft to the stage of technology, thereby making room for increased productivity.

The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry plans to create an independent distance education regulator to monitor and maintain the standards of open learning in the country. Though India already has a Distance Education Council (DEC) functioning under the aegis of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), the Ministry wants to make it an entity independent of the central university.The existing DEC was set up with Parliament's approval under the IGNOU Act to promote the open university and distance education systems in the country, and determine standards of teaching, evaluation and research in such systems. However, its umbilical chord with IGNOU proved to be an irritant. Delinking DEC from

IGNOU has been a long-pending demand of universities offering correspondence courses. Attempts by the DEC in the past to set norms and standards have attracted opposition from such universities on the premise that it was not autonomous and was part of another university that offers similar distance education programmes. A Cabinet note to this effect is already in circulation. According to the proposal, the DEC will be an independent statutory body to promote, coordinate and regulate the standards of all distance education programmes offered in the country. The entire range of open learning will be covered from correspondence courses to programmes offered through satellite channels and the Internet.

What we need, we need to maintain the standard of this education by letter and sprit, The university Institutions offering the distance education must bear in mind that their study centres must br recognised and approved by the concerned statutary body like DEC, AICTE, NCTE, MCI, and of the state govts where the university owe to establish its learning centre. the approval of the cencerned state govt should be made compalsory for the opening of a study centre in a particular state.There must be a Stae level Distance education regulating body at the pattern of Distance education council at the centre so as to access the system the most leadership manner so as to acheieve the object of this education at large.

2. Effective decentralization needed in Education

The constitutional legal and national policies be upheld and funding pattern of different projects of education should be revised by government to achieve the target.

Although much has been talked by the Government agencies for achieving the gender parity and universal enrollment by 2010, but it has been revealed that Indian educational region as a UN member is facing a grim picture of literary situation.

The very recent survey monitored by UNESCO on 'Education for All' in March 2008 is an eye opener for the statesmen and policy makers of educational system in India.

The global monitoring report 2008 on 'Education for All' by the UN body speaks highly on the grim educational affairs of children belonging to the remote and disadvantaged areas of the country.

I mean to focus that besides the launch of national flagship programmes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), India has missed its 2005 target of achieving gender parity and as per the report will miss the target of 2015 for attaining total literacy.

Another matter of concern for policy makers is that the adult Literacy programmes of the Government have fallen off its priority list and the National Knowledge Commission (NKC) is in the process of finalizing its recommendations on this as well. UNESCO, as a technical support agency made a recent assessment and stressed increased involvement of children to learn by the year 2015 for achieving the vision of Education for All (EFA).

The organisation highlighted innovative projects and strategies and underscored the urgency of pushing forward with a common agenda for action but the question remains: Which educational programmes and policies have been successful? What is the relevance of the programmes at the regional level? Who remained the target beneficiary of the milestones of the Government, and what should be the decentralized procedure to put the policies into practice?

The current analysis of UN on India's Education for All commended India's efforts in bringing children back to schools who are dropouts by way of the formal or informal means.

The National Institute of Open schooling (NIOS), with its headquarters at Noida, formed by the HRD Ministry offering academic and vocational training courses, can prove fruitful if every district is made as a main centre of decentralization, means thereby to set up NIOS centres in every district to reach the unreached.

The SSA which is being implemented throughout the country is a major movement to achieve the Universal elementary Education (UEE).

The educational think-tank National University of Educational Planning and administration, (NUEPA) has developed an Educational Development Index (EDI) to track the progress of the states towards UEE.

NUEPA has developed a school report card system of more then 1.05 million primary and upper primary schools. The SSA is a historic stride towards achieving UEE through a time bound integral approach, in partnership with the states.

Operation blackboard (OBB) started in 1987 gave impetus to the large scale infrastructural facilities to avoid wastage and stagnation. The EFA report marks the midway in the great zealous movement to expand learning opportunities to every child by 2015.

In this context, the findings of the report causes concern for Indian educational region because it has pledged to put all the children in the 6-14 age group in school by that time and attain over 85 percent literacy rate.

The report highly endorses the country's efforts in bringing revolution in Distance Education by using technological means like EDUSAT and Digital learning schemes. The replacement of more then 10,000 schools into virtual classrooms is a significant achievement.

Besides Governmental initiation of the programmes, the efforts are not enough to achieve a big target within the stipulated period, since it is a fact that education especially in Government-funded schools remains neglected most of the time. It may be due to the least remuneration of the literacy workers or lack of community intervention.

The successive governments launched several policies and made several declarations on this issue right from the Constitutional Mandate of 1950.

Be it the National policy on Education 1986, Unnikrishnan Judgment of 1993, Education Ministers Resolve of 1998, National Committees report on UEE in mission mode of 1999 or the programme of Action of 2001, all promised to change the face of elementary education by 2010, but the gender and social gap seems to have become a part of the country.

As far as the national SSA project is concerned, the programme remained confined to the educational officers and administrators only and the community was not made familiar of the real object.

The reasons for this are many. Firstly, the SSA failed on the grounds that the programme has not taken care of the community mobilization in rural and deprived areas and educationally and economically backward blocks (EEBB).

Secondly, the SSA as a project in mission mode attached the teachers of mainstreaming schools as district zonal and cluster resource persons thereby resulting in the erosion of mainstream classroom. This deployment of the mainstream formal school functionaries in SSA has paralyzed the system of both formal and non formal funded projects of the Government.

The SSA needs to improve indicators by way of recruiting the staff of its own and can seek healthy collaboration of the formal functionaries of the system vis-à-vis community mobilization.

The collaboration of SSA with NGOs in some states like Rajasthan is appreciable and proven result oriented. The Education for All being a call for every citizen for learning basic skills at minimum level be projected with the intervention of local NGOs and community.

This may help in getting information from the community for the effective decentralization of the programme. Ironically, the local level community participation in any of the projects is not encouraging, which is the core factor of SSA.

The local level awareness camping and increase of the remuneration of the literacy workers is utmost importance to stem the root. The Education for All reports of 2008 demands effective decentralization. Consequent to the several efforts at national and state level by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the country has made good progress by increasing institutions, teachers, and students in elementary education.

In January 2008, Mr. Arjun Singh, HRD Minister released flash statistics. According to the statistics brought out by NUEPA New Delhi, there has been addition of minority enrollment both at primary and upper primary levels of education which has been attempted for the first time in the country.

The Eklavya schools for tribals in September 2007 by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for class VI to VIII in different states is also a credit to the mission.

The extension of the Mid Day Meal Scheme from class VI to VII in 3479 educationally backward Blocks in 2007-08 is another feather to its cap.

The efforts are revolutionary at the national level and the Government at the top level is keen to achieve the target of EFA by 2015.

The Government of India Plan of 2012, in which it has been felt worth that the fund sharing pattern between the centre and state will be 50:50 under the manifold of SSA.

The constitutional legal and national policies be upheld and funding pattern of different projects of education should be revised by government to achieve the target.

3. Holistic education: A UNESCO Experience

Is it enough having mere peace concepts in the curriculum?

The very recent UNICEF report says 1 billion denied a childhood. I repeat.. more than one billion children, half of the world’s population of children, suffer from poverty, violent conflict and the scourge of AIDS, UNICEF says in its annual report.

Education for peace, values, culture and traditions is the only way to overcome the menace. This refers to educating the child for peace. The concept of this type of education has been generated form UN, the United Nations focused that peace education must be the core objective of every member country so as to imbibe the social, cultural and traditional and intellectual values among the students across the nations. The Education is for the sake of peace, so it was felt worthwhile by the international community to incorporate the same in the modal curriculum globally and locally. Peace education should not mean the education of the peace of mind only but for the resolution of the issues of conflict and preparing the young minds for the mutual dialogue and understanding in intellectual arena. Peace education is more effective and meaningful when it is adopted according to the social and cultural context and the needs of a country. It should be enriched by its cultural and spiritual values together with the universal human values. It should also be globally relevant. On seeing this guide a teacher might wonder 'Is it really necessary to teach peace as such? Whole education is for peace. Isn't it already in the curriculum?' She may be right in a sense. But the questions remain: Are we giving adequate attention today to teach peace? Are our schools really interested in producing a peaceful young generation? Is it enough having mere peace concepts in the curriculum? is a matter of debate. Is Govt. of India as a member of United Nation striving towards peace in schools, colleges and universities and how the UN bodies are making efforts to incorporate the Peace education as an integral part of the curriculum?

Therefore, The UNESCO has instituted Peace education prize. The purpose of the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education is to promote all forms of action designed to construct the defences of peace in the minds of men by rewarding a particularly outstanding example of activity designed to alert public opinion and mobilize the conscience of humankind in the cause of peace, in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the United Nations Charter.

The UNESCO is committed to the education of the peace, is publishing a lot of resource material and circulating worldwide for mass awareness. The Library and Documentation centre in India is a catalyst for the publication for material for the teachers and resourse persons. UNESCO as a technical support agency is imparting skill based training to the resourse persons and preparing them for the good of the society. On the other hand, National Curriculum framework (NCF) (2005) by NCERT asserts that education must be able to promote values that foster peace, humanness and tolerance in a multicultural society.

The NCERT has launched a Training programme for the teachers on peace education in the country in which the objective is to build the peace for self and empowerment. Bahá'í Academy of higher learning is contributing its bit for the peace education for universal human values in the country. The National Council for Rural Institutions (NCRI) a body under HRD Ministry of Govt of India is providing assistance tot the training institutions in the field of peace and conflict studies. The Union Ministry of HRD ( Deptt. Of Secondary and Higher Education Govt of India is hureculean in strengthening the education in Human value. The scheme for the strengthening education in Human Values launched in 2002 is credit to the ministry.

NCERT is all set to train teachers in conflict resolution techniques and ways to undermine violence and aggression. Globalisation and technology brought the people so close that we started feeling that nothing is impossible. Knowledge is just a click away. When the Devathas and Asuras did the samundra manthan halahal was also produced. Like wise Globalisation brought competition which must be replaced by co-operation in every field.

Nevertheless, efforts at national and International level are hureculean for the sustainable development, but more need to be done in the field.

It is only when we develop love for the children all our teaching –languages, religion, science, social, art , craft, service activities whatever it is will result in working for peace and that will be the peace education. teachers need to be provided training even at local level. There should be an Institution of national Importance for this purpose leading to the masters Degree in Peace education so that teachers need to be taught.

Peace education requires all of us to understand, to experience and feel the seriousness, and work with hope for the World peace. Total absence of war only can bring total peace. and education is the only way for elimination of conflict and violence.

4. Rehabilitation of Disabled

There is a need to set up information cells rather digital repository centres in every district to ensure the success of the schemes launched by the government

There is an increased skepticism about the efficacy of community based

rehabilitation in India, there has in the last decade or so, been a shift to community based rehabilitation (CBR) in India, as elsewhere in the developing world. But the implementation and monitoring of the disability action schemes is absurdly poor. Various schemes have been offered for the welfare of the disabled population, but lack of adequate information about them ensures that stakeholders, their families and organisations that work for them are either unaware or cannot avail of the provisions therein. At times the process of availing of the benefits of schemes is so cumbersome and time-consuming that most people prefer to by-pass them.

The rural disabled are at a disadvantage when compared with their access to

resources, employment opportunities and rehabilitation is severely restricted. They often comprise the most neglected, marginalized and unlettered of their community. They are usually denied education and the right to enjoy normal social interactions and relationships. Families rarely take the trouble to educate their disabled

daughters and disabled women are not given a change to find fulfillment in marriage and motherhood. Employment opportunities for the uneducated and untrained

disabled are so limited that the disabled person is considered a burden on the family, a drain on their meager finances. The launch of governments gignatic institutions were closed in majortiy of the rural india.

Besides island of progress in initiating schemes, there is a severe absence of a single window process ensures that PWDs are often unaware of what benefits and schemes are available to them. Community based rehabilitation movement through

community has by and large motivated and provided inputs- be it medical, technical or social-to the community to take care of its disabled.

The activities of the Society will include accessing and raising resources from local, state, national and international agencies, Govt. and NGOs. Resources are available in various departments and schemes such as Rural Development NPRPD, SSA, IEDC, and grant in aid schemes for special schools, pension schemes, UNDP programs, CAPART, NHFDC, and international funding organizations such as NORAD, Action Aid, SIDA, DANIDA and others. but lack of single window information system has led to nothing but sufferings and implementations at all areas.

Some estimates say that almost 70-80% of Indians with disabilities live in rural areas while most of the country's rehabilitation centers are situated in urban areas. To transport the disabled person to these centers for appraisal, treatment or training is an expensive process, involving not only the cost of travel but also the loss of daily wage for the escort.

environments and special institution is not only dehumanizing but also prohibitively expensive, allowing only a very small percentage to avail of the facilities.

Another major bottleneck in the implementation process of governmental aided schemes is that, most of the modern rehabilitation aids and mobility appliances are totally unsuitable for rural Indian conditions. Wheelchairs and tricycles are a legacy of a totally alien table-and-chair culture of the western world. Rural India has a totally different social milieu as does most of rural India.

Nevertheless, Governement of India has set a stage for improving the condition of the disabled in the country, The Government offers various schemes to encourage voluntary action for rehabilitation of the disabled. Through these schemes NGOs can access government support. Prominent among these schemes are provision for grants-in-aid to special schools, vocational training, employment, community-based rehabilitation projects, residential homes, and leisure and recreation centres etc. The NGO should be a registered society/public trust existing for at least two years prior to applying for financial aid. There are more than 3,000 special schools in India

today. Of them, 900 are schools for the hearing impaired, 400 for children with visual impairment, 700 for those with locomotor disabilities, and 1,000 for the intellectually disabled.

Interestingly, the last decade of the 20th century saw the enactment of three

legislations for the rehabilitation and welfare of people with disabilities. The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act was passed in 1995. This is an important legislation that provides for both preventive and promotional aspects of rehabilitation such as education, employment and

vocational training, reservation, research and human resource development, creation of barrier-free environment, inclusion and independent living.

However, the Rehabilitation Council of India Act 1992 led to the establishment of the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). The RCI is responsible for standardising and monitoring training courses for rehabilitation professionals, granting recognition to institutions running courses, and maintaining a Central Rehabilitation Register of rehabilitation professionals. The RCI Act was amended in 2000 to give the RCI the additional responsibility of promoting research in rehabilitation and special

education.Furthermore, the National Trust Act 1999 provides for the constitution of a national body for the welfare of people with autism, cerebral palsy, mental

retardation, and multiple disabilities. The Act mandates promotion of measures for the care and protection of persons with these disabilities in the event of the death of their parents, procedures for appointment of guardians and trustees for persons in need of such protection, and support to registered organisations to provide need-based services in times of crisis to the families of the disabled. The three legislations are comprehensive in spirit and together deal with all aspects pertaining to

rehabilitation, from prevention, training, employment, long-term settlement, human resource development and research and documentation.

As things stand, persons with disability encounter huge difficulties in interacting with government officials and making out applications. Although laws exist, they lack teeth. Very few organisations are penalised for not providing barrier-free

environments. In fact, this basic requirement is seen more as a voluntary gesture -- if an organisation provides a ramp it's touted as a praiseworthy achievement. No one considers the fact that, according to the 1995 Persons with Disability Act, the

There is a need to set up an information cells rather digital repository centres in every district to ensure the success of the schemes launched by the government

5. Gender enrolment ratio in secondary education

Whatever is seen in government approvals is not being practiced at ground level, thereby the schemes meant for rural poor remained all on papers.

By Sadaket Malik

Secondary education has been till now one of the most neglected areas of

government interventions in education. Besides enabling framework by the country's big banner Ministry of human resource development, The country is yet to achieve a General Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 75 per cent for classes IX-X by providing a

secondary school within a reasonable distance of every habitation.

Although efforts are being made by the States for expansion and quality

improvement of secondary education, there is little information available on the current status and development concerns. It is, therefore, necessary to undertake diagnostic exercises for assessing the current status and to identify priority areas for planned intervention to improve access, participation and quality of learning.

In addition, the need is to create sustainable competencies and institutional

arrangements at the sub-national levels required for planning and implementation of development initiatives in the secondary education sector. It may be reiterated that the States are yet to adopt a sector-wide approach for planning for expansion and quality improvement of secondary education.

However, given the strategy of decentralization, the development of district level secondary education plan is essential for identifying and addressing issues and problems of expansion and quality improvement.

Until now, the role of the Central Government in the development of secondary education has been relatively limited. It was financing the national level bodies like NCERT, NIOS, KVS, NVS, etc. and assisting States through select centrally-sponsored schemes. On an average, the Central Government was spending around 12% of the total expenditure on secondary education.

Now, in order to address the emerging challenges, the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India is envisaging playing a larger role in the

development and universalization of secondary education in the country. It has proposed to introduce a centrally-assisted programme called the Scheme for

Universal Access and Quality at the Secondary Stage (SUCCESS) during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan period.

Moreover, a significant progress is made in all the spheres of secondary education. on January 2, 2009,the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved a centrally-sponsored scheme called the 'Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA)'. The RMSA aims at achieving a Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 75 percent for classes IX-X within 5 years by providing a secondary school within a reasonable distance of every habitation.

Ironically, more than 84 per cent habitations had secondary school section within a distance of 8 km as compared to 70 per cent within 5 km. The number of unserved habitations declined from 21 per cent in 1986-87 to 15 per cent in 1993-94. During 1950-51 to 1999-2000, the number of secondary and higher secondary schools increased from 7 thousand to 117 thousand. The increase (16 times) is much more rapid than the corresponding increase in the primary (3 times) and upper primary (14 times) schools. In the latest decade (1990 to 99), more than 37 thousand secondary and higher secondary schools were opened.

The ratio of upper primary to secondary schools also improved from 1.83 in 1950-51 to 1.69 in 1999-2000.

The number of secondary/higher secondary teachers increased from 127 thousand in 1950-51 to 1,720 thousand in 1999-2000. Despite the increase in number of

teachers, the pupil-teacher ratio increased from 21:1 in 1950-51 to 32:1 in 1999-2000; thus indicating significant increase in enrolment at this level. From a low 1.5 million in 1950-51, it has now been increased by more than 19 times to 28.2 million in 1999-2000.

The percentage of girls enrolment increased from 13 per cent in 1950-51 to about 38 per cent in 1999-2000. Enrolment in secondary/higher secondary level increased by almost doubles the rate than the increase in the primary enrolment. The GER, though low but improved from 19.3 per cent in 1990-91 to 30.0 per cent in 1993-94 and further to 41.2 per cent in 1998-99. Almost 50 per cent children of age group 14-17 year were attending schools in 1995-96. The retention rate (I to IX) is also improved but still it is low at 27 per cent. The transition rate from upper primary to secondary level is as high as 85 per cent.

If the goal of universal secondary enrolment (Grades IX-X) is achieved by 2015, enrolment in Grade IX can also be projected accordingly. But one has to first define the meaning of universalizing secondary education.

However, initially it may not be possible to achieve hundred percent net enrolment and retention in the secondary classes. This is more so specific keeping in view the present status of elementary education in the country. Even, in developing countries that have achieved the goal of universal enrolment, it is not hundred percent. Then, what should be the goal in the Indian context? May be it is 85, 90 or 95 per cent. Achieving universalisation of secondary education in 2015; thus means that 85/90 per cent children those who take admission in Grade I in 2007 will reach Grade IX in 2015.

Impressive progress has also been made at the primary and upper primary levels of education. But despite all these significant achievements, the goal to achieve

universal elementary enrolment still remains far out of the sight. The goal of universal secondary education cannot be achieved unless the goal of universal elementary enrolment is achieved.

Of late, the quality of education imparted at secondary level through making all

and disability barriers, Universal access to secondary level education by 2017 by the end of 12th Five Year Plan and Universal retention by 2020 are the targets to be reached by the ministry within a stipulated period. The question here i apt to ask is that will india reach the beneficiaries within its plan to cover the target populace? Would the schemes and funds allocated be implemented as per the aspirations of the learners? Or is the strategy of the government functionaries fruitful to achieve the object? These questions need transparent answer from our strong academic

community veering to universalise the whole system.

The government seems to have taken the first concrete step. In its final lap, the UPA government set in motion the process to ensure that children in the 15 to 16 years age group have access to affordable secondary (classes IX and X) education. RMSA is a reworked version of an existing centrally sponsored scheme for universalisation of access to and improvement of quality of education at secondary stage (SUCCESS). In doing so, it will subsume all existing central schemes geared for the secondary

segment such as ICT in schools, IEDC, girls hostel scheme, and vocational education. The programme of RMSA has targeted universal access by 2017 and universal

retention by 2020 as goals. At present the gross enrolment ratio (GER), that is the percentage of children in the relevant age group who are in secondary school is merely 52.26%. While the GER for classes XI and XII is a mere 28.54% and for the four years of secondary and senior secondary (Classes IX to XII) is 40.49%. As per 2001 Census, estimated population in the 14-18 age group as on March 1, 2007 was 9.69 crore. There seemed certain bottlenecks while implementation of the schemes meant to universalise the middle school education. The linkage of Government functionaries implementing the schemes of secondary education and the people on wheelchairs are absurdly poor. Whatever is seen in government approvals is not being practiced at ground level, thereby the schemes meant for rural poor remained all on papers.

sadaketmalik@rediffmail.com 6. Diversifying Open schooling

Other curricular areas required to be included in the curriculum for academic courses up to secondary level.The Open school centres be set up in every state taking into account the district as a mian centre of decentralisation so as to achieve the

objective of universal enrolement.

By Sadaket Malik

The government school system in India is shackled in many ways (quality of teaching, infrastructure, access, discrimination) and more. Each year, millions of children from poor and low-income families are left out completely, or drop out before they see high school. Some of this is changing, but too slowly.

At the current pace of change, it could take anywhere between 15 and 50 years for government-run schools to be fixed. The sheer number of children in need of

schooling means that even after decades, millions will be left out.

Ironically, the tardiness in ensuring universal education comes at a time when most observers feel that India is likely to face a substantive shortage of skilled workers soon, if not already. Without the necessary education, the workforce of the future

will face limited opportunities.

The question is, Should children of poor parents be destined to face this chasm of access to opportunities, merely because of the slow pace of reform? How can we ensure that reforms in education are quick as well as comprehensive?

The present Indian Education system does not cover the needs of society. In rural area the existing Govt.schools are out dated infrastructures with well paid teachers and lesst teaching aids does not attract the students to meet out their requirments on free of cost. Where as private owned schools attract the students on cost by providing modern methods of teaching learning environments with proper closed supervision.Can we expect these facilities from Govt run schools? Unless we have reform in education policy to equalizes the pattern of providing free and compulsory Basic education to all,we can't attain the national goal.

Nevertheless, Open schooling is a big hit. FROM THE gurukul of the ancient times to the online streaming in of video, the Indian education scenario has undergone a change that no one anticipated there was a program in Open Schooling that every student has to literate one person in their locality in order to pass. Thats an excellent example of spreading literacy. We need more strategies like this.

The Government estavblished National Open School (NOS) in 1989 to reach those who had dropped out of school or never been to school and who wished to study but were for a variety of reasons not studying in regular schools. Over the years, the role of NOS expanded beyond the provision of bridging courses, an alternative

secondary/higher secondary curriculum and life-enhancing courses, to include from vocational education.

Meanwhile, a number of State Open Schools were established, all with a similar pro-poor mandate to that of NOS. In 2002, NOS was re-mandated to act as the national apex body for open schooling, and re-designated The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). NIOS is both a teaching and an examining and accrediting organization. There are currently close to 300,000 students enrolled in NIOS Accredited Institutions in the length and breadth of the country.

The government is moving in the direction of greater focus and emphasis on the improving learning levels of school children. There are debates on how this is to be done, strategies to be used, and the measurements to be used. Last year's annual survey of education was an important in put to this process.

Today, powerful new tools are making it easier than ever to disseminate knowledge and expand educational opportunities this change means education is the most important investment that governments make. To thrive in this new world,

developed and developing countries alike need to focus on building the creative and productive capacities of their workforce. In an increasingly globalised economy, knowledge and skills are the key differentiators of nations as well as individuals. India is a great example of the power of this approach. An emphasis on education has been the catalyst for the rise of an information technology industry that has created new opportunities for hundreds of thousands of people and established India as an important global centre for innovation. Today, powerful new tools are making it easier than ever to disseminate knowledge and expand educational

opportunitiesWith massive expansion of open schooling and open basic education in the world, a strong need has been felt to continuously orient, train and upgrade a variety of functionaries involved in these areas. The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India and the National Institute of Open Schooling,

India have, in collaboration with and or the support from the Commonwealth of Learning, Canada, have established an International Centre for Training in Open Schooling (ICTOS) at NOS to address to the training needs of the functionaries involved in open schooling and open basic education. The certificate and diploma programmes mentioned below are part of this effort of the ICTOS.

NIOS operates through a network of five Departments at its Headquarters,

elevenRegional Centres, more than 3100 study centres (2067 for Academic Courses and 1063 for Vocational Education Courses). It has a current enrolment of about 1.5 million students at Secondary and Senior Secondary levels which makes it the largest Open Schooling system in the world. For implementation of the Open Basic Education Programme, NIOS has partnership with 350 Voluntary Agencies in 27 States

providing facilities of Elementary Education at their study centres.

The NIOS has been attempting to utilize applications of Information and

Communication Technology in the management of open schooling. The NIOS has a large computer set up with latest in hardware and software. There is a Local Area Network environment with Advanced Novel NetWare 3.12 and Windows NT as basic Operating System and a powerful Pentium based file server and fifteen PC(AT) 486 based terminals connected to it as nodes. Besides, all the officers and branches have been provided with Pentium based machine with network connection to enhance their working efficiency with great accuracy and quality output. Internet access is available to all staff members.

Recent progress towards the achievement of the second U.N. Millennium

Development Goal, Universal Primary Education (UPE), means that many more children are completing primary education and looking for opportunities to enter secondary education. There is little likelihood that governments facing the challenges of meeting the UPE target will be able to meet a further challenge of providing vastly increased access to opportunities for secondary education.

Rapid expansion of secondary provision to meet frustrated demand from primary school leavers and the needs of young adults previously denied secondary education opportunities will likely require investment in approaches that are less tied to

traditional methods of schooling. For this purpose, NIOS enjoys strong government support.NIOS has well-defined processes for curriculum development, and approval of courses and subjects are approved prior to the development of the materials by subject experts. Administrative and academic support is provided to the learners through the Accredited Institutes, which are selected, against strict criteria. Activities that take place at these Institutes, including teaching and assignment marking, is monitored by academic facilitators attached to the Regional Centres. However, there is some doubt as to whether the monitoring processes at Accredited Institutes are adequate, and there is no current means of planning and reviewing a system-wide process of evaluation and quality assurance. The last ten years have seen an increase in the use of open and distance learning particularly in developing countries and in countries in post-conflict situations, prompting UNESCO to renew its strategy, mobilize greater resources, and reinforce international co-operation in this field. The transition to knowledge societies, largely driven by information and

communication technologies (ICTs), holds the promise that the right to the free flow of, and equitable access to, knowledge, information, data and best practices across all sectors and disciplines is basically ensured.

priority for education for all focuses on promoting experimentation, innovation and the diffusion and sharing of information and best practices as well as policy dialogue in education. The objective of harnessing information and communication

technologies (ICTs) for education has the expected outcome of promoting

international debate and reflection on the development of internationally compatible descriptors and standards for distance and e learning courseware, and for e-learning institutions.

The problems that the country faces are with regard to reaching the unreached in the nook and corner of the country.The access of these unreached to the media is a

question mark. While the television is the most effective media to reach them, its logistics are fraught with problems that are not generally appreciated in very many countries. For instance the power shortage in the town and villages is chronic

problem. Many a times it is just not available for days together. The Internet

facilities are purely urban phenomena and are not available to the type of clientele that we seek to reach.

In order to reach the affiliated centres of NIOS, the institute have tried the video-conferencing technology with two way audio and one way video techniques. Due to limited down linking facilities this has remained an experimental exercise and has not been used as a normal and regular mode of interaction. So far, NIOS have to reach the Accreditated Institutions in advance through mail to intimate them of the program, arrange for their assembly at the appointed day and time at a place where the video conferencing and Subscriber Trunk Dialing (STD) facilities are available and then make them participate in the process. It also involves, though only at the initial stages, removal of the inhibitions and fear of the advanced technology.

A large number of youth and adults now aspire for learning while working or working while learning. A rigid system of formal education is fraught with certain road blocks for reaching the unreached and life long education unless it moulds itself to the flexibilities of the Open Learning System. It is now high time that the developing countries may give impetus to the open learning system, along with expansion of the formal system of education, for reaching the unreached and for opening ample

avenues for life long education.

Another novelty that has been launched by NIOS is the On Demand Examination system (ODES), wherein a learner can walk into any of the identified Testing Centres of NIOS on a day of his/her choice and appear for the examination in any subject that one has taken up. The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) with current enrolment of about 13 lakh students at Secondary and Senior Secondary stage is the largest open schooling organization in the world. However, it is not possible for NIOS alone to cater to the needs and variations of all regions of a multilingual multicultural country like India. It is difficult for one organisation at the national level to extend its functions and coverage and increase its enrolment beyond certain limits. For reaching the unreached, the Open Schooling System is required to be promoted and strengthened in the country. The NGOs should enter into the collaboration with NIOS for the achievement of the objectives.

No doubt, Government started State Open schools in education boards of respective states to meet the regional diversity, but the boards failed in the popularizing the same.

For meeting these challenges, the educational planners and administrators are already planning to upscale the formal schooling system at an unprecedented scale.

They are, however, worried as to how large scale finances may be mobilized for making provision of additional schools, additional teachers and requisite equipments and other infrastructural facilities.

The challenge that remains, and will continue to remain, is how to reach the child in remote rural and tribal areas directly? Because of uneven development in almost all spheres we have to operate with different types of technologies suitable for various techno-economic development level of the community concerned. The multi-channel instructional system adopted by NIOS has come in handy for the students. They also become self-learners with the help of the SLM provided. Classes are also conducted for the benefit of the learners who can get information from the study centres and the counsellors attached to them.

What we need is that, the Curriculum Framework for academic subjects like

language, mathematics, science and social science should emphasise on softening of subject boundaries thereby enabling the students to get a taste of integrated

knowledge and joy of understanding. The teaching of science should inter alia emphasise on examining and analyzing every day experience. Concerns related to environment may pervade through different subjects with emphasis on activities. The teaching of social science may be discipline based mainly while emphasizing integration on significant themes such as water. Certain other curricular areas required to be included in the curriculum for academic courses up to secondary

level.The Open school centres be set up in every state taking into account the district as a mian centre of decentralisation so as to achive the objective of universal

enrolement.

7. Failure in regulations of education

Only an independent regulation authority be manadated for monitoring and

regulation otherwise owing to routine exercise the uthopia we search for will remain illusive...!

Sadaket Malik

One may get disappointed and sometimes confused over the way the Indian

education system operates. The regulation bodies are being set up, legislation being enacted, plan being envisaged day by day. we should'nt oppose the same but the question remain; why day and afer the Government of India is doing so. Monitoring mechanism of the institutions of higher learning especially open and distance

learning remained a major concern for government for effective functioning,quality assurance and decentralisation in accreditation procedures. The things being planned at central level by the perspective governments remained all along undecided and proved unbiased and non scholarly as the decisions and legislations being made were not enacted in action. There is no unanimous legislation on educational monitoring. The accreditation system is absurdly poor. A license permit raj by the statutory bodies without teeths prevailed in the sub continent without knowing the needs and procedures of the institutions and stakeholders. I am not opposing here the All India Council for technical education which is likely to be scrapped by the Government of India. My point is that why the whole system of monitoring, accreditation and

regulation is poor. I am speaking of the apex organisations like National Knowledge Commission (NKC) New Delhi, HRD Ministry, Councils and commissions at national

level like UGC, NCTE, DEC and many other. Why regulations are being changed day and after ? why not the ministry of education is formulating its legislations at once in hand to maintain the standard and quality ? Is this legislation which is being

envisaged every week ? Why day by day alterations ? Is there not a unanimous declaration of all the people in the system ? Why not an independent body which is acceptable to all at once. Of late, On the one week the Ministry is granting powers to Distance Education Council (DEC) to monitor and regulate the system of open

learning and on the same issue the ministry is planning to set up national level

Distance education regulator in the country to maintain and monitor the standards of open and distance learning in the country. Similarly, recommendations on the part of National Knowledge Commission on scrapping of AICTE and formulation of

Independent Regulatory Authority on Higher Education (IRAHE). Secondly, the union cabinet very recently referred HRD ministrys proposed legislation (distance

education bill) to set up Independent regulatory body at national level. The proposed legislation was opposed by maximum people in governance like commerce and

Industry Minister Kamal Nath besides others. If the ministry or government at central level is deciding to replace the traditional atmosphere then why too late ? Infact, there is a mismatch among the countrys policy makers and other people in governance to regulate the whole system. Some people who are in governance but not in the system dont want to replace the existing system and some who are not in the system are favoring the immediate legislations,replacement and amendments in the existing laws. There is a crisis in the field and overregulation of the open and distance education. The country is lacking regulated colleges and universities located in small suburbs or hamlet.If private colleges are providing a poor quality of

education, who is to be held responsible? Multiple regulatory agencies exist for

different streams of education in the country. Technical education is regulated by the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). It is the authority that licenses technical institutions. The AICTE has constituted another body, the National Board of Accreditation (NBA), to certify quality of technical institutions. Medical education is regulated by the Medical Council of India (MCI) and nursing education by the Nursing Council of India. These institutions look after all aspects of education in their spheres including quality. All the regulatory agencies have been set up by the Central

Government. The blame for the mushrooming of poor quality institutions and their concentration in a few areas must squarely rest with the regulatory bodies. The NKC agrees. The NKC working groups also comment on the reasons for this. the

regulatory framework evolved over many years presents a number of procedural hurdles. Permissions and approvals are needed from the University that an

institution wishes to be attached to, the government of the state where it will be located and regulatory bodies like the AICTE and MCI. The educational bureaucracy itself can be typically negotiated only with political influence, as is reflected in the large number of politicians associated with or promoting educational trusts. I apt to ask that if we are living a knowledge based economy and are not having any

regulation system on several modes of education at higher level. I wander why this happens? I am in fear why not the accountability in the system besides several policies and paper work done by the policy making bodies and the successive

governments. Is education at higher level being commercialized ? or is this really a License raj being perpetuated by the accreditation agencies ? This question needs to answer immediately the people at the helm of affairs.At this moment, Privatisation of

higher education is rapidly progressing in the country and the Planning Commission reports that in the period 2002-2007, the share of private institutions in higher education increased from a third to over half of all enrolment. And this trend, by all accounts, will continue into the future. but the sorry state of affairs is overregulation in the system.Furthermore, the 11th Plan objectives of the HRD ministry are aimed at increasing the gross enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education from the present 10 per cent to 15 per cent by 2012 by esteblishing several institutions of excellence. For reaching the target we must change the accreditation process and decentralise the procedure of accreditation viz a viz monitoring.Suggesting a solution is rather an impossible task, for a person of my stature at least. But, I definitely feel that the new Single regulation body is need of the hour to guage the system rather then day by day legislation by the perspective governments. Only an independent regulation authority be manadated for monitoring and regulation otherwise owing to routine exercise the uthopia we search for will remain illusive...!

8. Nutritional Value of Midday Meals

There is a need to enhance the nutritional value of the scheme in a more efficient manner

Sadaket Malik

The very recent decision of Central government for setting up of National

Commission for Elementary Education will not only monitor all aspects of elementary education including quality but maintain the accountability of the programmes

operating in papers of this tattering education stage in major part of rural India. The stage of education is lacking the quality, access, and social mobalisation rather

expert staff in the so called mid day meal schemes in major rural parts. The

commission shall be a cornerstone for assessing the so called programmes in the field of education. The countrys keen eye educationists expect that the commission may ensure effective use of resources and co-operation with unions in these sectors. It is interesting that in 2008-09 out of Rs. 7324 crores allocated under Mid Day Meal Scheme, the Central Government has released so far Rs. 4095 crore to States/UTs under Mid-Day Meal Scheme. The Government has also released 24786 crore MTs of foodgrains to the States/UTs. recently and on the other hand, it is irony that mid day meal scheme being implemented in major parts remained only in papers and the indicators remained elusive. Governenment "Feel good" remained all along and the beneficiaries continue to suffer. The functionaries are not regular in providing lunch to their students under the scheme. The scheme lacks good diet. There is some interesting evidence on the value of midday meals in schools as a means of

nutritional supplementation. It is a fact that mid day meals certainly help to protect children frem classroom hunger, they may or may not lead to a sustained

can be counter productive. If it kills students appetite and reduce their intake of richer food at home. In this connection, it is interesting to note that such meals reduces the daily calorie deficiency of the average primary school going child by almost 35 percent, the daily iron deficiency by 25 percent and meets almost their entire daily protein deficiency.

The programme covers nearly 9.70 crore children studying at the primary stage of education in classes I-V in 9.50 lakh Government (including local body) and

Government aided schools, and the centres run under Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) and Alternative & Innovative Education (AIE). The programme was extended, with effect from 1.10.2007, to children in the upper primary stage of education

(classes VI-VIII) in 3,479 Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs). Approximately 1.7 crore additional children in classes VI-VIII in EBBs are expected to be included. The programme cover all areas across the country from 2008-09. In the Union Budget 2007-08, Rs.7324 Crores was provided for the Scheme, representing 37% increase over the budget for 2006-07. In the XI plan, SSA has a funding pattern between Centre and States in the ratio of 65:25 for the first two years of the XI plan i.e. 2007-08 and 202007-08-09; 60:40 for the third year i.e. 2009-10; 55:45 for the fourth year i.e. 2010-11 and 50:50 thereafter i.e. from 2011-12 onwards. For the North Eastern States the fund sharing pattern between Centre and States shall be 90:10 under the programme with the Centres share resource from the 10% earmarked funds for the NE Region in the SSA Central Budget. The outlay approved for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan for the XI plan is Rs. 71,000 crores. The has been a great scarcity of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities as a component of Management, Monitoring and Evaluation costs during past and the same is of urget nee to be

incorporated. The scheme failed on the grounds that there has been misappropriation of funds and lack of directions, information synthesis and collaboration of the so-called administrators of elementary education. There seemed communal tones and caste tones in majority of parts. The present research reveals that Dalit students were supposed to sit separates in the school with a saparate cook and kicthen. It is irony on the part of our so-called national builders for encouraging the same.

Research further emenate that the scheme has eroded the existing academic activities, as the teachers are being found busy in making statements. For this purpose the recruitment of one additional accountant is needed inspite of assigning the task of accountant to a teacher who is supposed to make learning more effective in the class.

Neveretheless, there is one good news - India, along with Bhutan and Nepal, has achieved gender parity in primary education. According to the recently introduced right to education bill, every child between the age of 6 to 14 years has the right to free and compulsory education. This is stated as per the 86th Constitution

Amendment Act added Article 21A. The right to education bill seeks to give effect to this amendment recently by the Ministry of Human Resource Development Govt. Of India with the decision of Parliament. It was stressed in the bill that all government schools provide free education to all the children and school management

committees (SMC) will manage the schools. Private schools will admit at least 25 per cent of the children in their schools without any fee.

Of late, the Bill is the enabling legislation to notify the 86th Constitutional

amendment, which gives every child between the age of 6 and 14 years the right to free and compulsory education. India is on track to achieve net enrollment rate