education of children

EDUCATION OF

CHILDREN IN INDIA

JOINING HANDS

IN THE INTEREST

OF CHILDREN

Elementary education is a fundamental right, and with the RTE Act (2009) which describes the modalities of the provision, let us provide quality education to all our children.

KAPIL SIBAL

3

Kapil Sibal is the Union Minister for Ministry of Human Resource Development in the Government of India.

He also held the two ministries Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences in the First Manmohan Singh Cabinet.

He led the first Indian expedition to the Arctic and was responsible for setting up an Indian Research Station ‗Himadri‘ there in July, 2008.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kapil_Sibal.jpg

4

Learning is the greatest Ornament

xÉÑlSUÉåÌmÉ xÉÑzÉÏsÉÉãÌmÉ MÑüsÉÏlÉÉãÌmÉ qÉWûÉkÉlÉç: |

zÉÉãpÉiÉå lÉ ÌoÉlÉÉ ÌuÉ±ÉÇ ÌuÉ±É xÉuÉïxuÉ pÉÔwÉhÉqÉç ||

Though beautiful, of good character, born

wealthy, one does not shine without learning.

Learning is the greatest ornament.

5

Constitutional recognition on RTE The Supreme Court _ case

(1993): right to education is a fundamental right that flows from the right to life in Article 21.

The 86th Constitution Amendment Act, 2002 added Article 21A, "The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years in such manner as the State may, by law, determine.―; Article 45, which now reads "The State shall endeavor to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of 6 years."

In the year 2009, the state introduced the Right to Education bill, seeking to effect the 86th Constitutional amendment

7

Elementary education consists of eight

years of education. Free and compulsory

education for all children

until they complete the age of14 years was one

of the Directive Principles of State Policy intended

to be implemented within 10 years of the commencement of the Indian Constitution.

Not being justiciable, this directive failed to prod the Indian state into any kind of concrete action.

The 86th constitutional

amendment (2002), has made elementary education a fundamental right for the children between the age group- 6 to 14.

After 60 years, with the

Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education

Act (2009), the entitlement to education has become enforceable. It offers a framework for ensuring quality education.

8

Elementary education is a FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT

What does it mean?

Parent / Guardian / Community should be conscious that a child needs to grow in an atmosphere that facilitates its physical, mental and social development and with the help of the government, they should seek to provide this environment by accepting it as an important duty.

Providing good school facility is now recognized as a fundamental duty of our society / Govt.

‗ An education that enables them to acquire the skills, knowledge, values and attitudes necessary to become responsible and active citizens of India is our commitment.‘_ Manmohan Singh, PM

9

Free & Compulsory Education:

What does it mean?

Depending on need of the parent / guardian, exemption of fees and provision of books, mid day meal, etc. may be made through grant of funds by Trust / State .

Poverty of a parent should not be an excuse to stop schooling and practice child labour. No person shall prevent a child from participating in elementary education. No person shall employ or engage a child in a manner that renders him / her a working child.

It is the responsibility of every parent/guardian to enroll his child / ward, who has attained the age of 6 years and above in a school and facilitate her completion of elementary education (till Grade VIII).

Compulsion is on the parent / guardian to enroll the child and synergise with the school to ensure its progress. It is a persuasion by civil society; it seeks to make parents aware of the importance of education.

10

Literacy Rate in India 1951-2001

11

United Nations World Declaration on

Education for All, (EFA) 1990

India is a signatory to the 1990 United Nations

World Declaration on Education for All, (EFA).

It reaffirmed the rights of all children including

children with disabilities to access education in

regular school settings.

Also, India is signatory to to the Biwako Millenium

Framework for Action towards an inclusive ,barrier

free and rights based society for persons with

disability ,the Declaration on the Full Participation

and Equality of People with Disabilities in the Asia

Pacific Region.

12

The Right of Children to

Free and Compulsory Education Act

(RTE Act) Passed by the Indian parliament on 4 August

2009. It describes the modalities of the

provision of free and compulsory education for

children between 6 and 14 in India under Article

21A of the Indian Constitution.

India became one of the few countries to make

education a fundamental right of every child

when the act came into force on April 1, 2010.

13

The Story of RTE started with: National Policy of

Education (1986) and revised Programme of Action

(1992)

Some of the initiatives were

District Primary Education Programme (1994),

the Mid Day Meal Scheme (1995) and

the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (2001) have led some positive

impact in elementary education, specifically in rural

areas.

The 86th Amendment of the Indian constitution (2002)

makes education a fundamental right for all children

aged 6-14 years.

14

RTE Act –What does it specify?

The Act makes education a fundamental right of every child between the ages of 6 to 14 and specifies the minimum norms in government schools.

It specifies reservation of 25% seats in private schools for children from poor families. It prohibits the practice of unrecognized schools, and makes provisions to avoid donation or capitation fee and an interview of the child or parent for the admission.

15

RTE Act –What does it offer?

It offers a framework

for ensuring quality education,

for creating infrastructure,

for making available a sufficient number

of trained teachers, and

for extending government funding to

private schools.

16

Criticism of RTE-Act (2009):

Will it remain on paper or become a reality? It is the

adult society which has to act on behalf of the child.

Will our cultural prejudice against educating the girl

child be overcome?

Pre-school education is not covered and a vision of

systematic reforms leading to a decent common

school system is yet to be offered.

A gap exists between elite private schools and

schools run by State governments. Joke is that you

can bring the former down to the standards of the

latter, in our society of Aam Aadmi (common man)!

17

Universalisation of elementary education

poses a formidable challenge to India:

The numbers of children dropping out, not attending

school regularly and never enrolled are immense.

Quality of education is poor in many schools.

Teachers are inadequately trained and have lack of

motivation.

The priority concerns for the country remain

particularly with improving the quality of education

and making education effective, enjoyable and

relevant to the children.

18

A major concern:

To improve the skills and motivation of

teachers,

promoting the participation of communities in

the running of schools and

Enrolling / retaining girls / working children of

urban poor and

children with special needs in schools.

19

The Optimist’s View

India´s elite educational institutions have been

producing the first-rate scientists, engineers, and

managers who helped India´s information

technology sector take off during the 1990s.

Far less visible is the more recent, quiet revolution in

India´s elementary education that, if successful, will

equip an entire younger generation with skills to

improve productivity and reduce the burden of

disease, high birth rates, hunger, and poverty, while

changing societal attitudes toward gender, caste,

tribe, and disability.

20

What India has accomplished is no small feat

What India has accomplished is no small feat — especially given

that its population grew from about 840 million to nearly one

billion between 1991 and 2001, with the number of children age 6

to 14 rising by 35 million to 205 million.

Over roughly the same period, the gross enrollment ratio (GER)

in primary education (grades 1) rose from 82 percent to 95

percent, and in upper primary education (grades 6) from 54

percent to 61 percent (see table).

Available government data suggest that in that age group, the

number of children not in school fell sharply from about 60 million

in the early 1990s to 25 million in 2002, and this decline is

continuing.

While specific numbers in such a large federal system may be

viewed with caution, the rough magnitude of the progress

appears to be in little doubt.

21

We are on the move…

Given the momentum built up over the years, India will, in all likelihood, meet the education Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of universal primary education—which calls for all children of primary school age to participate in the school system and complete primary school.

Between 1993 and 2002, total public spending on education rose steadily from 3.6 to 4.1 percent of GDP, higher than the average spending of 3 percent of GDP among low-income countries.

Elementary education expenditure rose from 1.7 to 2.1 percent of GDP, accounting for over 60 percent of the growth in public expenditure on education in this period.

22

National Commission for Protection of

Child Rights The act also provides that, no child shall be held

back, expelled, or required to pass a board examination until completion of elementary education.

Provision for special training of school drop-outs to bring them at-par with the students of the same age.

Right to Education of Person with Disabilities till 18 years of age has been made a Fundamental Right.

The act provides for establishment of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and State Commissions for supervising of proper implementation of the act, looking after the complaints and protection of Child Rights.

23

RTE – 2009: fund provision

Other provisions regarding improvement of school

infrastructure, teacher-student ratio and faculty have

also been provided in the act.

A committee set up to study the funds requirement

and funding estimated that Rs 1.71 lakh crore would

be required in the next five years for implementing

the Act.

The government agreed to sharing of funds in the

ratio of 65 to 35 between the Centre and the states

for implementing the law, with a ratio of 90 to 10 for

the north-eastern states.

24

RTE – 2009: fund provision

The central and State governments are

to share the financial requirement for

implementing the Act in the ratio of 55:45,

and the Finance Commission has given

Rs.25,000 crore to the States.

An outlay of Rs.15,000 crore was approved

for 2010-11 by the central government.

25

The amount for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is Rs.

25,555 crores for 2012-13,short of the recommended

financial requirement of Rs 1.82 lakh crore. From

where will the rest of amount come?

More than 90 percent of households will have to

enroll their wards in government schools. These

wards will have poor access to education; if at all they

are enrolled in schools, as the quality of education in

government schools is a matter of serious concern.

26

With progress in increasing enrollment the

national average now is at 98.3 percent (2009-

2010) according to official statistics.

However, the attendance of pupils in class rooms

has declined.

In 2007, 73.4 percent students enrolled for

Standards I-IV/V were present in class, which has

fallen to 70.9 percent by 2011 (EPW, 2012).

27

Struggle for universalizing

elementary education: Right or Duty?

But it won't be enough to approach free and

compulsory education up to the age of l4 as an

entitlement, especially for the millions of children

who are left out in the cold.

Accessing this right meaningfully and in full measure

will require, aside from the investment of huge

resources, financial and human, a lot of work to be

done on the ground. Key to this is seeing free and

compulsory education for children not just as a right

but as a duty. (Child‘s Right, Society‘s Duty.)

28

Struggle for universalizing

elementary education

Everybody acknowledges the value of

education in the overall development of the

children.

Administrators

Educationists

Development professionals

Economists

Parents

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Administrators focus on

Enrolment

Availability of schools within walking

distance

Provisioning for infrastructure

Deployment of teachers.

30

Educationists: are concerned about

What is Learnt, how is it presented?

Whether or how children learn, and the

Burden of syllabi, which is passed on to

Tuition centres or Parents

31

• Development professionals discuss

The impact of years of schooling, for example

on

the age of marriage and

family size.

Free and Compulsory Secondary Education

brings the children to mainstream of the

society for Sustainable Economic

Development of India.

32

Economists

talk about the economic

returns on Investment in

education; bankers too.

Our economist PM says ‗

An education that enables

them to acquire the skills,

knowledge, values and

attitudes necessary to

become responsible and

active citizens of India‘ is

our commitment.

33

Parents have expectations from the education system

that it should equip their children for gainful

employment, and

economic well being.

उद्यमेन हह ससद्धयन्ति कायााणि न मनोरथ ् । न हह सुप्िस्य ससिंहस्य प्रविशन्ति मुखे मगृा्

Industrious work is necessary. Any work will not

get accomplished just merely by desiring for it's

completion. A 'prey' will not by itself come to the

mouth of a sleeping lion.

34

Fulfill goals of

universal elementary education

The enforcement of fundamental

right to education provides us a

unique opportunity to mount a

mission encompassing all the

above discourses to fulfill our goal

of universal elementary education.

35

Implementation of RIGHT TO EDUCATION ACT

provides for all children the benefit of

free and compulsory

admission,

attendance and

completion

of elementary education.

36

In India, since we gained freedom of self

governance,

Undoubtedly, much progress has

occurred since the last sixty years of

our independence and

many more children with a diverse

background are accessing school.

Yet....

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Dropped out, child labourers

There are ‗invisible‘ children_ children bonded to work with an employer,

young boys grazing cattle or working in a dhabha

girls working in the fields or as domestic help or caring for younger siblings, and

children being subjected to early marriage. Many of these children are formally enrolled in a school but have either dropped out or have never been there.

39

Extremely vulnerable ones

Many others such as migrant and

street children, who live in

extremely vulnerable conditions;

denying them education is against

the universal nature of human

rights.

40

Enrol, attend, learn, and

Be empowered by education

Providing universal access itself is no longer

enough; making available school facility is

essential but not sufficient.

A monitoring mechanism is needed to ensure

that all children attend school regularly and

participate in the learning process.

41

Why are they not attending, drop-out in a few months?

Focus must be on the factors that prevent children from regularly attending & completing elementary education. Children from

weaker sections and

disadvantaged groups, as also

girls.

SOCIAL,CULTURAL,ECONOMIC, LINGUISTIC AND PEDAGOGIC ISSUES

42

To check drop-out rate

Creating parental awareness

Community mobilization

Economic incentives

Minimum Levels of Learning (MLL)

District Primary Education Programme (DPEP)

National Programme of Nutritional Support to

Primary Education (Mid-day Meals Scheme)

43

Reservation of 25% seats in private schools for children from poor families

The school may be

there but students may

not attend, or drop out

after a few months.

Through school &

social mapping, many

issues need to be

addressed that prevent

a weak child from

completing the process

of education.

Social, economic,

cultural, linguistic,

pedagogic issues

Denial or violation of

the right to elementary

education process

requires to be

overcome with the

encouragement and

enlightenment of the

weak & vulnerable.

44

The RTE, Act, 2009 clause, 12 (1) (c) mandates for

private schools to admit quarter of their class

strength from weaker section and disadvantaged

groups .

The constitutional validity of this clause was

challenged in the apex court of country; on 12, April

2012, a bench of Chief Justice S .H. Kapadia, Justice

K. S Radhakrishnan and Swatanter Kumar upheld

constitutional validity of the Act.

45

In response to the Supreme Court order, HRD minister

Kapil Sibal said, ―

I am very happy that the court has set all controversies at

rest. One of the biggest controversies was on whether the

25 percent reservation applies to private schools or not…

that controversy has been set to rest.

The judgment makes it mandatory for the government,

local authorities and private schools to reserve 25 percent

of their seats for ‗weaker and disadvantaged sections‗ of

society.

46

Good education is empowering

विद्याविधधविहीनेन ककिं कुऱीनेन देहहनाम ्। अकुऱीनोऽवऩ विद्याढ्यो द िि रवऩ ितद्यिे ॥

Of what use is nobility of family if a person is illiterate? [Akbar - the Great was an exception]

A learned man is respected by Gods too though he does not belong to a noble family.

47

From labour mode to learning mode

It is the duty of the state, parents and guardians, and the community to ensure that all children of school going age are in school.

A substantial proportion of India's poor children are; engaged in agricultural labour or petty trades, housework, and sibling care.

Ending the morally and socially abhorrent

practice of child labour, not ‗regulating‘ it must be taken up as a non-negotiable objective.

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Primary-School & No of Teachers

49

Free, compulsory and of high quality

The right to education is free, compulsory

and it includes good quality education for all.

A curriculum not only provides good reading

and understanding of text books but also

includes learning through activities,

exploration and discovery.

Comprehension, competence,

competitiveness and creativity should be

developed, not forgetting compassion.

50

Good teacher’s company enables.

य् ऩठति सऱखति ऩश्यति ऩररऩचृ्छिी ऩन्डििान ् उऩाश्रयवऩ । िस्य हदिाकरककरि ् नसऱनी दऱिं इि विस्िाररिा बुवद्ध् ॥

One who reads, writes, sees, inquires, lives

in the company of learned men, his intellect

expands like

the lotus leaf does

because of the rays of sun.

51

Education Depts of State & Union Governments

have direct responsibility, trusts have supporting

role.

To provide

schools,

infrastructure,

trained teachers,

curriculum and

teaching-learning material, and

mid-day meal.

A well coordinated mechanism is needed for

inter- sectoral collaboration & convergence.

52

On the part of the whole Govts:

The factors that contribute to the

achievement of the overall goal of

universalizing elementary education as

a fundamental right requires action on

the part of the whole Governments.

A well coordinated mechanism is needed for

inter- sectoral collaboration & convergence.

53

Timely & appropriate financial allocations,

redesign school spaces

The Finance Department to release

funds at all levels.

The Public Works Dept. to re-conceive

and redesign school spaces from the

pedagogic perspective & Address

issues of including disabled children

through barrier free access.

54

Provide Social & Location Mapping of schools,

Water & sanitation facilities

The Dept. of Science & Technology to provide geo-spatial technology to perform at

grass-root survey.

Provision of access to sufficient safe drinking water

Provision and access to adequate sanitation facilities, specially for girl child.

56

ROLE OF CIVIL SOCEITY in RTE

Above all, people‘s groups, civil society

organizations & voluntary agencies will play

an crucial role in the implementation of the

RTE Act.

This will help build a new perspective on

inclusiveness, encompassing gender & social

inclusion, & ensure that these become

integral & crosscutting concerns informing

different aspects like training, curriculum and

classroom transaction.

57

ROLE OF CIVIL SOCEITY

A VIBRANT CIVIL SOCEITY MOVEMENT

CAN ENSURE THAT THE PARENT / CHILD

FROM WEAKER OR DISADVANTAGED

SECTIONS BECOME AWARE OF THE

VALUE OF EXERCISING THE RIGHT TO

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION AND PUT IN

SERIOUS EFFORTS ON THEIR PART.

NGO contribution of knowledge, ideas and

solutions to the challenges are needed.

58

Prime Minister

Manmohan Singh:

"We are committed to ensuring that all

children, irrespective of gender and

social category, have access to

education. An education that enables

them to acquire the skills, knowledge,

values and attitudes necessary to

become responsible and active citizens

of India‖

59

The 86th constitutional amendment (2002),

And the RTE Act (2009), have given us the

tools to provide quality education to all our

children. It is now imperative that we the

people of India join hands to ensure the

implementation of this law in its true spirit.

The Government is committed to this task

though real change will happen through

collective action.

RTE, Act 2009 upheld by SC On 12 April 2012, in its historical decision the Supreme

Court (SC) of India threw its weight behind the Right of

Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.

The court upheld the constitutional validity of RTE Act

that guarantees children free and compulsory education

from the age of 6 to 14 years of age.

The judgment makes it mandatory for the government,

local authorities and private schools to reserve 25

percent of their seats for ‗weaker and disadvantaged

sections‗ of society.

The decision has wiped away many apprehensions

regarding the future of the Act.

60

61

India’s Age: YOUNG INDIA

0-14 years: 31.1% (male 190,000,000 /female

172,890,000)

15-64 years: 63.6%

India‘s Average:

Total: 25 years

Male: 25 years

Female: 26 years

62

You can’t give a cold shoulder to Kapilji!

Kapil Sibal led the first Indian expedition to the Arctic and was responsible for setting up an Indian Research Station ‗Himadri‘ there in July, 2008.

Kapil Sibal was the first Indian Minister to have traveled to the icy continent of Antarctica and stayed at the Maitri base in sub-zero temperatures, for getting a first hand experience about the hardships being faced by the Indian scientists.

Kapil Sibal announced an upgrading of India's scientific facilities at the Maitri, besides augmenting the fleet strength of the Pisten Bully vehicles required to travel on ice.

Kapil Sibal visited laboratories near Maitri, besides carrying out a final assessment on India's proposed third permanent base.

63

Then _ So few people, NOW Too many ! Panic not, we are the human resource and education makes it so.

THEN:

Nalanda University is

considered "one of the first

great universities in

recorded history." It was the

center of learning and

research in the world from

450–1193 CE.

NOW

64

Education brings out merit

ऩरुषमवऩ गुरूिािं बुवद्धबोधाथामुक्ििं िचनमनुसरतयाति सशष्यो महत्तत्तिम।्

खतनिऱगिरत्तनिं शे्रष्ठमप्यत्र शािो- त्तकषिमधधगििं िद्भाति मौऱौ नऩृािाम।्

A disciple attains prominence by carrying out educational instructions of his Guru. Even though a gem found in a mine might be precious, it needs to undergo the rigors of a grindstone, before it adorns the crown of monarchs.

68

Age structure of School going children

69

Role of Central & State Governments The primary responsibility for school education is

borne by the state governments.

Therefore any policy changes must be with the full

participation and involvement of the States.

However, positive changes in systems of schooling

will require the active involvement of the Central

Government as well as State Governments.

This is not only in the matter of providing resources

but also in promoting organizational and other

changes.

70

In India, the main types of schools are those

controlled by:

The state government Boards like SSLC, in

which the vast majority of Indian school children are enrolled

The Central Board of Secondary Education

(CBSE) board,

The Council for the Indian School Certificate

Examinations (CISCE) board,

National Open School and "International

schools."

71

S U P P O R T O R G A N I S A T I O N S

Of Union Department of Education:

•Central Institute of Education Technology

•Central Tibetan Schools Administration (CTSA)

•Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS)

•Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS)

•National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)

•Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

•National Council of Educational Research and

Training

72

National Council of Educational Research

and Training (NCERT).

The NCERT was established in 1961. It functions as a resource centre in the field of school education and teacher education.

The NCERT undertakes programmes related to research, development and training extension and dissemination of educational innovations etc., through various constituent Departments at the headquarters in New Delhi and 11 Field Officers all over the country.

Publication of school textbooks and other educational material like teachers‘ guides/manuals etc. are its major functions.

73

Central Institute of Education Technology (CIET)

CIET is an important unit of NCERT which is

engaged in the production of satellite based audio

and video programmes for Elementary and

Secondary levels which are aired on All India Radio,

and Doordarshan.

CIET also coordinates programme production

activities of the six States Institute of Education

Technology at Patna, Lucknow, Ahmedabad,

Hyderabad, Pune and Bhubaneshwar

74

Central Board of Secondary Education

(CBSE)

CBSE was initially called as ‗The Board of

High School and Intermediate Education‘.

It was established with a view to play a useful

role in the field of Secondary Education, to

raise the standard of Secondary Education,

to make the services of the Board available to

various educational institutions in the country

and to meet the educational needs of those

students who have to move from State to State.

75

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

Major Activities and Objectives: To prescribe conditions of examinations and conduct public examination at the end of Class X and XII.

To grant qualifying certificates to successful candidates of the affiliated schools.

To fulfill the educational requirements of those students whose parents were employed in

transferable jobs.

To prescribe and update the course of

instructions of examinations

To affiliate institutions for the purpose of

examination and raise the academic standards

of the country.

76


Board today has 8979 schools [on 31-03-

2007] including

141 schools in 21 countries. There are

897 Kendriya Vidyalayas,

1761 Government Schools,

5827 Independent Schools,

480 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and

14 Central Tibetean Schools.

77


The CBSE, the Headquarter of which is in

Delhi from 1962, subscribes to a diverse,

mass participative education system with a

broader base of access that provides the

benefits of uniformity, flexibility and diversity

as envisaged in the National Policy of

Education; the services of the Board are

available to various educational institutions in

the country and to meet the educational

needs of those students who have to move

from State to State.

78

The prime focus of the CBSE is on

Innovations in teaching-learning methodologies by

devising students friendly and students centered

paradigms.

Reforms in examinations and evaluation practices.

Skill learning by adding job-oriented and job-linked

inputs.

Regularly updating the pedagogical skills of the

teachers and administrators by conducting in service

training programmes, workshops etc.

79

Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan The Government approved the scheme of Kendriya

Vidyalaya Sangathan in 1962.

Initially, 20 regimental schools in different States were taken over as Central Schools.

In 1965, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan was established with the primary objective of setting-up and monitoring Kendriya Vidyalaya to cater to the educational needs of the children of transferable Central Government Employees including Defense Personnel and Para-Military forces by providing common programme of education.

At present, there are 931 Kendriya Vidyalayas (as on 17 June 2005). All Kendriya Vidyalayas follow a uniform syllabus.

80

Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti

Navodaya Vidyalayas are located all over the

country including Lakshadweep and A & N

Islands except the State of Tamilnadu.

To provide good quality modern education to

the talented children predominently from the

rural areas, without regard to their family's

socio-economic condition. Jawahar

Navodaya Vidyalayas are co-educational

residential schools.

81

Central Tibetan Schools Administration Central Tibetan Schools administration is an autonomous

organization under MHRD, established in 1961 with the objective to establish, manage and assist schools in India for the education of Tibetan Children living in India while preserving and promoting their culture and heritage.

The administration is running 71 schools spread all over India in the area of concentration of Tibetan population. About 10,000 students are on roll from pre-primary to class XII with 554 Teaching and 239 sanctioned Non Teaching Staff. The schools are affiliated to CBSE and follow NCERT curriculums.

The medium of instruction is Tibetan and English. The classes and Labs are well equipped and all efforts are made for overall development of Children by giving them opportunities of participating in various co-curricular activities viz. sports/cultural/art and adventure activities.

The National Literacy Mission

(NLM)

The Community Education Centre

(CEC)

NLM was based on the 1986 National Policy

on Education; set up with the aim of imparting

functional literacy to adults in the 15-35 age

group by 1988--1995.

83

India – Moving towards a lifelong learning

approach

National Literacy Mission was set up with the aim

of imparting functional literacy to 80 million

adults in the 15-35 age group by 1988 --1995.

It started with a mass campaign approach: the

Total Literacy Campaign (TLC), but has evolved

into a programme of adult education.

Literacy for youth and adults still remains its core,

but it is developing elements of lifelong learning

for increasingly large and diverse groups of

participants.

84

National Literacy Mission: Literacy

as an active and potent instrument of change

The N L M conceived literacy as an active and potent

instrument of change and for the creation of a

learning society.

Functional literacy was defined as:

• Achieving self-reliance in literacy and numeracy;

• Becoming aware of the causes of their own

deprivation and ways of overcoming their condition

through organization, and participation in the process

of development ;

Acquiring skills to improve economic status and

general well-being.

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Functional literacy was also aimed at:

adopting the values of

national integration,

environmental conservation,

women‘s equality and

observance of small-family norms.

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The revised National Policy on Education:

1992

NLM combined Post- Literacy and Continuing Education (PL & CE) activities in order to consolidate and improve functional literacy skills of neo-literates.

The Post-Literacy Campaigns had three broad learning

objectives – remediation, continuation and application.

A new scheme of Continuing Education, distinct

from the previous PL & CE, was launched by NLM

in 1997.

The aim was to provide learning opportunities to

neo-literates on a continuing basis and to reinforce

and widen the literacy skills for personal, social and

economic improvement.

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National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) formerly

known as National Open School (NOS) was established in November,1989 as an autonomous organization in pursuance of National Policy on Education 1986 by the MHRD.

NIOS is providing a number of Vocational, Life Enrichment and community oriented courses besides General and Academic Courses at Secondary and Senior Secondary level.

It also offers Elementary level Courses for 14+ age group through its Open Basic Education Programmes (OBE).

Government of India through a gazette notification vested NIOS with the authority to examine and certify learners registered with it upto pre degree level courses.

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Adult Illiteracy

Implementation of this functional and instrumental

concept of literacy varied greatly and often veered

towards a conventional approach that focused more

on the mechanics of recognizing alphabets at a

rudimentary level, rather than self-sufficiency in

acquiring the tools for further learning and

developing critical consciousness.

With over 300 million adults in illiteracy, India

accounted for about 40 per cent of the world’s

adult illiteracy.

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The Community Education Centre (CEC)

The Community Education Centre (CEC), the

main delivery point of CE programmes,

looked after by a Prerak (Animator), is meant

to be a community-based centre with a library

and reading room. It plans and carries out

activities in training, information, culture,

sports, communication and discussion forums

for the communities it serves.

The CEC is seen as a permanent institution,

located in a public place, open to all, and run

with close community involvement.

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Key stakeholders of

the Community Education Centre

The participants are neo-literates, mostly women,

and the Panchayats (elected local self-government

bodies) are regarded as key stakeholders of the CEC.

At district level the programme implementing

agency is the Zila Shaksharta Samiti ( ZSS or

District Literacy Society).

A registered society with a General Council and an

Executive Committee, under the leadership of the

district head of administration. It receives funds

from the government and disburses funds to CECs

on the basis of approved plans.

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Vocational And Life Enrichment Education

A District Resource Unit (DRU), located in the

District Institute of Education and Training

(DIET), and the State Resource Centre provide

technical and academic support to the

programme.

The Jan Shikshan Sansthan (People‘s Training

Organisation), a district-level institution, often

managed by an NGO, works with the ZSS to

provide vocational and life enrichment

education. It offers courses based on local

market demands.

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Districts with low education level

About a quarter of India‘s 600 districts which have a low education level now each have a district literacy

society and a functioning adult education programme under its auspices.

Although the NLM objectives and programmes are

conceptually linked to a broader approach to adult

and lifelong learning, the heavy burden of illiteracy

compels India to remain focused on narrow literacy

objectives, especially in seven of the 28 states which account for 65 per cent of the total illiterate

population.

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Remedy for low education level

It is in the same states that the national programme for

primary education, Sarva Shisksha Abhiyan (Education

for all Campaign), is weak and, therefore, continues to

feed the pool of illiteracy.

This is so much so that the primary schools have been

described

as maintaining a system of ‗institutionalised sub-literacy.‘

(The Statesman, editorial, 22 August, 2006).

Other challenges relate to finding effective pathways to

address the multiple disadvantages of educationally-

deprived populations who are living in extreme poverty,

are largely low-caste or ethnic minorities, often in poor

health, and women.

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Expansion of functional literacy in India

National Knowledge Commission (2008) stressed a

focus on expanding functional literacy among the

population.

Illiteracy remains a major problem, even among the

age-group 15-35 years.

Therefore literacy programmes must be expanded

rather than reduced, and given a different focus that

is directed towards improving life skills and meeting

felt needs, especially (but not only) among the

youth.

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GE, NLM, Then, there is

vocational Education

The Indian Constitution resolves to provide

quality education to all. The educational

needs of the country differs specifically for

the diverse societies and cultures of the

country and hence the government has

chalked out different educational categories:

Elementary education, Secondary education,

Higher education, Adult education, Technical

and Vocational education.

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Data during the period: 1993 - 2002