By N N Sachitanand
The application of IT is fairly widespread by now in India in the private sector. However, when it comes to public governance, India has been a laggard in the utilization of IT.
There are several reasons for this. One is the monopolistic nature of public governance. It is the customer, in this case the "aam aadmi", who has to like or lump whatever is offered by the public institution. He has no alternative. A second important reason for the slow start off the block, particularly of e-governance, is that it enables transparency and cuts down avenues of corruption.
The common man has benefited from the e-governance measures implemented so far. Perhaps the best example in India of how e-governance can lead to order out of chaos and put paid to the machinations of the ungodly is the replacement of the old ballot system by electronic voting in elections.
Despite these advantages, e-governance has not yet made much headway in government in India. Government spending on IT accounts for only about 15 percent of India's $12 billion domestic IT market. Out of 30 "Mission Mode e-governance projects" totaling $6 billion in IT spends that were drawn up by the centre back in 2006, only three have been awarded so far.
Education as a sector has remained relatively untouched by e-governance. This is most distressing, considering that education is the cornerstone of our efforts to build up the future generation. Even in the Right to Education Act there is little mention of implementing e-governance in our education system.
As it stands today, our education system is chaotic, to say the least. It is characterized by a high dropout rate, teacher truancy, obsolete syllabi, inadequate infrastructure, unemployable graduates and the lot. The tiny proportion of quality output that emerges from it is more a case of serendipity and the determination of the students belonging to this micro-minority. This is because the present system lacks means of continuous monitoring, meaningful evaluation of the teacher and the taught, constant feedback to the players concerned (administrators, faculty, parents and students) and appropriate timely control and correction mechanisms.
If the quantity and quality of output from our education system have to be substantially improved, then there is no alternative to introducing e-governance in this sphere. However, to be really effective, the e-governance system deployed will have to go beyond mere computerization of records or processes. It has to be able to provide the management of the educational institution information about the Why of a happening or a trend besides the What, When and Where, so that adequate prophylactic action can be taken. It should be able to provide answers to queries like: Why is the performance of a class dropping in a particular subject? Why is a particularly bright student lagging in performance in the last two terms? Which teacher has produced the best consistent results for her class?
Then again, considering the paucity of funds in our state-aided educational institutions, an e-governance system which is inexpensive to install, simple to use, easy to maintain and can be conveniently expanded will be much more acceptable.
One such e-governance system for educational institutions -- the M-Star Education Expert System -- has been piloted in scores of schools in India. This system currently runs in a variety of schools and colleges in the country.
M-Star has been developed by MGRM NET after a deep study of educational systems. It is highly flexible in that it can apply to any educational system and yet be customized to a very high degree to fit in with all the required parameters and diverse needs of an institution.
It takes the life cycle approach and works all the way up the education chain -- from kindergarten right up to the university level -- for all kinds of curriculum and structures. The system bridges the gap between different stakeholders in a school, such as students, parents, teachers, principal and education administrators.
For administrators like school boards and education directorates, which have to keep tabs on the functioning of many schools, M-Star offers immense value to monitor academic performance of individual schools as well as impact of schemes like mid-day meal or Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Education for All Campaign).
The application runs on proprietary OmVcard or an Online Multi-domain Value Card, costing just a few hundred rupees. Every child and staff member are given the OmVcard which they can insert into any computer where the application is loaded.
Incidentally, the card can be used to check the oft-quoted issue of teacher truancy. Teacher performance in a 'single teacher' school can be monitored by his supervisor remotely, not merely by looking at his or her attendance records, but by gauging the effectiveness of teaching as borne out by the academic performance of the pupils.
Ultimately, if the Education Expert System gets linked to other national e-governance systems, such as the national ID project headed by Nandan Nilekani, then the possibilities are endless. It could analyze the reasons of dropping out from the system and the teachers become more accountable. The Right to Education could thus become a reality through technology.
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query education. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query education. Sort by date Show all posts
Friday, September 11, 2009
Making Right to Education - A Reality Through Technology
By N N Sachitanand
The application of IT is fairly widespread by now in India in the private sector. However, when it comes to public governance, India has been a laggard in the utilization of IT.
There are several reasons for this. One is the monopolistic nature of public governance. It is the customer, in this case the "aam aadmi", who has to like or lump whatever is offered by the public institution. He has no alternative. A second important reason for the slow start off the block, particularly of e-governance, is that it enables transparency and cuts down avenues of corruption.
The common man has benefited from the e-governance measures implemented so far. Perhaps the best example in India of how e-governance can lead to order out of chaos and put paid to the machinations of the ungodly is the replacement of the old ballot system by electronic voting in elections.
Despite these advantages, e-governance has not yet made much headway in government in India. Government spending on IT accounts for only about 15 percent of India's $12 billion domestic IT market. Out of 30 "Mission Mode e-governance projects" totaling $6 billion in IT spends that were drawn up by the centre back in 2006, only three have been awarded so far.
Education as a sector has remained relatively untouched by e-governance. This is most distressing, considering that education is the cornerstone of our efforts to build up the future generation. Even in the Right to Education Act there is little mention of implementing e-governance in our education system.
As it stands today, our education system is chaotic, to say the least. It is characterized by a high dropout rate, teacher truancy, obsolete syllabi, inadequate infrastructure, unemployable graduates and the lot. The tiny proportion of quality output that emerges from it is more a case of serendipity and the determination of the students belonging to this micro-minority. This is because the present system lacks means of continuous monitoring, meaningful evaluation of the teacher and the taught, constant feedback to the players concerned (administrators, faculty, parents and students) and appropriate timely control and correction mechanisms.
If the quantity and quality of output from our education system have to be substantially improved, then there is no alternative to introducing e-governance in this sphere. However, to be really effective, the e-governance system deployed will have to go beyond mere computerization of records or processes. It has to be able to provide the management of the educational institution information about the Why of a happening or a trend besides the What, When and Where, so that adequate prophylactic action can be taken. It should be able to provide answers to queries like: Why is the performance of a class dropping in a particular subject? Why is a particularly bright student lagging in performance in the last two terms? Which teacher has produced the best consistent results for her class?
Then again, considering the paucity of funds in our state-aided educational institutions, an e-governance system which is inexpensive to install, simple to use, easy to maintain and can be conveniently expanded will be much more acceptable.
One such e-governance system for educational institutions -- the M-Star Education Expert System -- has been piloted in scores of schools in India. This system currently runs in a variety of schools and colleges in the country.
M-Star has been developed by MGRM NET after a deep study of educational systems. It is highly flexible in that it can apply to any educational system and yet be customized to a very high degree to fit in with all the required parameters and diverse needs of an institution.
It takes the life cycle approach and works all the way up the education chain -- from kindergarten right up to the university level -- for all kinds of curriculum and structures. The system bridges the gap between different stakeholders in a school, such as students, parents, teachers, principal and education administrators.
For administrators like school boards and education directorates, which have to keep tabs on the functioning of many schools, M-Star offers immense value to monitor academic performance of individual schools as well as impact of schemes like mid-day meal or Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Education for All Campaign).
The application runs on proprietary OmVcard or an Online Multi-domain Value Card, costing just a few hundred rupees. Every child and staff member are given the OmVcard which they can insert into any computer where the application is loaded.
Incidentally, the card can be used to check the oft-quoted issue of teacher truancy. Teacher performance in a 'single teacher' school can be monitored by his supervisor remotely, not merely by looking at his or her attendance records, but by gauging the effectiveness of teaching as borne out by the academic performance of the pupils.
Ultimately, if the Education Expert System gets linked to other national e-governance systems, such as the national ID project headed by Nandan Nilekani, then the possibilities are endless. It could analyze the reasons of dropping out from the system and the teachers become more accountable. The Right to Education could thus become a reality through technology.
The application of IT is fairly widespread by now in India in the private sector. However, when it comes to public governance, India has been a laggard in the utilization of IT.
There are several reasons for this. One is the monopolistic nature of public governance. It is the customer, in this case the "aam aadmi", who has to like or lump whatever is offered by the public institution. He has no alternative. A second important reason for the slow start off the block, particularly of e-governance, is that it enables transparency and cuts down avenues of corruption.
The common man has benefited from the e-governance measures implemented so far. Perhaps the best example in India of how e-governance can lead to order out of chaos and put paid to the machinations of the ungodly is the replacement of the old ballot system by electronic voting in elections.
Despite these advantages, e-governance has not yet made much headway in government in India. Government spending on IT accounts for only about 15 percent of India's $12 billion domestic IT market. Out of 30 "Mission Mode e-governance projects" totaling $6 billion in IT spends that were drawn up by the centre back in 2006, only three have been awarded so far.
Education as a sector has remained relatively untouched by e-governance. This is most distressing, considering that education is the cornerstone of our efforts to build up the future generation. Even in the Right to Education Act there is little mention of implementing e-governance in our education system.
As it stands today, our education system is chaotic, to say the least. It is characterized by a high dropout rate, teacher truancy, obsolete syllabi, inadequate infrastructure, unemployable graduates and the lot. The tiny proportion of quality output that emerges from it is more a case of serendipity and the determination of the students belonging to this micro-minority. This is because the present system lacks means of continuous monitoring, meaningful evaluation of the teacher and the taught, constant feedback to the players concerned (administrators, faculty, parents and students) and appropriate timely control and correction mechanisms.
If the quantity and quality of output from our education system have to be substantially improved, then there is no alternative to introducing e-governance in this sphere. However, to be really effective, the e-governance system deployed will have to go beyond mere computerization of records or processes. It has to be able to provide the management of the educational institution information about the Why of a happening or a trend besides the What, When and Where, so that adequate prophylactic action can be taken. It should be able to provide answers to queries like: Why is the performance of a class dropping in a particular subject? Why is a particularly bright student lagging in performance in the last two terms? Which teacher has produced the best consistent results for her class?
Then again, considering the paucity of funds in our state-aided educational institutions, an e-governance system which is inexpensive to install, simple to use, easy to maintain and can be conveniently expanded will be much more acceptable.
One such e-governance system for educational institutions -- the M-Star Education Expert System -- has been piloted in scores of schools in India. This system currently runs in a variety of schools and colleges in the country.
M-Star has been developed by MGRM NET after a deep study of educational systems. It is highly flexible in that it can apply to any educational system and yet be customized to a very high degree to fit in with all the required parameters and diverse needs of an institution.
It takes the life cycle approach and works all the way up the education chain -- from kindergarten right up to the university level -- for all kinds of curriculum and structures. The system bridges the gap between different stakeholders in a school, such as students, parents, teachers, principal and education administrators.
For administrators like school boards and education directorates, which have to keep tabs on the functioning of many schools, M-Star offers immense value to monitor academic performance of individual schools as well as impact of schemes like mid-day meal or Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Education for All Campaign).
The application runs on proprietary OmVcard or an Online Multi-domain Value Card, costing just a few hundred rupees. Every child and staff member are given the OmVcard which they can insert into any computer where the application is loaded.
Incidentally, the card can be used to check the oft-quoted issue of teacher truancy. Teacher performance in a 'single teacher' school can be monitored by his supervisor remotely, not merely by looking at his or her attendance records, but by gauging the effectiveness of teaching as borne out by the academic performance of the pupils.
Ultimately, if the Education Expert System gets linked to other national e-governance systems, such as the national ID project headed by Nandan Nilekani, then the possibilities are endless. It could analyze the reasons of dropping out from the system and the teachers become more accountable. The Right to Education could thus become a reality through technology.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Interview with Kapil Sibal - ‘We Need To Liberalise The Education Sector’
By M H Ahssan
Kapil Sibal, 60, has a lot on his plate. a law graduate from Harvard and science and technology minister in the previous UPA regime, he has been entrusted the task of removing the ills plaguing the country’s education sector. There are problems of access as well as of quality. In higher education, there are unreasonably high entry barriers for private sector players and multiple regulatory agencies for authorisation. Sibal has already outlined the 100-day agenda of his ministry. He also plans to make Class X board examinations optional to reduce stress on students and replace the various school boards across the country with a single board. He has formulated a ‘brain gain’ policy to attract talent from across the world in existing and new institutions, launching a new scheme of interest subsidy on educational loans for economically weak students and a law to regulate the entry and operation of foreign education providers. The minister spoke to HNN's Editor in Chief M H Ahssan on the critical issues facing the sector. Excerpts:
Will there be big ticket reforms in education?
What Manmohan Singh did in 1991 to the economy should be done in the field of education in 2009. He opened up the system, brought it out of government control, through the liberalisation process attracted investment, allowed private players to come into the system which brought about a revolutionary change in the way our economy functions. In essence, that’s what we intend to do (in education).
What about the Foreign Education Providers’ Bill?
Foreign investment in education and FDI is a natural corollary of liberalising the whole process. But we first need to liberalise it from within — restructure our present-day institutions in a manner that gives the government only the power to regulate and not a decision-making (role) for setting up institutions. The system should allow institutions to be set up — whether they are universities, colleges or schools — either privately or through public-private partnerships, charitable trusts or government institutions, whether they are state-run or set up by the government, either through executive act or through statute. But all this should be free and open, transparent and accountable, and must be under a uniform regulatory framework. It must not be in government hands, but should be away from its control.
Are you planning to make any changes in the Foreign Universities Bill before introducing it in Parliament?
That is something we have to apply our minds to. My first concern is primary and secondary education. We should free the school education system, have regulatory procedures, allow a variety of participants to enter the school system through various kinds of partnerships — public-private, only private, charitable trusts, societies, etc. and have a uniform system of standards. Allowing state governments to have their own variety is also essential for cultural diversity.
This freedom already exists, but the stipulations on a charitable trust to set up an institute leads to opaqueness in the system.
Those are exactly the things we are looking at — why should it be limited only to charitable institutions? Anybody who passes certain entry barriers should be allowed to set up an institute.
One need not necessarily set up a trust to run an institute.
No. But there is a Supreme Court judgement to that effect, and we need to get over that.
Since education is on the concurrent list, states do anything they want. For instance set up private universities without even informing the UGC. This leads to ambiguities.
Because it (education) is on the concurrent list, we can actually have a law and set standards. We have not done it, but this is something which should be done.
What action is going to be taken against deemed universities found to be flouting rules?
Before the report (on the inquiry against deemed universities instituted in the past five years) comes to me, I can’t say what action is going to be taken.
You are reported to have said “the future of students (studying in deemed universities found to be flouting norms) will remain secure”. That means the future of these universities will also remain secure and there can be no action against them.
That’s not necessarily true. That’s your assumption. First, it is not fair for me to comment on it before I get the report, but I want to make this clear and put it on record for the sake of students that whatever punitive action, if at all, will be taken, will not harm the interests of the student community and parents. We will make sure that whatever studies they have undertaken do not go waste and that they get a university degree. How we will do that is not very difficult.
That again implies that the institutes themselves will not be harmed.
I am not saying that. Theoretically we have the power to withdraw the deemed university status of an institute, affiliate the students to some other university and give them a degree from that university.
What about private universities?
That’s another issue we have to deal with. Because education is on the concurrent list we can actually have standards and regulations.
You talked about the need to change the curriculum in IITs and IIMs.
Everywhere else in the world, institutes of technology are at the center of expansion that takes place around them. Why should IITs be silos? Why can’t they be at the heart of a whole range of expansion? Take, for example, Triple IITs or Calit2 (California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology) in San Diego. It (Calit2) has around it a whole university. Why can’t the IITs be within the midst of a university system where university students interact with these centers of excellence and these centers in turn develop within the university system? Instead of doing it in project mode and have money come within the IITs, why can’t a whole university develop around them? These are some examples which we have seen across the world and we need to learn from them.
Do you plan to hold a public debate on the issue of reforms in education?
Nothing is going to be done without setting up advisory boards.
Kapil Sibal, 60, has a lot on his plate. a law graduate from Harvard and science and technology minister in the previous UPA regime, he has been entrusted the task of removing the ills plaguing the country’s education sector. There are problems of access as well as of quality. In higher education, there are unreasonably high entry barriers for private sector players and multiple regulatory agencies for authorisation. Sibal has already outlined the 100-day agenda of his ministry. He also plans to make Class X board examinations optional to reduce stress on students and replace the various school boards across the country with a single board. He has formulated a ‘brain gain’ policy to attract talent from across the world in existing and new institutions, launching a new scheme of interest subsidy on educational loans for economically weak students and a law to regulate the entry and operation of foreign education providers. The minister spoke to HNN's Editor in Chief M H Ahssan on the critical issues facing the sector. Excerpts: Will there be big ticket reforms in education?
What Manmohan Singh did in 1991 to the economy should be done in the field of education in 2009. He opened up the system, brought it out of government control, through the liberalisation process attracted investment, allowed private players to come into the system which brought about a revolutionary change in the way our economy functions. In essence, that’s what we intend to do (in education).
What about the Foreign Education Providers’ Bill?Foreign investment in education and FDI is a natural corollary of liberalising the whole process. But we first need to liberalise it from within — restructure our present-day institutions in a manner that gives the government only the power to regulate and not a decision-making (role) for setting up institutions. The system should allow institutions to be set up — whether they are universities, colleges or schools — either privately or through public-private partnerships, charitable trusts or government institutions, whether they are state-run or set up by the government, either through executive act or through statute. But all this should be free and open, transparent and accountable, and must be under a uniform regulatory framework. It must not be in government hands, but should be away from its control.
Are you planning to make any changes in the Foreign Universities Bill before introducing it in Parliament?
That is something we have to apply our minds to. My first concern is primary and secondary education. We should free the school education system, have regulatory procedures, allow a variety of participants to enter the school system through various kinds of partnerships — public-private, only private, charitable trusts, societies, etc. and have a uniform system of standards. Allowing state governments to have their own variety is also essential for cultural diversity.
This freedom already exists, but the stipulations on a charitable trust to set up an institute leads to opaqueness in the system.
Those are exactly the things we are looking at — why should it be limited only to charitable institutions? Anybody who passes certain entry barriers should be allowed to set up an institute.
One need not necessarily set up a trust to run an institute.
No. But there is a Supreme Court judgement to that effect, and we need to get over that.
Since education is on the concurrent list, states do anything they want. For instance set up private universities without even informing the UGC. This leads to ambiguities.
Because it (education) is on the concurrent list, we can actually have a law and set standards. We have not done it, but this is something which should be done.
What action is going to be taken against deemed universities found to be flouting rules?
Before the report (on the inquiry against deemed universities instituted in the past five years) comes to me, I can’t say what action is going to be taken.
You are reported to have said “the future of students (studying in deemed universities found to be flouting norms) will remain secure”. That means the future of these universities will also remain secure and there can be no action against them.
That’s not necessarily true. That’s your assumption. First, it is not fair for me to comment on it before I get the report, but I want to make this clear and put it on record for the sake of students that whatever punitive action, if at all, will be taken, will not harm the interests of the student community and parents. We will make sure that whatever studies they have undertaken do not go waste and that they get a university degree. How we will do that is not very difficult.
That again implies that the institutes themselves will not be harmed.
I am not saying that. Theoretically we have the power to withdraw the deemed university status of an institute, affiliate the students to some other university and give them a degree from that university.
What about private universities?
That’s another issue we have to deal with. Because education is on the concurrent list we can actually have standards and regulations.
You talked about the need to change the curriculum in IITs and IIMs.
Everywhere else in the world, institutes of technology are at the center of expansion that takes place around them. Why should IITs be silos? Why can’t they be at the heart of a whole range of expansion? Take, for example, Triple IITs or Calit2 (California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology) in San Diego. It (Calit2) has around it a whole university. Why can’t the IITs be within the midst of a university system where university students interact with these centers of excellence and these centers in turn develop within the university system? Instead of doing it in project mode and have money come within the IITs, why can’t a whole university develop around them? These are some examples which we have seen across the world and we need to learn from them.
Do you plan to hold a public debate on the issue of reforms in education?
Nothing is going to be done without setting up advisory boards.
Friday, August 27, 2021
#Sponsored: Important Tips To Study In Australia
The Australian Qualifications Framework distinguishes the Australian education system from that of many other countries by providing primary, secondary, and post-secondary education (AQF). The AQF is a national strategy that lays out how qualifications at different levels of education are linked.
International students can pursue education at all levels, from elementary and secondary school to vocational education and training (VET), English language courses and higher education (including universities).
Higher education (universities) and vocational education and training are referred to as 'tertiary education’ in Australia (VET and TAFE colleges). Higher education and VET institutions are governed by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) (https://www.teqsa.gov.au/) and the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) respectively. These organizations are in charge of institution registration and re-registration, as well as course accreditation and re-accreditation.
Australia's laws support great education and protection for international students, regardless of what you're studying for or how long you're studying. National standards for international education and training providers are set by the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act of 2000 and the National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities & Providers of Education & Training to Overseas Students 2007 (National Code).
Before Studying in Australia, there are certain things one should be keeping in mind. Read through the following to explore the necessary steps that may be required before planning to study in Australia.
You may be enthralled by the prospect of studying in Australia, having heard tales of cute animals, endless beaches and lengthy summers. While Australia has a lot to offer, shifting countries may be difficult. So it's worth planning ahead of time if you're going to be an international student.
There's a lot you should know about studying in Australia before you go. Some things you'll learn when you get there, but here are a few highlights to help you get ready for your new life in Australia.
A visa is required
To study in Australia, international students require a Student Visa (subclass 500). This allows you to study in Australia full-time and is valid for the duration of your program. You must have been accepted into a registered full-time course in Australia to be eligible for this visa.
You might require health insurance
Unless you are a student from a country where the cost of international healthcare is paid by the government, you will need to purchase Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of your stay in Australia. This is a requirement of the student visa since it helps pay for any medical treatment that may be required during your period of stay.
In addition to meeting the criteria of your visa, OSHC may assist you in obtaining insurance to cover you in the event of an accident or injury.
Make an effort to improve your English skills
It's always a good idea to brush up on your English abilities so you can keep up with your professors, especially if English isn't your first language. Try watching formal English-language television news and chat shows, reading books, or listening to podcasts (https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/general-english/audio-series/podcasts). Learn some Australian slang and have a good time. Even though they all speak English, Australians (or "Aussies" as they are known) have a wide range of terms (and accents).
Your educational institution's grading system may be different
The grades in Australia are not the same as those in other nations. A first-class mark, for example, could be assessed with an HD (High Distinction) rather than an A or A+. If you're intending on finishing your course in your native country, find out how this may affect your grades.
Consider carefully where in Australia you want to study
You can choose from a range of destinations for your study abroad vacation to Australia.It might be intriguing for you to study in the UK, but do you prefer to live in the city or on the outskirts of town? Do you want to spend all of your leisure time at the beach (that is something pretty much everywhere in Australia ), or do you prefer to go into "the bush"? Depending on what you study, certain regions may be better for you. Australia is where you’ve got to land.
If you're interested in marine biology, Queensland, which is home to the Great Barrier Reef, might be a suitable fit. If you're a business major, studying in Sydney might be a better option for you. Apart from Sydney, there are numerous possibilities in both large and small places. Consider attending events in Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, or Canberra, to mention a few.
Australia is an expensive country
In comparison to many other nations, you may perceive Australia's cost of living to be quite excessive. It's a good idea to figure out what kind of weekly costs you'll have and how much each one will cost.
To get a student visa, you'll need to show that you can afford a minimum living cost of $19,830 per year, but you might end up spending more, especially if you plan on studying and living in one of the larger cities.
What Does It Cost to Study in Australia?
The cost of studying in Australia is determined by the institution and degree of study that you select. The table below illustrates the range of course expenses for various types of qualifications.
If you think you are ready to bear the expenses of studying abroad, it is suggested that rather than forcing your mind with the mainstream thought to study in the US, it would be far more attractive to be experiencing a whole different sphere of education from Australia.
However, you might be able to work
In term time, a student visa allows you to work up to 40 hours per fortnight, excluding any employment required as part of your degree. During the holidays, you can work full-time. However, you will not be able to work in Australia until your studies have commenced.
The public transportation system might be confusing
Buses, trains, ferries, and trams make up Australia's public transportation system. International students are entitled to discounts on some or all of these in some, but not all, states.
Driving rules vary by state, while most will allow you to drive with a valid international driver's license — again, do your homework before you go. Keep in mind that we drive on the left side of the road in Australia.
The seasons are inverted!
If you're traveling from a Northern Hemisphere location, such as Europe or the United States, you will notice that the season you left behind has changed. You'll need to pack for the Australian heat as if it was your winter. Furthermore, Australia operates in a separate time zone from the United States, so expect some jet lag when you arrive.
In fact, to experience an all-rounder of seasons and living an educational life amidst the beauty of mother nature, studying abroad in Sweden or Australia would make you a good choice.
Australia is a hugely diversified country
Although Australia's population is small in comparison to its size (approximately 23 million people), it is home to over 25% of the world's population. This is one of the reasons why there are a number of languages spoken here. English is the official language and is likely to be the language in which you will be expected to learn.
Some of the meals may be odd to you
You might be able to obtain some familiar flavors from home depending on where you study in Australia. Australia has a diverse cuisine scene to go along with its cosmopolitan society.
Kangaroo, lamingtons, Tim Tams, and (if you're feeling daring) Vegemite are all good options for a traditional taste of Australia.
Don't underestimate Australia's size
Australia has a vast landmass of 7.96 million km2. So, unless you have a lot of time and money to spare, it's quite doubtful that you'll be able to see all of our key sights and towns in one trip. Plan the things you truly want to visit and determine if your expectations are reasonable; this will help you avoid disappointment later on.
If candidates can consider smaller countries like, studying from Hong Kong while reviewing the size and area, studying from Australia would anyday be a winning streak with the upper hand.
Knowing what to expect when studying in Australia will help alleviate any concern you may be experiencing about such a significant life decision. There'll be plenty to learn once you arrive, so pack your bags and prepare for education outside your university's walls.
Scholarships
Many scholarships are available to students of various nationalities, but the requirements of each grant are specified by the institution or organization that is offering it. Applications must be sent directly to the scholarship giver, and you must contact the scholarship provider to find out if you are qualified for a scholarship.
Studying in Australia would be a journey worth experiencing. Once you walk out with that degree from Australia, you would see in yourself a new change, a person with a global outlook and brimming with self confidence. Not just will your life change, studying programmes from universities abroad can change your identity as an individual and shall be touching newer heights. #KhabarLive #hydnews
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
India’s Ballooning Child Rights Crisis
As testified by several national and international reports and surveys of child rights organisations and development agencies, India has arguably the worst child neglect and abuse record worldwide.
• January 18. Two-year-old Falak was admitted into the trauma centre of AIIMS, New Delhi. Abandoned by her sex worker mother, she was battered, beaten and left for dead. Two months later, on March 19 she succumbed to her injuries.
• February 21. Six-year-old Pankaj, a kindergartener of Rajkul Senior School in Haryana’s Karnal district, was locked in a bathroom for several hours by his school teacher for not completing his homework. He fell ill and died after 55 days.
• March 29. Thirteen-year-old Munni was rescued by an NGO from the home of an affluent doctor couple in Delhi. Munni was beaten, denied food and made to work 18 hours per day.
• April 11. Two-month-old Hina’s short life was cruelly snuffed out by her father who beat and burnt her with cigarette butts because of his aversion for girl children.
These shocking cases of child abuse which have attracted 60-point newspaper headlines and prime time television coverage for their unbelievable cruelty and brutality over the past four months, have dramatically highlighted the gross institutional, societal and parental neglect of children in India. But these horror stories are just the tip of the iceberg. Child neglect and abuse is widespread in this nation of 1.2 billion people, of whom 480 million are children below 18 years. As testified by several national and international reports and surveys of child rights organisations and development agencies, India has arguably the worst child neglect and abuse record worldwide.
The World Bank estimates that “about 49 percent of the world’s underweight children, 34 percent of the world’s stunted children and 46 percent of the world’s wasted children live in India”. A United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) report titled State of the World’s Children 2012 (SWC 2012), released on February 28, focusing on the well-being of “children in the urban world”, estimates that over 40 percent of all children (including rural children) in India suffer chronic poverty and deprivation. SWC 2012 reveals that the under-five mortality rate is 63 per 1,000 births, 43 percent of children are underweight, and 48 percent are moderately to severely stunted, and only 49 percent of girl children and 59 percent boys complete secondary school (see box, p. 88). A global survey of 200 nations, SWC 2012 identifies lack of access to health; water, sanitation and hygiene; education and protection as prime indicators of child rights deprivation.
Damning as is SWC 2012, data collected from domestic sources reveal that ground realities are worse. According to the 2010-11 report of the Union ministry of women and child development, 170 million of India’s children are in need of care and protection, 1.8 million die before age five, a shocking 79 percent of children are anaemic at birth, 50.76 percent suffer sexual abuse, 68.99 percent physical abuse, 65 percent of school-going children suffer corporal punishment, and 29 percent never attend school. Despite the Union government having signed several international child rights and protection treaties such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and the United Nations Millennium Declaration (2000), which set out several millennium development goals including primary education for all by 2015 and reducing under-five mortality by two-thirds, neither the Central nor state governments have made much effort to promote or enforce child rights.
Given this government and societal indifference and apathy, the country’s growing minority of child rights activists are unsurprised by the horror statistics churned out annually by international development agencies and government organisations, with no perceptible impact upon the stony conscience of the establishment or the middle and elite classes.
“Children don’t get sufficient attention in our system. This is evidenced by attitudes, interpret-ations and lack of progress on child-friendly initiatives across the board. Ours is a child-unfriendly society where every day millions of children negotiate starvation, abandonment, exploitation, and injury, and are routinely deprived of shelter, nutrition, health, education and protection. Children have to become the centre of our national development strategy and their rights given top priority. For this to happen, really big systemic changes are required within government and larger society,” says Shantha Sinha, chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). Promoted in March 2007, NCPCR’s mandate is to “ensure that all laws, policies, progra-mmes, and administrative mechanisms are in consonance with the child rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child”.
In India’s obstinately patriarchal society, abuse of children particularly girls, begins in the womb. According to estimates, eight million female foetuses have been aborted between 2001-2011, and the under-five mortality rate is 40 percent higher for girls than boys. The incidence of female foeticide cuts across all religions, castes and classes. “Delhi’s afflu-ent southern colonies apparently report more female foeticide through selective sex testing than rural Bihar,” says a recent editorial in Times of India (April 19). Even as thousands of female foeticide and infanticide cases are being reported each year, a thriving trafficking industry has sprung up to supply brides to men in the states of Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana where the female-male ratio has plummeted to 877:1000 (national average 940:1000).
“Several studies have revealed that the wealthy and educated lead in sex determination tests and subsequent foetal eliminations. Punjab and Gujarat lead the rest of India in their preference for boys, with the rest of India foll-owing closely behind. The preference for male children is pervasive, cutting across castes, cultures, religions and states. In the past decade we have lost eight million girls and it is estimated that three million more will be killed during the next decade. Sex determination tests and foeticide have transformed into a lucrative Rs.1,000 crore industry for avaricious medicos. The first step towards tackling female foeticide is for the state to crack down and severely punish all those who facilitate, aid and abet this heinous crime,” says Dr. Sabu George, a Delhi-based social activist who has been waging a relentless battle against female foeticide for over 25 years.
For an overwhelming number of girl children who survive foeticide, and all other children who live beyond their first birthday, a life of hunger and deprivation marks their early childhood years. According to the Hunger Malnutrition Report released in early January, 42 percent of all children in the country suffer severe malnutrition, prompting prime minister Manmohan Singh to describe the situation as a “national shame” and set up a Prime Minister’s National Council on Nutrition Challenges. On the recommendations of the national council, in Union Budget 2012-13 the allocation for the Central government’s Integrated Child Devel-opment Services (ICDS) — a national programme which provides healthcare to preschool children, and pregnant and nursing women through a package of services including supplementary nutrition, immunisation, health check-ups, referral services and health education through a network of 1.2 million anganwadis (crèches) country-wide — was hiked by 58 percent to Rs.15,800 crore.
Yet even the 58 percent higher allocation is woefully inadequate to fulfill the nutritional needs of the 50 million children between ages three-five enroled in 1.2 million anganwadis across the country. For instance, a recent report relating to Karnataka has revealed that under ICDS, a mere Rs.4 per child per day is allocated to fulfill her food and nutrition needs. Moreover 36 years after it was launched, the programme merely covers 50 million of India’s estimated 160 million children between ages 0-6 years, with states with the highest incidence of child malnutrition — Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh — ranked in the bottom ten in terms of ICDS coverage.
“Even the substantially increased ICDS allocation of Rs.15,800 crore is inadequate to provide cooked, healthy and wholesome food and nutrition to the 50 million children accomm-odated in the country’s 1.2 million anganwadis, let alone the millions of children excluded from them. There’s a big danger that underfed infants will grow into stunted children incapable of learning. Moreover, no provision has been made for providing early childhood education in angan-wadis. My submission is that anganwadis must also offer preschool education to children to reap the socio-economic benefits of more mean years of schooling and higher adult literacy. If our children are not fed well and given early childhood education, India is staring at a bleak future in the new millennium,” Reeta Sonawat, author and professor of human resources development at SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, told EducationWorld barely a month ago.
Clinching evidence of Indian society’s neglect of children’s rights is most tellingly indicated by the obstinate persistence of child labour in the country, whose number is variously 14-80 million — it’s difficult to zero in on the right number as thousands of children are “hidden workers” employed in homes or in the underground economy. Although child labour falls within the purview of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regul-ation) Act, 1986 which classifies industry sectors as hazardous, based on varied physical work environments, it regulates rather than prohibits child labour.
“The Child Labour Act, 1986 is flawed legislation. It should be immediately repealed and in its place a new law must be enacted by Parliament prohibiting all forms of child labour, mandating stringent punishment for violators. We also need to implement the Right to Education Act, 2009 in letter and spirit, and simultaneously initiate reforms to drastically improve the quality of public education. Poor parents prefer to send their children to work because little learning happens in government schools characterised by pathetic infra-structure and absentee teachers. A broad social and political consensus is urgently needed to end all forms of child labour,” says S. Thomas Jeyaraj, director, Centre for Child Rights and Development (CCRD), Tamil Nadu.
Denied nutrition, early child-hood education, care and protection, and condemned to low-quality government primary schools, or forced to work in bleak and hostile environments, it’s unsurprising that an increasing number of children are resorting to crime and violence. To children forced into conflict with the law, the broken down juvenile justice system offers little hope of counseling or rehabilitation. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 does not make it mandatory for state governments to establish shelter homes. Both s.34 and s.37 of the Act enjoin that state governments “may” establish children’s homes. This discretion given to state governments to set up “or not build” behaviour correction centres for delinquent or abused children is too wide. Little wonder that the number of such correctional centres or homes in the states is completely inadequate to provide care to children “in conflict with the law” and “in need of care and protection”.
According to the Child Rights Trust, a Bangalore-based NGO, currently 200,000 juveniles (below age 18) are lodged in 5,000 observation homes countrywide. Those convicted are later sent to juvenile justice homes (aka borstals), where they are lodged for reform and rehabilitation. On the statute book, the laws relating to caring for, counseling and rehabilitating young offenders, are unexceptionable. Under s.14 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, cases filed against young offenders “shall be completed within a period of four months from the date of commen-cement”, with exceptions if the “period is extended by the board having regard to the circumstances of the case and in special cases after recording the reasons in writing for such extension”. However, this exception provision has permitted most cases to languish in the system much beyond four months — some-times for years — for petty reasons such as transfer of the principal magistrate, lack of case workers, charge-sheets not being filed on time, procrastination of lawyers, dearth of probation officers, and paucity of juvenile justice board (JJB) members.
“The juvenile justice system in India is in a shambles. State governments have neither the infrastructure nor resources required to implement it. Though the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act are unexceptionable, the institutions required to implement the Act — child welfare committees, juvenile justice boards, inspection committees, advisory boards, child protection units, special juvenile police units — have not been established in a majority of the states. This has resulted in delay in disposal of cases and denial of justice to thousands of children. The entire juvenile justice system needs a massive overhaul and innovative and bold solutions are required. For instance, law graduates could be employed for disposing minor cases such as petty thefts, rash driving, etc, and fast track courts could be set up and Lok Adalats asked to dispose pending cases,” says Asha Bajpai, professor of law and chair, Centre of Socio-Legal Studies and Human Rights, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.
Adds Vasudeva Sharma, director, Child Rights Trust and member of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights: “Unfort-unately lawyers, the police, politicians, JJBs, child welfare committees and judges themselves are not sufficiently familiar with the Juvenile Justice Act. The police especially are oblivious of its provisions; they do not even know there are homes that provide lodging to destitute, lost and runaway children, often taking them straight to orphanages. Ignorance, indifference and mismanagement have resulted in the complete breakdown of the juvenile justice system in India.”
Against this backdrop of institutional apathy towards juvenile justice, care and protection, it’s unsurprising that the much too few shelters for juveniles are in a state of complete disarray. The country’s 5,000-plus Dickensian government-run shelters are beset with corruption, overcrowding, rotten food and insanitary conditions. Intended to rehabilitate young offenders and equip them for productive and self-sufficient adult lives, on the contrary these institutions drag them down, trapping them in the quagmire of failure, violence, and substance abuse. A majority of the homes don’t offer any formal or non-formal education, vocational training or medical facilities. EducationWorld correspondents plowed through an obstinate bureaucracy to visit state government-run homes in Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai to present eyewitness reports.
In Bangalore, your correspondent posing as a social worker visited the Children’s Home for Boys and Girls on Dr. Marie Gowda Road, which houses 100 children between ages six-18 categorised as orphans, destitutes and runaways. At the time of my visit, in a dimly-lit hall children of all ages had gathered to watch CDs featuring folk tales “with morals”. Probation officer Karakurappa admitted to no formal education being provided in the home although a “full-time teacher” had been appointed to “teach the alphabet and numbers, and conduct storytelling, games and other activities”. An inspection of the premises revealed that the medical clinic was bereft of doctor, nurse, or medicines; dormitories had no beds and the bathrooms were under lock and key “from morning until late night to prevent children from smoking, doing drugs, etc”.
Likewise EW’s Kolkata correspondent Baishali Mukherjee who visited the Government Home for Boys in Ariadaha in the eastern port city, also reported abysmal living conditions, though some effort has been made to provide vocational education and training. Three in-house teachers deliver training in tailoring to 14 inmates aged between 14-18 years. According to the home’s superintendent Atunu Seal, there’s been a rising demand from boys for vocational training in mobile phones and electronic goods repair. “Boys are naturally more interested in learning these skills as opposed to tailoring. But most juvenile homes in the state have been offering tailoring, embroidery and poultry-rearing for decades, and there’s no plan to replace these outdated courses with new, relevant progra-mmes,” he says. West Bengal (pop. 91.2 million) has a mere seven observation homes statewide, and is one of the states yet to establish a State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
In Chennai’s largest observation home, located on the premises of the directorate of social defence on Purasawalkam High Road, which currently houses 37 boys between the ages of six-18, the situation is slightly better. Besides tailoring, VET progr-ammes on offer include videography, computer science, book binding, carpentry and baking. The home has an in-house counselor who visits thrice a week besides guest counselors from NGOs. Meenakshi Rajagopalan, addi-tional secretary, department of social defence, and principal secretary, ICDS, Tamil Nadu, informed EW correspondent Hemalatha Raghupathi that the AIADMK government has drawn up big plans to improve education and training facilities in all juvenile homes statewide: “We plan to improve infrastructure facilities in government observation homes to make them child-friendly, and introduce several new job-oriented vocational training progra-mmes,” she says.
Vidya Shankar, the Chennai-based founder of Relief Foundation and former chairperson of the juvenile justice board, Tamil Nadu, accepts that government-run juvenile homes in this southern state have better conditions than elsewhere. However, she believes a lot more needs to be done to ensure rehabilitation and protection of children in conflict with the law in the state. “Tamil Nadu does not have a State Commission for Protection of Child Rights. The state government believes this role is already being discharged by child welfare committees in each district. Unfortunately, this is not working and a state commission with powers to prosecute has to be set up immediately,” says Shankar.
In Mumbai, the commercial capital of the country, which hosts an estimated 100,000-250,000 street children, the well-known Umerkhadi Children’s Home in Dongri is overcrowded, insanitary and under-financed. The largest remand home in Asia for runaway children from India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal, it accommodates a mere 238 boys aged between six-18 years. “The government provides only Rs.635 per child per month — completely inadequate to provide food, clothing, education and medical aid. We need at least Rs.1,500 per child per month. We are afloat only because of the help provided by generous sponsors and donors,” S.A. Jadhav, the superintendent of the home informed EW correspondent Kalpana Rangan.
Undoubtedly the major cause of the nation’s dysfunctional juvenile justice system is inadequacy of funding. In the Union Budget 2012-13, a mere Rs.18,500 crore has been allocated to the ministry of women and child development. Of this, Rs.15,800 crore is for ICDS, Rs.2,250 crore for miscellaneous schemes, leaving a mere Rs.400 crore for integrated child protection services, including maintenance of the juvenile justice system. Given that the country’s child population is 480 million, of whom an estimated 5 percent are juvenile offenders, the outlay is grossly inadequate. Budgetary allocations of the country’s 28 state governments for juvenile justice and child protection are equally miserly. For instance in Karnataka, the state government has allocated a mere Rs.5.2 crore in Budget 2011-12 for juvenile justice.
Given the hand-to-mouth existence of most remand homes across the country, primary education is the biggest casualty. None of the juvenile homes offer formal elementary school education (classes I-VIII) to their child inmates. Arlene Manoharan, head of the juvenile justice programme at the Centre for Child and the Law of the National Law School of India University, Bangalore, believes this is a denial of their right to education guaranteed under the Constitution. “The Centre for Child and the Law has made a proposal to the law ministry to amend the Juvenile Justice Act to include the right to education, which is now mandatory for all children in the six-14 age group under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. Moreover, we are legally obliged to adhere to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989, with particular reference to Article 2, i.e principle of non- discrimination and Article 40.4 which mandates provision of education for children in conflict with the law,” says Manoharan.
Child rights proponents and activists are unanimous that of the many rights denied to India’s 480 million children, denial of acceptable quality education is the most disabling as it restricts upward mobility. After several years of debating the right to primary education for every child under 14 years, in August 2009 Parliament enacted the Right to Education Act (RTE) which makes it compulsory for the State (Central, state and local governments) to provide free and compulsory education to all children between ages six-14.
However, two years after it became law in April 2010, the RTE Act is a non-starter. A report released on April 3 by the RTE Forum, a coalition of 10,000 NGOs, reveals that 95.2 percent of schools in the country are not compliant with the infrastructure and teacher-pupil norms stipulated by the Act. One in ten schools lacks drinking water facilities, 40 percent schools lack toilets and only one in five schools has a computer. Moreover, 93 percent of teacher candidates failed the National Teacher Eligibility Test conducted by CBSE and 670,000 teachers are professionally unqualified or untrained. Add to this the inadeq-uacy of funds with an estimated Rs.182,000 crore required to implement the RTE Act over five years, and the Centre and state governments fighting over how to raise and share this expenditure.
V.P. Niranjanaradhya, programme head of universalisation of equitable quality education programme, Centre for Child and the Law, National Law School of India University, Bangalore, believes more needs to be done to reform the iniquitous Indian school education system which condemns children from economically weaker sections of society to under-performing government schools. “Segregation within the Indian school system is complex — there are schools affiliated with international boards for children of the elite; schools affiliated with the CISCE for progeny of the upper middle class; schools affiliated with the CBSE for children of bureaucrats and government officials; private English-medium schools recognised by the state boards cater to children of middle and lower middle class households; and finally schools run by state governments and local bodies are for children of the poor, marginalised and subaltern communities. It is shocking to see how children have been divided and fragmented on the basis of their background, class and caste. To enable all children to receive their right to equitable quality education, this segregation must end,” he says.
The obvious solution to ending this divide is for government to raise its public schools to private school standards. But this requires the Central and state governments to sharply increase education outlays and improve efficiency of education expenditure. Way back in 1996, the Kothari Commis-sion had strongly recommended an annual outlay (Centre plus states) equivalent to 6 percent of GDP for education. But for the past 65 years since independence, despite India hosting the world’s largest child population, outlays for education have seldom exceeded 4 percent of GDP. Ditto, government(s) expenditure on health has never exceeded 1.5 percent of GDP.
“We cannot introduce new initiatives or implement existing programmes because we invest only 0.03 percent of our Central budget on child care and protection. There are many wrongs that need to be corrected. First, government must sharply increase its investment in child care and protection, education and health. Second, institutions and people implementing child welfare programmes must be held publicly accountable for outcomes. And at a broader level, Indian society must develop zero tolerance towards all forms of child abuse and exploitation,” says Bharti Ali, co-director, HAQ: Centre for Child Rights, a Delhi-based NGO.
Arlene Manoharan of the National Law School also advocates a larger role for society and the citizenry to press-urise government and institutions to act swiftly and decisively to protect children’s rights. “There is a lack of ownership of children in our society — a sense of ‘it’s not my child so why must I care’. The ever-growing number of child abuse and neglect cases in India would have sparked revolutions in other nations, but here they just disappear into statistics. There has to be an attitudinal and mindset change within society, especially the middle class which must speak up for the welfare of all children, not just their own. Civil society must pressurise people’s representatives for quick, efficient and transparent action with social audits ensuring outcomes,” says Manoharan.
The dramatic increase in child abuse cases which have been reported over the past four months are storm warning signals that the nation is confronting a crisis of huge proportions. The open and continuous violation of children’s rights requires the Central and state governments and civil society to trans-form into vigilant watchdogs protecting children. Failure of the State and non-State actors to discharge this moral and ethical duty will have consequences too dreadful to contemplate.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Teachers Day – Time to clean up the system!
By Jaya Shankar VS
In some 100 countries around the world, the Teachers Day is an occasion to thank and appreciate the vital and lasting contribution that teachers make to our lives, to education in general and to development of the society at large. It is also a day to spread the awareness about the importance of teachers in one’s life, and to garner support for them so that the future generations will continue to be guided by the inimitable qualities of a teacher. Today, it is equally important to identify the challenges in providing education, and work towards in cleaning up the system.
Teachers Day in India and World Teachers Day
India celebrates Teachers Day on September 05 every year on the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second President of India, and a renowned academic philosopher and an illustrious statesman. When he served as the President of India between 1962 and 1967, his students and friends wanted to celebrate his birthday in a grand way every year. However, as a mark of respect for his passion for teaching and academics, Dr. Radhakrishnan insisted that it would be a privilege to him if his birthday was observed as Teachers Day. Thus, the Teachers Day was born.
The UNESCO observes the World Teaches' Day annually on October 5 since 1994. This is an occasion to commemorate teachers’ organisations worldwide. According to the UN body, World Teachers' Day commemorates the anniversary of the signing in 1966 of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers. It is an occasion to celebrate the essential role of teachers in providing quality education at all levels.
How it is celebrated!
In most countries, schools and colleges remain open on Teachers Day. However, unlike other working days, this day is marked with celebrations to honour the teachers, a day of thanks and remembrance and even fun filled activities for teachers! At some schools in India, the teachers are given a day off from teaching while the senior students take up the responsibility of teaching as a token of appreciation for their teachers.
Dr.S.Radhakrishnan, one man, many roles
Born on September 5, 1888, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a professor, an academician, a philosopher and perhaps one of India's most acclaimed scholars of comparative religion and philosophy. During his lifetime, he served his country in various capacities as the first Vice President of independent India between 1952 and 1962, and the second President of India between 1962 and 1967. Dr. Radhakrishnan represented India at UNESCO and served as the Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union between 1949 and 1952.
Academically, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan held various positions including King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science at the University of Calcutta in 1921 and Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford University between 1936 and 1952. He had also served as the Vice Chancellor of the Andhra University, and of the Hindu Banaras University. Besides, he was elected a fellow of the All Souls College.
Dr. Radhakrishnan was a prolific writer. During his lifetime, he had written many articles for journals of repute like The Quest, Journal of Philosophy and the International Journal of Ethics and also completed his first book "The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore." His second book titled "The Reign of Religion in Contemporary Philosophy" was published in 1920.
The British government honoured Dr. S. Radhakrishnan with the British ‘knighthood’ in 1931 for his services rendered in the field of education. However, for obvious reasons Dr. S. Radhakrishnan did not use the title in his personal life. In 1954, the Indian government honoured him with the Bharat Ratna and the Order of Merit in 1963. In 1938, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan was elected as a Fellow of the British Academy.
A multi-faceted personality, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan’s love for teaching and education was evident from his illustrious career and the yeomen service he rendered in the field of education. He was a man who possessed a rare blend of deep love for Hindu religion and philosophy and an open mind towards other religions and philosophies as well. This rarity in him was by itself responsible for bringing out the uniqueness of Hindu religion and Indian philosophy in the best way understandable to the western audiences. And his love and dedication towards his profession reflected in the utmost respect and love his students had for him. Truly, India couldn’t have any better day to celebrate Teachers Day than on the birthday of one of India’s most respected men of all times.
Education, teachers and teaching in India: the challenges
One of the primary challenges that the country faces today is providing education for all. This is no easy task considering the whopping figures of illiteracy rates in India. According to UN figures, 42 million children between the ages of 6 and 14 are not in school in India. And the national literacy rate of girls over seven years is 54%, compared to 75% for boys.
Besides infrastructure problems, gender discrimination, poverty, the teacher training facilities for not only the general stream of teachers catering to the normal students but also training for special teachers who cares for and teaches the ‘challenged’ category children is inadequate in the country. Even while at schools the services of teachers are not best utilised! The services of government teachers in India are being misused for census, elections and disaster relief duties during which time their services to their respective schools are denied and children deprived of valuable hours and education. These issues should be effectively addressed. Equally important is the need to devise quality education and teaching standards in all schools.
The recent government’s promise to enact the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, which seeks to make education a fundamental right of every child in the age group of six to 14 years, needs to be amended to also include children between 0-6 years of age. It is a globally accepted fact, based on research, that the early years are the most critical years for lifelong development, both from neurological and biological standpoints. And experts feel that the neglect in providing basic education during the early years can often result in irreversible reduction in the full development of the brain’s potential. The bill in its present avatar overlooks this vital point and hence needs to be amended before it is enacted into law.
Teachers, spare the rod!
While India celebrates Teachers Day on the birth anniversary of a man who spent his entire lifetime lifting the education system to new higher levels of grade and reputation, today the indifferent and ‘un-teacher’ like attitude of a few teachers in some of the country’s schools has not only sullied the hard earned reputation of teachers in India but also the spirit of celebrating the Teachers Day. Take for instance the widespread corporal punishment in the country! According to a 2007 joint study by UNICEF, Save the Children and the Government of India, 65% of school-going children have faced corporal punishment. And the National Report on child abuse by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2007 says that two out of three school children are physically abused in Indian schools.
It is disheartening to learn that there are a few sections in the Indian Penal Code that does not hold a teacher/guardian responsible for a moderate and reasonable corporal punishment done in good faith for benefit of child under 12 years, unless it causes death or grievous injury. The Working Group of National Commission of Protection of Child Rights representing the best sections involved in education and teachers in the country has voiced their support to amend these sections. And it is high time the government wakes up to introduce the amendments, and clean up the system!
Parents and students should share the responsibility
Perhaps the best way to say thank you to the teachers on Teachers Day is to share their responsibility and dreams of making the education and teaching in India on par with the best international standards! And for this to happen, the onus is not only on teachers and an effective educational policy and system but equally on parents and students as well. It is the duty of the parents to keep a close look on the students’ progress and issues at school and studies, and extend their cooperation and support to the school authorities and teachers. The students, on their part, should adopt a sense of responsibility and respect towards their teachers. Often there is a history of provocation from the student community that irks the teachers to resort to unfair practices! Hence, constant and healthy interaction with teachers will only help the students to become more responsible and better citizens and help clean up the system and uphold the spirit of Teachers Day celebrations.
In some 100 countries around the world, the Teachers Day is an occasion to thank and appreciate the vital and lasting contribution that teachers make to our lives, to education in general and to development of the society at large. It is also a day to spread the awareness about the importance of teachers in one’s life, and to garner support for them so that the future generations will continue to be guided by the inimitable qualities of a teacher. Today, it is equally important to identify the challenges in providing education, and work towards in cleaning up the system. Teachers Day in India and World Teachers Day
India celebrates Teachers Day on September 05 every year on the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second President of India, and a renowned academic philosopher and an illustrious statesman. When he served as the President of India between 1962 and 1967, his students and friends wanted to celebrate his birthday in a grand way every year. However, as a mark of respect for his passion for teaching and academics, Dr. Radhakrishnan insisted that it would be a privilege to him if his birthday was observed as Teachers Day. Thus, the Teachers Day was born.
The UNESCO observes the World Teaches' Day annually on October 5 since 1994. This is an occasion to commemorate teachers’ organisations worldwide. According to the UN body, World Teachers' Day commemorates the anniversary of the signing in 1966 of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers. It is an occasion to celebrate the essential role of teachers in providing quality education at all levels.
How it is celebrated!
In most countries, schools and colleges remain open on Teachers Day. However, unlike other working days, this day is marked with celebrations to honour the teachers, a day of thanks and remembrance and even fun filled activities for teachers! At some schools in India, the teachers are given a day off from teaching while the senior students take up the responsibility of teaching as a token of appreciation for their teachers.
Dr.S.Radhakrishnan, one man, many roles
Born on September 5, 1888, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a professor, an academician, a philosopher and perhaps one of India's most acclaimed scholars of comparative religion and philosophy. During his lifetime, he served his country in various capacities as the first Vice President of independent India between 1952 and 1962, and the second President of India between 1962 and 1967. Dr. Radhakrishnan represented India at UNESCO and served as the Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union between 1949 and 1952.
Academically, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan held various positions including King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science at the University of Calcutta in 1921 and Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford University between 1936 and 1952. He had also served as the Vice Chancellor of the Andhra University, and of the Hindu Banaras University. Besides, he was elected a fellow of the All Souls College.
Dr. Radhakrishnan was a prolific writer. During his lifetime, he had written many articles for journals of repute like The Quest, Journal of Philosophy and the International Journal of Ethics and also completed his first book "The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore." His second book titled "The Reign of Religion in Contemporary Philosophy" was published in 1920.
The British government honoured Dr. S. Radhakrishnan with the British ‘knighthood’ in 1931 for his services rendered in the field of education. However, for obvious reasons Dr. S. Radhakrishnan did not use the title in his personal life. In 1954, the Indian government honoured him with the Bharat Ratna and the Order of Merit in 1963. In 1938, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan was elected as a Fellow of the British Academy.
A multi-faceted personality, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan’s love for teaching and education was evident from his illustrious career and the yeomen service he rendered in the field of education. He was a man who possessed a rare blend of deep love for Hindu religion and philosophy and an open mind towards other religions and philosophies as well. This rarity in him was by itself responsible for bringing out the uniqueness of Hindu religion and Indian philosophy in the best way understandable to the western audiences. And his love and dedication towards his profession reflected in the utmost respect and love his students had for him. Truly, India couldn’t have any better day to celebrate Teachers Day than on the birthday of one of India’s most respected men of all times.
Education, teachers and teaching in India: the challenges
One of the primary challenges that the country faces today is providing education for all. This is no easy task considering the whopping figures of illiteracy rates in India. According to UN figures, 42 million children between the ages of 6 and 14 are not in school in India. And the national literacy rate of girls over seven years is 54%, compared to 75% for boys.
Besides infrastructure problems, gender discrimination, poverty, the teacher training facilities for not only the general stream of teachers catering to the normal students but also training for special teachers who cares for and teaches the ‘challenged’ category children is inadequate in the country. Even while at schools the services of teachers are not best utilised! The services of government teachers in India are being misused for census, elections and disaster relief duties during which time their services to their respective schools are denied and children deprived of valuable hours and education. These issues should be effectively addressed. Equally important is the need to devise quality education and teaching standards in all schools.
The recent government’s promise to enact the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, which seeks to make education a fundamental right of every child in the age group of six to 14 years, needs to be amended to also include children between 0-6 years of age. It is a globally accepted fact, based on research, that the early years are the most critical years for lifelong development, both from neurological and biological standpoints. And experts feel that the neglect in providing basic education during the early years can often result in irreversible reduction in the full development of the brain’s potential. The bill in its present avatar overlooks this vital point and hence needs to be amended before it is enacted into law.
Teachers, spare the rod!
While India celebrates Teachers Day on the birth anniversary of a man who spent his entire lifetime lifting the education system to new higher levels of grade and reputation, today the indifferent and ‘un-teacher’ like attitude of a few teachers in some of the country’s schools has not only sullied the hard earned reputation of teachers in India but also the spirit of celebrating the Teachers Day. Take for instance the widespread corporal punishment in the country! According to a 2007 joint study by UNICEF, Save the Children and the Government of India, 65% of school-going children have faced corporal punishment. And the National Report on child abuse by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2007 says that two out of three school children are physically abused in Indian schools.
It is disheartening to learn that there are a few sections in the Indian Penal Code that does not hold a teacher/guardian responsible for a moderate and reasonable corporal punishment done in good faith for benefit of child under 12 years, unless it causes death or grievous injury. The Working Group of National Commission of Protection of Child Rights representing the best sections involved in education and teachers in the country has voiced their support to amend these sections. And it is high time the government wakes up to introduce the amendments, and clean up the system!
Parents and students should share the responsibility
Perhaps the best way to say thank you to the teachers on Teachers Day is to share their responsibility and dreams of making the education and teaching in India on par with the best international standards! And for this to happen, the onus is not only on teachers and an effective educational policy and system but equally on parents and students as well. It is the duty of the parents to keep a close look on the students’ progress and issues at school and studies, and extend their cooperation and support to the school authorities and teachers. The students, on their part, should adopt a sense of responsibility and respect towards their teachers. Often there is a history of provocation from the student community that irks the teachers to resort to unfair practices! Hence, constant and healthy interaction with teachers will only help the students to become more responsible and better citizens and help clean up the system and uphold the spirit of Teachers Day celebrations.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Wooing the Next Generation of Indian Academics
By M H Ahssan
Can campuses be cloned? That's a question the Indian higher education community is grappling with as the government opens up additional locations of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). Supporters say the global reputation of the institutions will guarantee quality students, faculty and education. But critics argue that there aren't enough faculty members to staff these new institutes, and contend that creating inferior schools will damage the brand equity of the successful IITs and IIMs.
New research, however, suggests that the government's approach may be the right one after all. According to a paper titled, "Will They Return? The Willingness of Potential Faculty to Return to India and the Key Factors Affecting Their Decisions," Indians living in the U.S. are willing to come back to their home country. Indeed, the survey of nearly 1,000 Indians currently or previously engaged in studies at American graduate schools found that only 8% strongly preferred to remain in the U.S. While private sector jobs and entrepreneurship were the top choices for a career upon returning to India, teaching and research were not too far behind. Moreover, within the academic sector, 73% of respondents named the IITs and IIMs as the most attractive options.
"The IITs and IIMs educate only a tiny fraction of India's graduates," says David Finegold, a co-author of the study and dean of the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University in New Jersey. "With the huge expansion underway in Indian higher education and the increased demand from the growing number of young people, even a doubling of the number of IITs and IIMs will not reduce their selectivity." Finegold authored the study with Rutgers doctoral student Anne-Laure Winkler and B. Venkatesh Kumar, a professor at the School of Labour and Management Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Science in Mumbai. Kumar is spending the 2010-2011 academic year at Penn State University's College of Education as a Hubert Humphrey Fellow studying ways to rejuvenate higher education in India.
Quality Is the Key
The paper points out that India needs to recruit at least one million new faculty members for its colleges and universities if it is to meet the government's ambitious target of offering a higher education to 20% of the country's young people by 2020. "The most promising way to fill this [faculty] gap is to recruit back many of the over 100,000 Indians who are studying in the U.S. each year to obtain a graduate degree and the many others who are studying in other nations, or who have completed their degrees and begun academic careers abroad," the researchers write.
The men and women surveyed named high-quality teaching and cutting edge research as the top factors for pursuing graduate education in the U.S. Only 7% made the move out of desire for a job and plans to settle in the country permanently. Family concerns scored high among respondents' reasons for wanting to return to India, as did a desire to give back. But the results also indicate that, for Indians, America may be losing its charms as an immigrant's paradise. "It's the poor job market in the U.S., both in academics and elsewhere, over the past few years, along with tight visa restrictions, combined with the growing attractiveness of India and recognition of the opportunities there," Kumar notes.
In India, the real issue is not the number of institutes (though that, too, is a problem given the size of the young population). India has around 21,000 higher education institutions, compared to 6,700 in the U.S. and 4,000 in China. "The key is to maintain or even increase the quality of existing and new institutions," according to Finegold. "Our study suggests two ways to do this: recruit top Indian Ph.D.s -- both newly-minted and experienced -- from abroad, and increase the time and support that these faculty have for research to complement their teaching."
But there is a gap between that prescription and reality. For the returning Indians surveyed, opportunities in the corporate sector were the most attractive. Bringing up the rear was politics, with teaching and the public sector doing almost as poorly. By contrast, a job that combined teaching and research had many takers.
"The respondents in our survey preferred jobs in the private sector," Finegold states. "In all countries, the motivations of individuals for choosing different careers vary. Those primarily motivated by financial rewards are unlikely to choose an academic career. But there are many compensating advantages to being a faculty member in a research university: control over one's time, the intrinsic rewards of the chance to work on topics of most personal interest and create new knowledge, and the opportunity to interact with bright young people and colleagues. In some top Indian universities and institutes, there may also be lifestyle advantages -- free or subsidized housing on campus and no commute. The key to attracting folks back will be creating attractive higher education environments."
The older IITs and the IIMs seem to have done that already, but the newer ones have a long haul ahead. One factor in their favor is the survey indicates that the schools are competing against other institutes, rather than India's private colleges. Only 15% of respondents interested in a higher education career named private colleges as an attractive option. (There are a few exceptions like the Indian School of Business, which comes with a different pedigree.)
"It's not surprising," Kumar says of the low interest in work at private colleges. "Many of these institutions have become degree mills, with no or very little focus on quality education. Many have serious problems -- lack of quality faculty, no infrastructure and poor quality student intake. They often have very poor governance structures. These institutions are very often run by education barons, whose main aim is profiteering. Due to lack of an adequate regulatory framework, these institutions have come to be established, creating very poor quality degree-holders, many of whom are unemployable. Unless we strengthen regulatory mechanisms, this will continue to be an issue of concern."
Spreading the Word
There is of course a limit to the number of IITs and IIMs the government can set up. A proposal that the schools be privatized was greeted with widespread protest and has become a nonstarter. So even if the U.S. Ph.D.s return to India, will there be place for them in academics? "India has seen a huge emphasis on investment in education in recent years," Kumar notes. "There has been both institutional expansion and also increased funding for higher education." The environment is improving and there is now a greater focus on research, he adds. "There has also been a substantial increase in faculty salaries, though they are still low compared to the salaries that faculty receive elsewhere in the world."
But the government must also play a greater role in wooing these potential faculty members. The survey identified "removing red tape, reducing perceived corruption, and expanding research opportunities for faculty" as key factors.
"If the Indian government, colleges, and universities wish to recruit Indians who have studied abroad to return for faculty posts in India, it is vital that they understand the most effective ways to communicate with this group," the researchers write. "The good news is that most Indians based in the U.S. are fairly well informed about developments in India's education system, with close to 75% indicating that they follow changes underway in India very closely to somewhat closely. Their two primary means of obtaining information are personal networks (50%) and newspapers (45%), with less reliance on list-servers and blogs. This suggests that, in addition to newspaper ads, using a snowball approach that leverages faculty and alumni connections through social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn may yield the best results."
The government may need to move swiftly with its marketing efforts, as many other countries have realized the faculty problem and are swinging into action. Finegold and Kumar hope to teach officials a thing or two as well. Says Kumar: "Our intention next year is to make this a comparative survey."
New research, however, suggests that the government's approach may be the right one after all. According to a paper titled, "Will They Return? The Willingness of Potential Faculty to Return to India and the Key Factors Affecting Their Decisions," Indians living in the U.S. are willing to come back to their home country. Indeed, the survey of nearly 1,000 Indians currently or previously engaged in studies at American graduate schools found that only 8% strongly preferred to remain in the U.S. While private sector jobs and entrepreneurship were the top choices for a career upon returning to India, teaching and research were not too far behind. Moreover, within the academic sector, 73% of respondents named the IITs and IIMs as the most attractive options.
"The IITs and IIMs educate only a tiny fraction of India's graduates," says David Finegold, a co-author of the study and dean of the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University in New Jersey. "With the huge expansion underway in Indian higher education and the increased demand from the growing number of young people, even a doubling of the number of IITs and IIMs will not reduce their selectivity." Finegold authored the study with Rutgers doctoral student Anne-Laure Winkler and B. Venkatesh Kumar, a professor at the School of Labour and Management Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Science in Mumbai. Kumar is spending the 2010-2011 academic year at Penn State University's College of Education as a Hubert Humphrey Fellow studying ways to rejuvenate higher education in India.
Quality Is the Key
The paper points out that India needs to recruit at least one million new faculty members for its colleges and universities if it is to meet the government's ambitious target of offering a higher education to 20% of the country's young people by 2020. "The most promising way to fill this [faculty] gap is to recruit back many of the over 100,000 Indians who are studying in the U.S. each year to obtain a graduate degree and the many others who are studying in other nations, or who have completed their degrees and begun academic careers abroad," the researchers write.
The men and women surveyed named high-quality teaching and cutting edge research as the top factors for pursuing graduate education in the U.S. Only 7% made the move out of desire for a job and plans to settle in the country permanently. Family concerns scored high among respondents' reasons for wanting to return to India, as did a desire to give back. But the results also indicate that, for Indians, America may be losing its charms as an immigrant's paradise. "It's the poor job market in the U.S., both in academics and elsewhere, over the past few years, along with tight visa restrictions, combined with the growing attractiveness of India and recognition of the opportunities there," Kumar notes.
In India, the real issue is not the number of institutes (though that, too, is a problem given the size of the young population). India has around 21,000 higher education institutions, compared to 6,700 in the U.S. and 4,000 in China. "The key is to maintain or even increase the quality of existing and new institutions," according to Finegold. "Our study suggests two ways to do this: recruit top Indian Ph.D.s -- both newly-minted and experienced -- from abroad, and increase the time and support that these faculty have for research to complement their teaching."
But there is a gap between that prescription and reality. For the returning Indians surveyed, opportunities in the corporate sector were the most attractive. Bringing up the rear was politics, with teaching and the public sector doing almost as poorly. By contrast, a job that combined teaching and research had many takers.
"The respondents in our survey preferred jobs in the private sector," Finegold states. "In all countries, the motivations of individuals for choosing different careers vary. Those primarily motivated by financial rewards are unlikely to choose an academic career. But there are many compensating advantages to being a faculty member in a research university: control over one's time, the intrinsic rewards of the chance to work on topics of most personal interest and create new knowledge, and the opportunity to interact with bright young people and colleagues. In some top Indian universities and institutes, there may also be lifestyle advantages -- free or subsidized housing on campus and no commute. The key to attracting folks back will be creating attractive higher education environments."
The older IITs and the IIMs seem to have done that already, but the newer ones have a long haul ahead. One factor in their favor is the survey indicates that the schools are competing against other institutes, rather than India's private colleges. Only 15% of respondents interested in a higher education career named private colleges as an attractive option. (There are a few exceptions like the Indian School of Business, which comes with a different pedigree.)
"It's not surprising," Kumar says of the low interest in work at private colleges. "Many of these institutions have become degree mills, with no or very little focus on quality education. Many have serious problems -- lack of quality faculty, no infrastructure and poor quality student intake. They often have very poor governance structures. These institutions are very often run by education barons, whose main aim is profiteering. Due to lack of an adequate regulatory framework, these institutions have come to be established, creating very poor quality degree-holders, many of whom are unemployable. Unless we strengthen regulatory mechanisms, this will continue to be an issue of concern."
Spreading the Word
There is of course a limit to the number of IITs and IIMs the government can set up. A proposal that the schools be privatized was greeted with widespread protest and has become a nonstarter. So even if the U.S. Ph.D.s return to India, will there be place for them in academics? "India has seen a huge emphasis on investment in education in recent years," Kumar notes. "There has been both institutional expansion and also increased funding for higher education." The environment is improving and there is now a greater focus on research, he adds. "There has also been a substantial increase in faculty salaries, though they are still low compared to the salaries that faculty receive elsewhere in the world."
But the government must also play a greater role in wooing these potential faculty members. The survey identified "removing red tape, reducing perceived corruption, and expanding research opportunities for faculty" as key factors.
"If the Indian government, colleges, and universities wish to recruit Indians who have studied abroad to return for faculty posts in India, it is vital that they understand the most effective ways to communicate with this group," the researchers write. "The good news is that most Indians based in the U.S. are fairly well informed about developments in India's education system, with close to 75% indicating that they follow changes underway in India very closely to somewhat closely. Their two primary means of obtaining information are personal networks (50%) and newspapers (45%), with less reliance on list-servers and blogs. This suggests that, in addition to newspaper ads, using a snowball approach that leverages faculty and alumni connections through social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn may yield the best results."
The government may need to move swiftly with its marketing efforts, as many other countries have realized the faculty problem and are swinging into action. Finegold and Kumar hope to teach officials a thing or two as well. Says Kumar: "Our intention next year is to make this a comparative survey."
Monday, May 11, 2009
Pre-Marital Sex: What Kids Must Know
By Swapna Majumdar
It took Sweden 50 years to do it. In India, it might take even longer to include sexuality education in the school curricula, if the ongoing debate is any indication. Indian parliamentarians have just recommended that sex education for the young be banned, and indeed several states in the country have already done so. But, as a new Indo-Swedish collaborative study points out, the longer there is resistance to equipping adolescents with information associated with puberty and sexual and reproductive health (SRH), the greater are the chances of an increase in premarital sexual curiosity and its associated health risks.
The study found growing evidence from across the country that a significant proportion of young boys and girls had become sexually active before marriage. According to research conducted by MAMTA, a Delhi-based NGO working on SRH, and the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU), there has been an increase in the percentage of unmarried young Indians becoming sexually active in the past five years. The study, which focused on urban and rural areas of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka over a five year period beginning 2003, found that in 2004, 5.8 per cent unmarried young people had sexual intercourse. This figure increased to 7.4 per cent in 2006 and 7.5 per cent in 2008. More unmarried males (9.3 per cent in 2004 and 10.2 per cent in 2008) reported having a sexual experience compared to unmarried females (0.5 per cent in 2004 and 3.2 per cent in 2008).
What is worrying was that very often they did not use protection, either because of lack of information or lack of access to the means to gain it. "Considering the sensitivity of the subject and the taboos associated with it, it was important to adopt an approach that would be culturally acceptable. On the other hand, we also needed to measure their knowledge, attitude and practice on sexual health to be able to design strategies to address their needs. This is why we sought the support of RFSU, as it has expertise on SRH and sexuality education," said Dr Sunil Mehra, Executive Director, MAMTA.
According to Maria Andersson, International Director, RFSU, even though people as young as 16 years were sexually active in Sweden and premarital sex was not considered taboo there, it is a proven fact that increased sexual knowledge had prevented unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) there. She believed that even though the two countries had different cultural beliefs, with Sweden being a more open society than India, there was no reason to think that the same approach would not work in India. "Good sexuality education enabled people to find joy in their sexuality and gave each individual an opportunity to make decisions about his or her own body. Our strategy is to support and encourage young people to make their own decisions and not let anyone else, including friends, group pressure or expectations, influence them. Providing relevant facts was important, but it was not enough. We also support responsible behavior that includes using contraceptives and allowing them to discuss and reflect on the importance of this knowledge that contraceptive use should not be the responsibility of women alone, a strategy easily adaptable to Indian conditions," she contended.
Building on RFSU's experience that investing adequate and quality time in understanding the gaps was critical before implementing any strategy, 32 villages in Bawal Block of Rewari district in Haryana, 31 villages in Pindra Block of Varanasi district in Uttar Pradesh and four urban slums in Kormangala in Bangalore, Karnataka, were chosen to identify the key areas of health needs associated with puberty. They included menstruation, personal hygiene and contraception, a less talked about issue.
At the same time, it was decided to study the impact of imparting adolescent education to 5,000 school children in four schools - two of girls and two of boys, in urban Rewari and rural Bawal - to assess whether this changed their perceptions on premarital sex, unwanted pregnancies, STIs, HIV-AIDS, sexual abuse and equity in decision making powers of girls and boys.
"Unlike in India, in Sweden sexuality education is compulsory in schools and has been since 1955. The right to sexual and reproductive health services and sexuality education is the key to ensuring gender equality. RFSU sees openness on sexuality as the point of entry of health promotion and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS. This is why the strategy for India was also to break the culture of silence and let young people open up on these sensitive subjects," pointed out Andersson.
After spending time with young people, their parents, teachers and community leaders, MAMTA found that in addition to interventions like training peer educators, it would be more useful to adapt RFSU's concept of youth clinics where information on SRH could be accessed without fear or embarrassment. Thus was born youth information centres (YIC).
Since young people, particularly girls, were more vulnerable to STIs, YICs facilitated information sharing; and also worked closely with community and religious leaders and sensitized Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members on issues of education and school retention. The most important outcome of this strategy were attitudinal changes.
In all the intervention areas, age at marriage was delayed among young people. The percentage of girls that married below the legal age of marriage fell from 61.2 per cent in 2004 to 45.2 per cent in 2008. For boys, the corresponding figures were 79.5 per cent and 76.2 per cent, respectively.
By 2008, the perception that education was important for girls led to 38.5 per cent young men whose sisters had dropped out of school, to argue that they could share some household chores with their sisters and help them get more time for studies. Nearly 26.9 per cent young men felt that they could convince their parents to allow their sisters to continue studies as external candidates.
Using RFSU's technical expertise in gender sensitization, the sexuality education curriculum under the adolescent education programme (AEP) was developed for students of Classes VIII, IX and X based on an assessment of their knowledge and needs. At the end of three years, a comparison was made between students of Class 10 who had been through the sexuality education curriculum and Class 11 students of the same school who had not experienced it. Irrespective of the location of the school, boys and girls who had been through the programme were able to identify and reject common misconceptions about nocturnal emissions, masturbation and myths related to HIV transmission. Girls in Class X were able to understand that the oral pill did not protect them from STIs and HIV, while a significant number of urban and rural girls said they would decline to have sex without a condom and oppose sexual abuse.
The evidence clearly is that increased sexuality knowledge decreases risky behavior and boosts gender equality. MAMTA is now hoping that its research findings will influence policy makers in India to formulate a more rational and relevant national policy on sexuality education.
It took Sweden 50 years to do it. In India, it might take even longer to include sexuality education in the school curricula, if the ongoing debate is any indication. Indian parliamentarians have just recommended that sex education for the young be banned, and indeed several states in the country have already done so. But, as a new Indo-Swedish collaborative study points out, the longer there is resistance to equipping adolescents with information associated with puberty and sexual and reproductive health (SRH), the greater are the chances of an increase in premarital sexual curiosity and its associated health risks.The study found growing evidence from across the country that a significant proportion of young boys and girls had become sexually active before marriage. According to research conducted by MAMTA, a Delhi-based NGO working on SRH, and the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU), there has been an increase in the percentage of unmarried young Indians becoming sexually active in the past five years. The study, which focused on urban and rural areas of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka over a five year period beginning 2003, found that in 2004, 5.8 per cent unmarried young people had sexual intercourse. This figure increased to 7.4 per cent in 2006 and 7.5 per cent in 2008. More unmarried males (9.3 per cent in 2004 and 10.2 per cent in 2008) reported having a sexual experience compared to unmarried females (0.5 per cent in 2004 and 3.2 per cent in 2008).
What is worrying was that very often they did not use protection, either because of lack of information or lack of access to the means to gain it. "Considering the sensitivity of the subject and the taboos associated with it, it was important to adopt an approach that would be culturally acceptable. On the other hand, we also needed to measure their knowledge, attitude and practice on sexual health to be able to design strategies to address their needs. This is why we sought the support of RFSU, as it has expertise on SRH and sexuality education," said Dr Sunil Mehra, Executive Director, MAMTA.
According to Maria Andersson, International Director, RFSU, even though people as young as 16 years were sexually active in Sweden and premarital sex was not considered taboo there, it is a proven fact that increased sexual knowledge had prevented unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) there. She believed that even though the two countries had different cultural beliefs, with Sweden being a more open society than India, there was no reason to think that the same approach would not work in India. "Good sexuality education enabled people to find joy in their sexuality and gave each individual an opportunity to make decisions about his or her own body. Our strategy is to support and encourage young people to make their own decisions and not let anyone else, including friends, group pressure or expectations, influence them. Providing relevant facts was important, but it was not enough. We also support responsible behavior that includes using contraceptives and allowing them to discuss and reflect on the importance of this knowledge that contraceptive use should not be the responsibility of women alone, a strategy easily adaptable to Indian conditions," she contended.
Building on RFSU's experience that investing adequate and quality time in understanding the gaps was critical before implementing any strategy, 32 villages in Bawal Block of Rewari district in Haryana, 31 villages in Pindra Block of Varanasi district in Uttar Pradesh and four urban slums in Kormangala in Bangalore, Karnataka, were chosen to identify the key areas of health needs associated with puberty. They included menstruation, personal hygiene and contraception, a less talked about issue.
At the same time, it was decided to study the impact of imparting adolescent education to 5,000 school children in four schools - two of girls and two of boys, in urban Rewari and rural Bawal - to assess whether this changed their perceptions on premarital sex, unwanted pregnancies, STIs, HIV-AIDS, sexual abuse and equity in decision making powers of girls and boys.
"Unlike in India, in Sweden sexuality education is compulsory in schools and has been since 1955. The right to sexual and reproductive health services and sexuality education is the key to ensuring gender equality. RFSU sees openness on sexuality as the point of entry of health promotion and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS. This is why the strategy for India was also to break the culture of silence and let young people open up on these sensitive subjects," pointed out Andersson.
After spending time with young people, their parents, teachers and community leaders, MAMTA found that in addition to interventions like training peer educators, it would be more useful to adapt RFSU's concept of youth clinics where information on SRH could be accessed without fear or embarrassment. Thus was born youth information centres (YIC).
Since young people, particularly girls, were more vulnerable to STIs, YICs facilitated information sharing; and also worked closely with community and religious leaders and sensitized Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members on issues of education and school retention. The most important outcome of this strategy were attitudinal changes.
In all the intervention areas, age at marriage was delayed among young people. The percentage of girls that married below the legal age of marriage fell from 61.2 per cent in 2004 to 45.2 per cent in 2008. For boys, the corresponding figures were 79.5 per cent and 76.2 per cent, respectively.
By 2008, the perception that education was important for girls led to 38.5 per cent young men whose sisters had dropped out of school, to argue that they could share some household chores with their sisters and help them get more time for studies. Nearly 26.9 per cent young men felt that they could convince their parents to allow their sisters to continue studies as external candidates.
Using RFSU's technical expertise in gender sensitization, the sexuality education curriculum under the adolescent education programme (AEP) was developed for students of Classes VIII, IX and X based on an assessment of their knowledge and needs. At the end of three years, a comparison was made between students of Class 10 who had been through the sexuality education curriculum and Class 11 students of the same school who had not experienced it. Irrespective of the location of the school, boys and girls who had been through the programme were able to identify and reject common misconceptions about nocturnal emissions, masturbation and myths related to HIV transmission. Girls in Class X were able to understand that the oral pill did not protect them from STIs and HIV, while a significant number of urban and rural girls said they would decline to have sex without a condom and oppose sexual abuse.
The evidence clearly is that increased sexuality knowledge decreases risky behavior and boosts gender equality. MAMTA is now hoping that its research findings will influence policy makers in India to formulate a more rational and relevant national policy on sexuality education.
Thursday, August 06, 2015
Special Focus: Why My Domestic Help Would Rather Send Her Kid To A Private School Than Public School?
At the government school she could benefit from the Right to Education (RTE) Act which guarantees eight years of free, quality education to all children aged six to fourteen years. Instead, she shells out nearly Rs 800 a month for fees plus a good chunk on miscellaneous – books, uniforms, school activities, etc.
Friday, December 27, 2013
'Policy Paralysis In AICTE, Model Curriculam Is In Limbo'
The policy paralysis at the top of the All India Council for Technical Education is manifested in different ways at all levels.
The present pitiable position of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) of is its own making. The AICTE, pre-Independent India’s recommendatory body, was in its 42nd year — in 1987 — vested with statutory powers through an Act of Parliament. The parliamentary wisdom hoped that the AICTE would discharge its statutory role of maintaining the standards and coordinated development of technical education in the country.
Wednesday, September 04, 2013
Teacher's Day: Noble Profession Or Sorriest Of Trades?
It is not by simply increasing the number of schools and colleges that education can be promoted. Teachers form the pivot of the education system all over the world. From time immemorial, they have been engaged in a war on ignorance, prejudice and greed. They are the exemplars and role models in a society torn asunder by factions and superstition.
They are the ones who inspire youth to achieve and rise to higher levels of thinking. It is fitting and proper that September 5 (Dr. S. Radhakrishnan’s birthday) every year is observed as Teachers’ Day.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Poor Schools For India’s Poor?
But sadly, schools betray these aspirations, as the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2012 suggests. The report gathers compelling and disturbing evidence of abysmal learning outcomes in a majority of schools across India. More than half the children in Class V cannot read a Class II textbook, and three-quarters of children in Class III cannot read a Class I textbook.
The wake-up call, which emerges from ASER 2012, is that the levels of reading and arithmetic in our schools are not only poor but also declining in many states. The situation is one of a “deepening crisis” in education, as Madhav Chavan, the author of the report notes. Only three states — Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Kerala — have high learning levels on the ASER scale. Except Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, where levels are low but not falling, other big states contribute heavily to the overall declining learning levels.
The Right to Education Act (RTE) initially eliminated all forms of student evaluation, and laid down — for good reasons — that children will not be held back for poor performance. But this well-intentioned provision may have thrown out the baby with the bathwater, because it further reduced the accountability of the system for scholastic performance. Fortunately, this is now remedied because continuous and comprehensive evaluation is now a part of the law.
What RTE promises is a publicly funded school in the neighbourhood of every child in the country. But as the ASER survey reminds us, the biggest challenge to the public education system is not only to expand the reach of government schools, but to improve their quality. RTE tends to equate quality education with the qualifications of teachers. It mandates formal training for every teacher, assuming that this will improve the quality of education. It fails to acknowledge that teachers will teach well in environments where they are valued, supported with imaginative teaching materials, their skills continuously upgraded, and robust systems of monitoring and accountability established.
Scholastic outcomes are poorer in government schools, compared to private ones. But as Chavan admits, “Private school education is not great and the socio-economic educational background of children’s families, parental aspirations and additional support for learning contribute majorly to their better performance. Yet, the fact remains that the learning gap between government and private school students is widening. This widening gap may make the private schools look better, but in an absolute sense it is important to note that as of 2012 less than 40 percent of Class V children in private schools could solve problems in division.”
Parents are despairing of the public school system, and opt for lower-end private schools. The report estimates that 35 percent of children enrolled in schools study in private institutions. If the current trend sustains, more than half our children would be paying for their education by 2020.
The solution is not to accept privatisation of education. Children studying in government schools will be the poorest, and if the quality of education continues to decline, it will confine the poor to the boundaries of socio-economic barriers established by their birth. The country needs to invest significantly more in government schools, in the salaries, and training of government teachers. India needs to show that it believes in securing equal chances for all children, regardless of the accident of where they are born. This is possible only with a dynamic and effective public school system.
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