The new education policy mooted by the Telangana government should become more inclusive to accommodate basic and modern needs of students across disciplines hailing from all sections of society, said educationists and political leaders who held a Round Table Conference in the city here on Wednesday.
In the roundtable organised by Save Education Committee experts said the new education policy should rejuvenate government educational institutions which were reeling under the marketing pressures of private schools and colleges. From primary to university level, the State should be able to provide education to students without depending on private institutions. While educational institutions run by the State had increased in numbers over the years, quality of education provided had remained stagnant, experts pointed out.
Panel constituted
The Telangana government had decided to draft and education policy to strengthen education section. A committee was constituted to draft a report and implement the policy starting this year. State’s education policy should not just include infrastructure development but also development of updated curriculum, said former High Court Judge B. Chandra Kumar who was present at the meet. The State government had been focusing on improving basic facilities, including separate toilets for boys and girls apart from ensuring access to running water and power in schools. “It is not just infrastructure that the government should focus on. Students should be assessed on an updated curriculum which is productive and enriching,” he said, adding enrolment should be improved in schools and government should also focus on making State-run schools accessible to people.
Educationist and activist, Chukka Ramaiah, said that increasing demand for English medium education had affected performance of government schools. “The focus should be on introducing English education in government schools after training teachers in the medium. But at the same time, the government should not dismiss Telugu,” Mr. Ramaiah said. Prof. M. Kodandaram, chairman, Telangana Joint Action Committee, said the revival of education policy was a marker of social change.
