Politicians, scholars, educationists, social activists and several others rendered their suggestions to improve education system at the final consultation meet on new education policy that began here on Thursday.
Taking into account the dire need to implement reforms in the entire education system, the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has been planning to bring in a new education policy to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to make India a knowledge superpower.
As per direction of the MHRD, the School Education Department and Higher Education Department commenced grass root-level consultation at village panchayat level last August and later such consultations were held at block level.
On Thursday, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy inaugurated the State-level consultation meeting which deliberated on the reforms in education system. Calling upon the participants to suggest ways to improve the standard of education in UT, The Chief Minister said, “the enrolment in government schools is very low as the parents are keen to admit their children in private school. The government’s main goal is to render good quality education to all. More funds have been allocated every year to achieve the goal.”
Education Minister T. Thiagarajan, Members of Paliament- R. Radhakrishnan and N. Gokulakrishnan, Education Secretary G. Rakesh Chandra and other officials participated in the consultation.
Participating at the deliberations, A. Ramadas, former joint director of School Education, said proper education should be imparted to children at standard first itself.
After failing to render quality education or to make children to learn at the first standard, the teachers should not complain that children are weak in studies when they reach fifth standard.
Stating that the Union Territory of Puducherry was pioneer in the implementation of no-detention policy, Dr. Ramadas also said the teachers, administration and administrators should understand the real object of the policy.
E.M. Rajan, former college principal, said the standard of government schools should be assessed by independent agency in order to bring accountability on teachers.
While expressing similar view, K. Vijayamurthy, activist said, “If any school lacks basic infrastructure, the approval to run the school should be cancelled,”
‘Limiting’
Gurpreet Sethy of Azim Premji Foundation said the themes and questions in the MHRD framework seem to be quite limiting. “We are forming our education policy after 30 years, yet, there is no discussion on what is our vision for education and its role in shaping our society over the next few decades. Our deliberations on specific issues need to be placed within this overarching vision. Within the themes too, many of the questions overlook some fundamental areas and constrain responses on more tactical questions,” said Gurpreet.
L. Kumar, School Education Director said, “We received theme-wise and question-wise responses from the participants. Minutes and resolutions will be uploaded into MyGov portal within a stipulated time-frame.”
