EDUCATION

OF
CHILDREN

The 86th Constitutional Amendment (2002), &

the Right to Education Act (2009) have made
Elementary Education a right to all our children.
Now we have to assure that it is of good quality.
 SCHOOL EDUCATION SYSTEM
 The Indian school education system is one
of the largest and most complex in the world.
The complexity of the system stems from
India’s need to maintain standard and
uniformity in nearly thirty States & UTs.
It has to give scope for its diverse culture and
heritage to grow and flourish across the length
and breadth of the country. 2
 Education System in India:

 The present education system in India comprises of

primary education, secondary education, senior

secondary education and higher education. Elementary
education consists of eight years of education.

 Each of secondary and senior secondary education

consists of two years of education. Higher education in
India starts after passing the higher secondary
education or the 12th standard.
3
 Ministry of Human Resource
Development. [three main divisions]
 1. Secondary and Higher Education
 2. Elementary Education and Literacy
 3. Women and Child Development
 The department coordinates planning with the States
 It provides funding for experimental programs
 Acts through the National Council of Educational
Research and Training (NCERT) to develop standards,
instructional materials, and design textbooks.
 University Grants Commission acts for the higher
education.

4
The Indian Constitution made a commitment to
make primary and middle grade education (for
students ages 6-14) free and universal by 1960,
with the two national policy statements on
education in 1968 and 1986 (and revised in 1992)
placing much emphasis on this goal. But India’s
inability to allocate resources effectively and
efficiently had made that goal unattainable even
45 years later.
5
During the period 1950-51 and 2001-2002, the number of
primary schools grew three-fold, while the number of middle
(upper primary) schools increased 16 times. Today India has
more than six hundred thousand primary schools serving
115 million students (the average teacher to student ratio is
1:43) and more than two million upper primary schools
serving 45 million students (the average teacher to student
ratio is 1:38). Another recent trend is the growth of private
schools that receive no government aid and rely on student
fees.
6
“Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and
promote lifelong learning” by 2030. With a view to
achieve the goal of universalization of elementary
education, the Right to Free & Compulsory
Education (RTE) Act, 2009 had been enacted in
2010 that provides a justiciable legal framework
entitling all children between the ages of 6-14
years free and compulsory admission, attendance
and completion of elementary education.
7
The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in 2001 and
the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory
Education (RTE) Act, 2009 have seen education
priorities rise amongst households and catalysed
improvements in educational performance.
The mean years of schooling of the working
population (those over 15 years old) increased
from 4.19 years in 2000 to 5.12 years in 2010

8
A typical school day begins early in the morning anytime
between 7-8 am. Students attend school for about 6
hours during the day with each classroom session
spanning 30- 40 minutes and a 30-minute lunch break.
Some schools operate for a longer duration of time (about
8 hours) and these schools provide two break periods.
The school typically begins with a morning assembly for
all students and teachers and may include prayers,
meditation, important announcements, special
assemblies, Mass PT or any other planned activity.

9
 Elementary education consists of
eight years of education.
 The 86th constitutional amendment has made
elementary education a fundamental right for the
children between the age group- 6 to 14.
 According to the 2001 census, the total literacy rate
in India was 65.38%.
 The female literacy rate was only 54.16%.
 The gap between rural and urban literacy rate was
also very significant in India.
 This was evident from the fact that only 59.4% of
rural population were literate as against 80. 3% urban
population according to the 2001 census.
10
Right to Education Act – 2009

 The Right of Children to Free and

Compulsory Education Act was passed by
the India parliament on 4 August 2009 which
described the modalities of the provision of
free and compulsory education for children
between 6 and 14 in India under Article 21A
of the Indian Constitution.
 India became one of the few countries to
make education a fundamental right of every
child when the act came into force on April 1,
2010.
11
Right to Education Act – 2009

 The bill made education a fundamental right

of every child between the ages of 6 to 14
and specifies the minimum norms in
government schools.
 It specified reservation of 25% seats in
private schools for children from poor
families, prohibiting the practice of
unrecognized schools, and made provisions
for no donation or capitation and no interview
of the child or parent for the admission.
12
Right to Education Act – 2009

 The act also provided that, no child shall be held

back, expelled, or required to pass a board

examination until completion of elementary
education.

 Provision for special training of school drop-outs to

bring them at-par with the students of the same age.

 Right to Education of Person with Disabilities till 18

years of age has been made a Fundamental Right.
13
 Right to Education Act – 2009

 The act also provided for establishment of the

National Commission for Protection of Child

Rights and State Commissions for supervising of

proper implementation of the act, looking after

the complaints and protection of Child Rights.

14
Right to Education Act – 2009

 Other provisions regarding improvement of school

infrastructure, teacher-student ratio and faculty have
also been provided in the act.
 A committee set up to study the funds requirement
and funding estimated that Rs 1.71 lakh crore would
be required in the next five years for implementing
the Act.
 The government agreed to sharing of funds in the
ratio of 65 to 35 between the Centre and the states
for implementing the law, with a ratio of 90 to 10 for
the north-eastern states.

15
 Struggle for universalizing
elementary education
 Everybody acknowledges the value of
education in the overall development of the
children.
Administrators focus on:
 Enrolment
 Availability of schools within walking distance
 Provisioning for infrastructure
 Deployment of teachers.

16
Educationists are concerned about

What is Learnt, how is it presented?

 Whether or how children learn, and the

 Burden of syllabi, which is passed on to

 Tuition centres or Parents

17
 Development professionals discuss

 The impact of years of schooling, for example

on the age of marriage and family size.
 Economists talk about the economic returns
on Investment in education
 Parents have expectations from the
education system_ that it should equip their
children for gainful employment, and
economic well being.
18
 Fulfill goals of
universal elementary education
 The enforcement of fundamental
right to education provided us a
unique opportunity to mount a
mission encompassing all the
above discourses to fulfill our goal
of universal elementary education.
19
 Dropped out, child labourers

 There are ‘invisible’ children_ children bonded

to work with an employer,
 young boys grazing cattle or working in a
dhabha
 girls working in the fields or as domestic help
or caring for younger siblings, and
 children being subjected to early marriage.
Many of these children are formally enrolled
in a school but have either dropped out or
have never been there.

20
 Extremely vulnerable ones

 Many others such as migrant and

street children, who live in
extremely vulnerable conditions;
denying them education is against
the universal nature of human
rights.
21
 Enrol, attend, learn,
and
Be empowered by education

 Providing universal access itself is no longer

enough; making available school facility is
essential but not sufficient.
 A monitoring mechanism is needed to ensure
that all children attend school regularly and
participate in the learning process.

22
 Not attending,
drop-out in a few months?
 Focus must be on the factors that
prevent children from regularly
attending & completing elementary
education. Children from
 weaker sections and
 disadvantaged groups, as also
 girls.
 SOCIAL,CULTURAL,ECONOMIC,
LINGUISTIC AND PEDAGOGIC ISSUES
23
Reservation of 25% seats in private
schools for children from poor families
 The school may be  Social, economic,
there but students may cultural, linguistic,
not attend, or drop out pedagogic issues
after a few months.  Denial or violation of the
 Through school & social right to elementary
mapping, many issues education process
need to be addressed requires to be
that prevent a weak overcome with the
child from completing encouragement and
the process of enlightenment of the
education. weak & vulnerable.

24
Free, compulsory and of high quality

 The right to education is free, compulsory and

it includes good quality education for all.
 A curriculum not only provides good reading
and understanding of text books but also
includes learning through activities,
exploration and discovery.
 Comprehension, competence,
competitiveness and creativity should be
developed, not forgetting compassion.
25
Free, compulsory and of high quality

 The right to education is free, compulsory and

it includes good quality education for all.
 A curriculum not only provides good reading
and understanding of text books but also
includes learning through activities,
exploration and discovery.
 Comprehension, competence,
competitiveness and creativity should be
developed, not forgetting compassion.
26
Education Departments of State & Union
Governments have direct responsibility
To provide
 schools,
 infrastructure,
 trained teachers,
 curriculum and
 teaching-learning material, and
 mid-day meal.
A well coordinated mechanism is needed for
inter- sectoral collaboration & convergence.

27
On the part of the whole Governments:

 The factors that contribute to the

achievement of the overall goal of
universalizing elementary education as
a fundamental right requires action on
the part of the whole Governments.
A well coordinated mechanism is needed for
inter- sectoral collaboration & convergence.

28
Timely & appropriate financial allocations,
redesign school spaces

 The Finance Department to release

funds at all levels.
 The Public Works Dept. to re-conceive
and redesign school spaces from the
pedagogic perspective & Address
issues of including disabled children
through barrier free access.
29
Provide Social & Location Mapping of
schools, Water & sanitation facilities
 The Dept. of Science & Technology to
provide geo-spatial technology to
perform at
grass-root survey.
 Provision of access to sufficient safe
drinking water
 Provision and access to adequate
sanitation facilities, specially for girl
child. 30
 ROLE OF CIVIL SOCEITY in RTE

 Above all, people’s groups, civil society

organizations & voluntary agencies will play
an crucial role in the implementation of the
RTE Act.
 This will help build a new perspective on
inclusiveness, encompassing gender & social
inclusion, & ensure that these become
integral & crosscutting concerns informing
different aspects like training, curriculum and
classroom transaction.
31
ROLE OF CIVIL SOCEITY
 A VIBRANT CIVIL SOCEITY MOVEMENT
CAN ENSURE THAT THE PARENT / CHILD
FROM WEAKER OR DISADVANTAGED
SECTIONS BECOME AWARE OF THE
VALUE OF EXERCISING THE RIGHT TO
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION AND PUT IN
SERIOUS EFFORTS ON THEIR PART.
 NGO contribution of knowledge, ideas and
solutions to the challenges are needed.

32
 Prime Minister has said:
"We are committed to ensuring that all
children, irrespective of gender and social
category, have access to education. An
education that enables them to acquire the
skills, knowledge, values and attitudes
necessary to become responsible and active
citizens of India

33
The 86th constitutional amendment (2002),
And the RTE Act (2009), gave us the tools
to provide quality education to all our
children. It was now imperative that we the
people of India joined hands to ensure the
implementation of this law in its true spirit.
The Government was committed to this
task though real change will happen
through collective action.
34
 India’s Age: YOUNG INDIA

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

172,890,000)
 15-64 years: 63.6%

 India’s Average:

 Total: 25 years
 Male: 25 years
 Female: 26 years

35
 Then and NOW_ So few & So many!
Panic not, we are human resource and
education makes it so.

 An education that enables

them to acquire the skills,
knowledge, values and
attitudes necessary to
become responsible and
active citizens of India
 NOW: have access to
education
THEN:
Nalanda University is
considered "one of the first
great universities in
recorded history." It was
the center of learning and
research in the world from
450–1193 CE.
36
The Grade 6-8 curriculum includes:
1. Three Languages — the mother tongue / the
regional language, Hindi and English
2. Mathematics
3. Science* and Technology
4. Social Sciences
5. Work Education
6. Art Education (fine arts: Visual and Performing)
7. Health and Physical Education
37
 Medium of instruction in schools

 Mother tongue or regional language is the

medium of instruction for most Indian primary
students.
 Students from elite families are typically sent to
English medium schools as English is
considered a distinction of social class.
 Many states now start teaching English as a
second language by grade 3 – though in
practice the execution of this varies widely
across states.
38
India has made significant progress in
quantitative indicators such as
• enrolment levels,
• completion rates and other
• physical infrastructure like construction of
school buildings/class rooms,
• drinking water facilities, toilet facilities and
• appointment of teachers etc. at elementary
school level.
39
The individual State governments provide the
majority of educational funding and either directly
run schools or support privately-run schools
through grants. However, a phenomenon of
growing importance over recent years has been
the mushrooming of schools in each state that
are completely independent of government
funding; these are called private, unaided
schools. 40
 Private unaided schools
 Schools in each state that are completely
independent of government funding; these
are called private, unaided schools.
 These schools typically pay much lower
salaries than government schools, and are
therefore able to hire more teachers, reduce
multi-grade teaching, and have smaller
classes. They are also able to exercise more
oversight on teachers and have higher rates
of teaching activity.
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50