Village schools to go into panchayat hands
But will part privatisation do?
Aditi Tandon
EDUCATION in Punjab was never so much an issue of concern as it is now. For many known reasons, the state ranked first in education in the early nineties and was a forerunner in the creation of colleges and universities. It dropped to the seventh place in 1985-86 and subsequently to the 17th in 1999 out of the total Indian states. Today 33 per cent of Punjabis cannot read or write their names. 

SAS Academy signs MoU with Cariboo
Prabhjot Singh
GLOBALISATION of education, both at the school and college level, facilitating recognition of certificates, diplomas and degrees offered by boards or universities of one country by their counterparts in another country has come to stay. It facilitates pursuance of a course or a programme started in one country and completed in another at the convenience of the student.

ADMISSION DEADLINE

Village schools to go into panchayat hands
But will part privatisation do?
Aditi Tandon

EDUCATION in Punjab was never so much an issue of concern as it is now. For many known reasons, the state ranked first in education in the early nineties and was a forerunner in the creation of colleges and universities. It dropped to the seventh place in 1985-86 and subsequently to the 17th in 1999 out of the total Indian states. Today 33 per cent of Punjabis cannot read or write their names. 

That the problem is serious and demands immediate attention might be one reason why the Punjab Government has finally decided to do something about the grim primary education scenario in the region, with particular reference to villages. The new arrangement, which invites panchayats to assume control of schools at the local level, may have been inspired by socialist concerns, but political concerns cannot be ruled out as the announcement comes on the eve of panchayat elections in Punjab.

There are wide-ranging opinions that reflect the problem in totality. Most experts feel that involvement of panchayats will help in improving quality education only if considerable powers are vested in these and government interference is minimised.

Considering that the Punjab State Education Board, originally meant to only examine the functioning of schools, is now even required to run these, many educationists feel that setting up of a separate rural education board to man about 12,000 village schools in Punjab may also be a good idea.

While opinions emerge, it would be in the fitness of things to know that the Punjab Government has long been suggesting the need for monitoring of literacy programmes by the village education committees, the gram panchayats, the block development and panchayat officers. There have also been suggestions that district education officers may take remedial measures, wherever necessary.

The government’s decision to rope in panchayats may then well be considered a sequel to the suggestions earlier made regarding improving education standards in the state. However, where on the one hand are experts who consider the move healthy and result-oriented insomuch as it will ensure community participation, apart from fixing teacher’ responsibility, there are others who consider the decision politically motivated and aimed at washing hands off a sacred responsibility.

Analysts point out inherent contradictions in the government stance on the issue. The announcement apparently implies that the panchayats will play a “significant” role in the running of village schools. The extent of this role remains to be defined. Also, it is apparent that the government would make payment of salaries to teachers, who “may” be appointed by the panchayats.

However, in case the government pays salaries, the teachers, thus, appointed will be governed by the service rules of Punjab, thereby divesting the panchayats of their much-deserved powers to suspend teachers in cases of inefficiency, fix the amount of salary as per local needs, decide on the number of teachers to be hired depending on the student strength.

The problem of education in Punjab stems from four major causes: lack of schools, infrastructure and teachers in most villages, shortage of monetary funds, lack of concern for and commitment towards education by the government and the rampant practice of promoting students to the next grade or level, even though they lack in attendance. The decision of the state government to hand over control of affairs to the panchayats in villages may now be debated in the light of these facts.

Significantly educationists, many of whom have observed the functioning of village schools closely, feel that the decision of decentralisation is welcome. Says former Executive Director, Curriculum, Punjab State Technical Education Board, Mr Satish Menon” “The decision will bring results if the panchayats are made autonomous bodies and handed over total administrative control of village schools. Half-hearted privatisation attempts will not help. In fact, the government has meagre staff to supervise so many schools in the state. District education officers are less and the number of schools is large. Handing over powers to panchayats will help strike a balance, but it is important to ensure transparency so that local politics is kept out of picture.

“There is no point in government paying the salary and panchayats making the appointments.. Panchayat should, instead, be made the focal points: they should provide land and infrastructure for the school, should appoint teachers in consultation with the Parents Teachers’ Associations, should have the power to monitor functioning of schools and issue warnings,” he opines.

A former employee of the State Education Department feels: “The main problem is dearth of officers to supervise the functioning of schools in villages. Moreover, government interference is not healthy in the long run. A number of decisions that can improve the quality of education cannot be taken simply because a particular file has not moved fast enough. By the time the approval is granted, many village kids have already dropped out of school. In the above-primary section there is 50 per cent dropout rate in Punjab. If panchayats run the show, they can decrease anomalies and increase efficiency. Teachers will also be obliged to perform.”

Punjab has 13,076 primary schools and 12, 413 villages. Almost every village has a primary school, although it hardly functions the way it should. Where the norm is to have five teachers in primary schools, most village schools have just one teacher, who often remains absent. The unhealthy trend of proxy teachers is also picking up in villages.

Reasons Munna Dhiman, who has worked with many school children in villages; “Teachers employed by the government often hire others for paltry sums. In reality the person chosen to teach never teaches. Many schools have no buildings. If village panchayats are roped in, they can act as watchdogs, can appoint teachers, suspend them for inefficiency and also provide facilities for the betterment of students.”

Meanwhile, a state education board official feels that the government has no better choice. Starved of funds, it is spending less than five per cent of the total budget on education. Out of this, 99 per cent goes away in salaries to teachers. So where is the money for providing facilities and upgrading infrastructure?

Says the official: “Junior Basic Training schools are churning out trained primary teachers in bulk, but the government has yet not been able to ensure that every teacher spends a fixed period (say five years) teaching in villages. The result is urban areas have more teachers and less students, while villages have more students and virtually no teachers. Involving panchayats will prove beneficial only if the panchayats are handed over administrative control, with some inspection powers vested with the Punjab State Education Board. This will prevent politicisation of education in villages.”

SAS Academy signs MoU with Cariboo
Prabhjot Singh

GLOBALISATION of education, both at the school and college level, facilitating recognition of certificates, diplomas and degrees offered by boards or universities of one country by their counterparts in another country has come to stay. It facilitates pursuance of a course or a programme started in one country and completed in another at the convenience of the student.

Students of Sahibzada Ajit Singh Academy, Ropar, before their departure to the UK.

In fact, students from the South Asian subcontinent, who were discriminated against most, both in Europe and North America for want of recognition to their academic credentials, would now benefit the maximum from the concept of universalisation or globalisation of elementary, secondary or higher education.

Globalisation has brought some top universities, not only from England and North America, but also from downunder, to set up their own campuses in India in general and north in particular. These have entered into long-term agreements with local institutions to pave way for free exchange of teachers and students.

The Ropar-based Sahibzada Ajit Singh Academy has recently signed a protocol with the British Columbia-based University College of Cariboo to enable its senior secondary students to seek direct admission to various medical and engineering courses in the internationally famed Canadian University and that too without going through the rigmarole of sitting in various entrance tests, including TOFEL.

The Senior Secondary Certificate awarded by the academy on completion of plus two examination will be recognised as equivalent to grade 12 of Canadian educational standards.

“The signing of this protocol in Kamloops in Canada last month,” says Mr Sukhjinder Singh, Director of the academy, “will help deserving economically backward students to get scholarships at the University College of Cariboo. The Canadian University will also give work permit for self-support during the third year of their education there.

Mr Sukhjinder Singh said he had signed the protocol with Dr Roger Barnsley, President of the University College of Cariboo. The groundwork for the protocol was done by Ms Cyndi McLeod, Executive Director of the University College of Cariboo International (UCCI), who during her tour of India in January this year, visited Sahibzada Ajit Singh Academy and was impressed by the infrastructure and quality of teaching there.

“The philosophy of the school and their projects were found to be in line with those of the UCC,” she said in her report.

This protocol is the first of its kind with an Indian school and represents UCCI’s 26th agreement with international partners.

To further the process of universalisation of education, the SAS academy has earned the distinction of becoming the first school in South Asia to participate in International Breeze -2003 at Leeds in England where 13 students of the academy will join students from 100 countries in a 15-day festival sponsored by the British Government.

“Our academy has been chosen to participate in the festival because of its educational and academic achievements,” says Mr Rajan Chopra, Principal of the Academy. “Since our students will represent India, the tricolour will be flown at the venue of the festival for all 15 days,” he added.

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Appln F: Send Rs. 100/- by crossed DD favouring “The Director, Central Sericultural Research & Training Institute, Mysore-570008” payable at Mysore with self-add, stamped (Rs. 20/-) env. (25 x 19 cm) to above add.

Art & Design

Jun 27: Government College of Art, Sec 10-C, Chandigarh-160011.

BFA (4 yr): Appld Art, Painting, Graphics (printmaking), Sculpture

Elig: 10+2 (40%).

Selectn: Aptitude Test (4 Jul).

Appln F: Send Rs. 200/- by MO addressed to the Principal, at above add.

Jun 30: College of Art, Govt of N.C.T. of Delhi, 20-22, Tilak Marg, New Delhi-110001.

www.delhigovt.inc.in/arts

1. BFA (4-yr)

2. Dip (Fine Arts, for deaf & dumb students) (4-yr)

3. MFA (2-yr)

4. Post Dip (Fine Arts, for deaf & dumb students) (2-yr)

Selectn: For 2): Aptt test in pract subjs, For 4): Interview

Elig: For 1): Cl12 (50%) For 2): Cl 10 (deaf & dumb students only) For 3): BFA (50%) For 4): Dip Fine Arts (for deaf & dumb students)

Appln F: Send Rs. 300/- by PO favouring “Principal, College of Art” payable at New Delhi with a self-add, stamped (Rs. 30/-), env (10” x 12”) to above add.

Details: Web.

Jun 30: Apeejay Institute of Design, 54, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, Mehrauli- Badarpur Road, New Delhi-110062.

www.apj.edu

5. BDesign (4-yr)

6. BFA (4-yr)

7. BMultimedia (4-yr)

8. PG Dip (Comm Art, Interior Deco, Dress Des & Tailoring, Text Des) (1-yr)

Elig: For 1), 2) & 3): 10+2 (45%) For 4): Bachelor’s (50%)

Appln F: Send Rs. 550/- by DD favouring “Apeejay Institute of Design” payable at New Delhi to above add. Details: Web.

Engineering

Jun 30: Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology, Sec-3, Dwaraka, Azad Hind Fauj Marg, New Delhi-110045. www.nsit.ac.in

PhD (FT): Electron & Commn Engg, Comp Engg, Instru & Control Engg, Mfg Processes & Automation Engg, Appld Sc

MTech (FT)- Signal Processing, Info Sys, Process Control.

Details: web.

Jun 30: Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani- 333 031(Raj).

www.bits-pilani.ac.in

Integrated Programmes

BE (Hons): Chem, Civil, Comp Sc, Elect & Electron, Electron & Instrum, Mech, BPharm (Hons), MMS (Master of Mgt Studies).

MSc (Hons): Biol Sc, Chem, Eco, Maths, Phys

Msc (Tech): Gen Studies, Engg Tech, Finance, Info Sys

Higher Degree Programmes

ME: BioTech, Chem, Civil, Commn Engg, Comp Sc, Des Engg, Mfg Sys Engg, Mech, MicroElectron, S/w Sys

MPharm

Doctoral Programmes

PhD: Engg & Sc

Details: web.

Jun 30: Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani- 333 031(Raj)

www.bits-pilani.ac.in

Off Campus Programmes

BS: Engg Tech, Info Sys (3-yr)

MS: S/w Sys, Mfg Mgt (2-yr)

BS: Physician Asstt, Optometry, Opthalmic Asstt. (4-yr)

MS: Medical Lab Tech (3-yr)

MPhil: Optometry (2-yr)

Details: web.

Pervin Malhotra, Director, CARING (www.careerguidanceindia.com), New Delhi

Email: HYPERLINK http://www.careerguidanceindia.com

pervin-trib@.careerguidanceindia.com