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Don't rap rural teachers
Campus SCENE
The NAAC for improving things |
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Don't rap rural teachers At first look, the government appears wholly justified to resort to stern measures. However, teachers alone are not to blame for the rot that has set in. Take, for example, the problem of absenteeism. There is little doubt that the number of schools and teachers being so large, lack of proper monitoring promotes absenteeism, but that is just one aspect. The past few years have seen the government exceedingly utilising teachers for non-teaching work like census operations, revision of electoral rolls, Pulse Polio campaign and election duties to name a few. This ensures that teachers stay away from classrooms for long periods. On an average, a teacher performs such duties for about 60 days a year, during which no teaching is possible. The government has also set unrealistic targets, which are the same for rural and urban schools. As it is, rural government schools suffer from a lack of infrastructure. The teacher-pupil ratio is often 1:40 or even worse at the primary level, whereas, it is much lower in urban schools, especially the ones that are privately managed. Students in villages have no support from home, as their parents and elder siblings are generally not educated. Unlike this, urban parents and siblings devote much time to helping young students further their learning abilities at home. This support compliments a teacher’s efforts to promote learning. Thus, judging teachers’ performance with a single yardstick can be odious. The difference of lifestyle in villages and cities also contributes to poor learning in rural schools. Rural students, especially girls, miss their classes for days to help their parents. A mother’s indisposition often means the school-going daughter will remain at home for days together to run the household. A poor farmer will not send his son to school for days together to utilise his services for sowing or reaping and other activities on the farm. This does not happen in cities. Thus, teaching and learning in rural and urban schools have altogether different connotations. The problem of poor results manifests only at the middle, high and secondary levels where examinations are conducted by a board of school education where results are not fudged. However, this is not the case with the annual examinations conducted by schools themselves. Therefore, schools show better records on paper for classes I to VII, IX and XI because teachers ensure that everyone makes the grade. Middle-school teachers end up with students whose previous learning abilities are far below the level required at that stage. The result is a steep fall in pass percentage in the annual examination. This does not, however, absolve teachers of all charges levelled against them. There is considerable scope for improvement at their level, but their accountability cannot be determined without taking into consideration all these factors. If the government wants better results, it should aspire to strengthen basic schooling at the primary level, keeping in view the constraints in the rural areas. Experts suggest making rural primary education contextual and setting realistic learning targets for rural students, considering the limitations forced upon them. There could also be separate training programmes for rural and urban schoolteachers to prepare them for their special and entirely different roles and work environments. In addition, the government has to improve infrastructure and make schooling a pleasant experience both for teachers and students. This can only be achieved over a long period. Till then, instead of sparring, the government and schoolteachers should help each other serve students as best as they can.
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Campus SCENE THE
campus of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) was humming with activity brought on by admissions for various courses. However, some of departments like Guru Ram Das School of Planning, Punjabi [BA (Hons) course], sociology and foreign languages, have recorded fewer admissions this year. Due to this, the dates given for counselling have been extended and even second and third counselling has been scheduled to fill the vacant seats. The seats for many other departments have already been filled. These include departments of sciences, management, technology etc. Dr R. S. Bawa, Registrar, said while the deadline for the counselling session for admission to the BA (Hons) course in Punjabi had been extended, the counselling sessions for joining the departments of planning, sociology and foreign languages had been continued. Meanwhile, the academic session is already on in various departments. NRI rush Even though the university has been flooded with applications for the NRI-sponsored seats in its various departments, a large number of applications were still being received, even though the last date for admission in the NRI quota is July 20. The university expects to see tough competition among the applicants. Nearly 100 seats in various departments were available in the NRI quota for $ 15,000 per seat. Let coaches stay, SAI urged The university has urged the Secretary General of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Director, Sports, Punjab, not to transfer the three coaches from here. The three coaches are for hockey, handball and yoga teams of the university. Recently, the SAI had transferred 741 coaches all over India. The transfer orders were issued on June 30, July 1 and July 5, respectively. Dr Bawa said that the three coaches had done a commendable job, so the university would not want them to leave. Teachers’ election With the elections for the Guru Nanak Dev University Teachers Association approaching, various candidates have filed their nominations. For the election that is on July 24, more than 50 candidates have filed their nominations. Dr Davinder Singh, president of the association, said the candidates could withdraw their candidature till July 18. The election would be for five office-bearers and six members of the executive body.
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The NAAC for improving things THE National Assessment and Accreditation Council is the magic flute that has breathed a new life in the hitherto largely stagnant ponds of Indian education. Gone are the days when sitting in the classroom, one nearly dozed off listening to the monotonous drone of the lecture delivered in a “get over with it” manner. The colleges hum with a new excitement, for now, after evaluating students for a number of years, it is the turn of these institutions to be evaluated. NAAC, a mantra of the University Grants Commission, has cast its spell on all colleges. Leaving all the lingual paraphernalia aside, simply put, NAAC is a parameter for assigning grades to colleges starting from the highest (A++). There are seven parameters on which the grading is done: curricular aspects; teaching and its evaluation; research consultancy, infrastructure and learning resources; student support and progression; organisation and management; and healthy practices. The NAAC team comprising eminent academicians visits each college and judges it for not only its achievements in extra-curricular activities, sport and academics, but also the milieu in which education is being imparted. The infrastructure (say the required number of computers or laboratory equipment), how well stocked is the library, what are the courses being offered and how are these being taught is all assessed minutely. Evaluation of teachers by their students is an important aspect of inspection and the interaction with the students is kept confidential. In no other area is the change so pronounced as the faculty. Teachers’ qualifications were graded even when the UGC introduced the NET (National Eligibility Test), but more is now demanded, as far as research (a doctorate is not enough) and its publication is concerned. It has suddenly become important that seminars and workshops be organised in departments with active participation of students, and teachers go out to deliver lectures. Even the style of teaching has come under the scanner, with more emphasis on interactive teaching and less on one-way communication. That teachers have to keep updating their knowledge goes without saying. The colleges have already started, as they say, oiling their wheels. The Government College in Sector 46, Chandigarh, organised a Parent Teacher Meeting perhaps for the first time in the history of any college. “The idea germinated from the requirements of NAAC itself, as no improvement can take place without getting students in the picture,” says Prof Sahib Singh, convener of the PTA. Parents were apprised of the weak points of their children and their shortage of lectures. Information regarding new courses, infrastructure and co-curricular activities was also handed out. Besides, the moral aspect was touched upon. Parents were pleased with the idea. The Principal of DAV College, Chandigarh, Dr S. Marriya, says “Our’s is one of the four colleges in the country to have got A+. Once we get the A++, the top rating, the chances for it to be deemed as a university are paramount. For this, we shall introduce 24 more courses like postgraduate courses in biotech informatics, mathematics and sociology.” NAAC has indeed bathed the corridors in a new light.
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Armed Forces August 13 Indian Army, ADG of
Recruiting (Women Entry Sec), West Block-III, R K Puram, New Delhi
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Scheme (Officers) Eligibility:
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Educn (Gr ‘X’) in Army
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Technician Certificate in: Eligibility:
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(Print, Radio, TV & Internet) Cert Course in Radio & TV Prodn (6 mth, PT) Details: Website * Course commences: August 16 ‘05 Medicine July 15 Shri Krishna Govt Ayurvedic College, Umri Road, Kurukshetra 132118 D.Pharma Ayurvedic Course Eligibility: 10+2 (PCB & Eng; 40%), Harayana domicile Age: 17 yrs Selection: Merit Application form: Send Rs 300/- by registered post to the office at above add. At counter: Rs 250/- Physically Handicapped August 16 D/o Social Justice &
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