pushpa
07-31-2009, 02:17 PM
TIMES OF INDIA dated 31 July 2009
Making it clear that there would be no single class 10 board, HRD minister Kapil Sibal on Thursday said while retaining the diversity,
stress should be on uniformity of excellence.
However, Sibal's idea of making the class 10 examination optional in CBSE-affiliated schools
will be discussed in the three-day meeting of state secretaries of school education and special project directors, which began here on Thursday. In the meeting, the state governments' views on the issue will be sought.
Addressing the meeting, Sibal said the government did not want to destroy diversity but state boards need to improve their quality. "We do not want to destroy diversity of school boards. We do not want a uniform board. But we want excellent quality," he said. Sibal asked states to give up their "laidback" approach and work with the Centre to bring quality. "But what is the diversity in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry or Biology? We must have a uniform teaching of these subjects. This uniformity will bring excellence," he said.
Sibal said the government wanted to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education, that is the percentage of youths in the age group of 18-23 years pursuing higher studies. At present, the GER is 12.4%. This needs to be increased to 30% to 40% by 2020, he said.
Sibal sought the full support of all states in achieving the target. "I have come here to hold out a hand of friendship to every state. This is something for the country."
He called for partnership between the Centre and the states towards the goal of delivering education to the people. He pointed out that today there is disconnect between the people and the policy makers and the quicker this was realised, the quicker it would be able to deliver education to the people.
Sibal also asked the state governments to prepare plans on how to monitor neighbourhood schools and teachers' attendance/teachers' absenteeism that stands at 19%. He also pointed out to the states that if the vacancy position for teachers is as high as 50%, as is the case in some states, the national enterprise of education would not work.
Sibal said in the 11th Plan the government would be implementing the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) in order to have a critical level of attendance at the secondary school level, so that adequate number of students move to college.
Making it clear that there would be no single class 10 board, HRD minister Kapil Sibal on Thursday said while retaining the diversity,
stress should be on uniformity of excellence.
However, Sibal's idea of making the class 10 examination optional in CBSE-affiliated schools
will be discussed in the three-day meeting of state secretaries of school education and special project directors, which began here on Thursday. In the meeting, the state governments' views on the issue will be sought.
Addressing the meeting, Sibal said the government did not want to destroy diversity but state boards need to improve their quality. "We do not want to destroy diversity of school boards. We do not want a uniform board. But we want excellent quality," he said. Sibal asked states to give up their "laidback" approach and work with the Centre to bring quality. "But what is the diversity in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry or Biology? We must have a uniform teaching of these subjects. This uniformity will bring excellence," he said.
Sibal said the government wanted to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education, that is the percentage of youths in the age group of 18-23 years pursuing higher studies. At present, the GER is 12.4%. This needs to be increased to 30% to 40% by 2020, he said.
Sibal sought the full support of all states in achieving the target. "I have come here to hold out a hand of friendship to every state. This is something for the country."
He called for partnership between the Centre and the states towards the goal of delivering education to the people. He pointed out that today there is disconnect between the people and the policy makers and the quicker this was realised, the quicker it would be able to deliver education to the people.
Sibal also asked the state governments to prepare plans on how to monitor neighbourhood schools and teachers' attendance/teachers' absenteeism that stands at 19%. He also pointed out to the states that if the vacancy position for teachers is as high as 50%, as is the case in some states, the national enterprise of education would not work.
Sibal said in the 11th Plan the government would be implementing the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) in order to have a critical level of attendance at the secondary school level, so that adequate number of students move to college.