Many scholarship-finding services will tell you that “millions of dollars in private scholarship money goes unused every year” and they can guarantee that you will get this money by using their service and most of time there is up front fee incur. BEWARE! It might be scholarship scam’s trap. In general, if you have to pay money to get money, it’s probably a scam.

Every year thousand of students and parents are defrauded by scholarship scams. And many of them even unaware that they had dropped into the trap of scholarship scams, the victims usually write off the money paid up front to the scams as thinking they just simply didn’t win the scholarship.

Let review some of common scholarship scams so that your will be alerted and precaution about the suspicious scholarship offers.



Common Scholarship Scams

According to the Federal Trade Commission’s Scholarship Scams, if you receive an offer that uses one of these tactics, be suspicious:



The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back

Beware of scholarship-finding services that guarantee you will win a scholarship or your money will be refunded. If it is a scam, you will find it extremely difficult to qualify for refund, because this refund guaranteed often have terms & condition attached. Get and review refund policies before you pay.

Ask for your credit card or bank account to hold the winning scholarship for you

If you receive phone call saying that you have won a scholarship and they need your credit card or bank account in order to hold the winning scholarship for you. Never! Never give out any credit card or bank account without getting information or confirmation in writing first. It might be a set-up for an unauthorized withdrawal from your account.

A super low interest rate loan that need advance fee

This scam will offer you an unusual low interest rate loan but they will ask you to pay for a fee during the loan application submission. And when you pay for it, the promised loan never materializes. Be aware, real education loan usually deduce the fees from the disbursement check. It never required you to pay for a fee when you submit an application. If the loan is not issued by a bank or other recognized lender, it is probably a scam. Check the offer with your local bank’s manager before you pay.

You can’t get this scholarship information from anywhere else

There are many scholarship lists available for public. A real scholarship is normally announced to public and you can get this information easily from college and the recognized financial aid agencies. Start your own researching from those locations before you pay for somebody to do the work for you.

You won a scholarship prize!

The scam will inform you that you have won a college scholarship worth a few thousands of dollars but you will be asked to pay for a “redemption” fee or taxes before they can release your prize. If you receive this good news but you don’t remember entering any scholarship contest, be suspicious. Even If you have entered the contest, check and get the winning confirmation letter first before any payment being made. There are scams use the real scholarship contest to cheat for money, they know many people are enrolled for the contest and by chance you are in the list.



Summary

The above are just some commons in scholarship scams. There are still many other scholarship scams around. Always be precaution in any scholarship offer to you and always check for confirmation before any money pay out. The basic guideline is “if you have to pay money to get money, it’s probably a scam”.

Low Jeremy asked:


Benefits of Scholarship Search

Whether you want to continue your college or begin your pursuit in the university, looking for a good school is your top priority. But what it you don’t have money to finance your education? Surely, the first thing you should do is not to search for your school; but to look for something that could help you get your first step at the doors of any university or college of your choice. You would look for a scholarship.

Okay, you begin searching for scholarships but after sometime, you end up with nothing. What seems to be the problem? What tool should help you in order to get your dream scholarship fast and effective?

With all the searches failed, you should now consider seeking help from scholarship search.

What is a scholarship search?

Scholarship search is a helpful tool in order for you to arrive at the any scholarship available for you. It is an online site the gives you the access on the list of scholarships that might be good for you. We say, “might be good” because there are certain types of scholarships that are not suitable for you. Reasons for this vary. It might be because some scholarships available on scholarship search only grants those within a set age bracket, status, needs, merits, ethnicity, and more.

With all these complications on the criteria and requirements of each scholarship available, how can a scholarship search make it easier for you?

To begin with, scholarship search usually asks for the searcher’s profile. The profile would contain the student’s first name, student’s last name, student’s email address, email password, date of birth, address, citizenship, race, and other details that are related to the student. After giving these information, the scholarship search site would give a shortlist of available institutions, individuals and groups that offer a type of scholarship that you qualified into.

This would ease up the your search for it eliminates the need for thorough researching since you need not to visit individual sites that probably might not fit you as a person and might not fit your need.

It would also help you to land on a particular scholarship you will not be able to find in any search engines since they could be hidden behind those sites that are much bigger but could not help you.

With scholarship search, not only you cut the time searching for a particular site or particular type of scholarship you are looking for, you will also land on the exact scholarship grant you have long been looking for.

When most students think of scholarships, their minds quickly avert to the fierce competition involved and how it often seems nearly impossible to be chosen as a winner.  I’m here to tell you that this does not have to be the case, if you know how to go about finding scholarships in the right manner.  While Harvard material students usually have their names written on many scholarships available, the rest of us can rest assured that there are many ways that we can attain scholarships as well.  Finding the right scholarships all lies in how you search for them, which I will describe in this article.

 

The most important resource that you can use to find good scholarships is your school.  In fact, the first step anyone should take in beginning their search for scholarships is to visit their school’s scholarship office and see what awards are available for students.  Why?  Applying for scholarships through your school greatly reduces the competition and thus increases your chances of winning; instead of competing against thousands of students across the nation, you will only be pitted against other students at your school, probably less than one hundred.  If your grades are high and you write an eye-catching essay, you have a good shot at receiving some of these scholarships.  So, get a list of available scholarships from your school and apply to everyone that you are eligible for.  Especially go for the one’s relating to your major or activities, as the number of applicants for these will be reduced even further.

 

Your next step is to search for scholarships offered by specific companies, as these usually tend to be less competitive.  Corporations such as McDonalds, Best Buy, and Walmart offer thousands of scholarships each, and the often guarantee that a certain number of winners will be selected from each city where they have a store.  You are more likely to win these scholarships than others, as here your competition has been reduced to only the students in your town that choose to apply.  Start looking up scholarships offered by every major company that you know of!

 

Look into government programs, such as the Robert C. Byrd Scholarship.  These scholarships are often awarded to one or two nominees from each school.  For example, the Robert C. Byrd Scholarship is available to high school seniors, and awards $1,500 per year in college for two nominees from each high school.  The key to winning it is merely a high class rank and high SAT scores (the top two will be nominated by each high school first).

 

Lastly, here is what you should not do (or wait until last to do) when applying for scholarships.  Avoid applying for scholarships where you submit an essay to some website, as these are very competitive (competing against students nationally).  The same applies for national scholarships that are worth $10,000 or more.  Yes, that money would be very nice to have, but imagine the tens of thousands of students like you that are thinking the same exact thing.  But, if you have finished with all of the other types of scholarships that I mentioned earlier then it won’t hurt to apply.

 

In conclusion, the key to having a successful year with scholarships is focusing on ones that are localized, that is, scholarships where the competition is limited to students in your school or area.  You are much more likely to win these, and if you put sincere effort into the applications, you definitely have a good chance of winning a few.  Make sure to apply to as many as possible, as even winning one or two will be worth it!  Good luck and happy scholarship hunting!  If you are interested in reading more tips on scholarships and other financial aid programs, visit http://affording-college.blogspot.com and make paying for college easy!

J Clark asked:


Receiving a letter of acceptance from your desired college or university can be one of the most exhilarating experiences in your life. But once the rush of excitement wears off, reality begins to sink in and now you have to face the challenge of how you can pay for the high tuition fees.

One of the most appealing sources for student aid would be scholarships, since they don’t need to be repaid. But the high demand for scholarships has also given rise to a more sinister development: the scholarship scam.

The basic modus operandi for scholarship scams is to promise students that they’re guaranteed to win a scholarship award in exchange for a specific sum of money. Scammers will present themselves as legitimate, believable companies with attractive offers that the unwary can easily fall for.

One of the most common techniques for these scams would be to assure clients that they can ‘guarantee’ an award by paying a ‘service’ charge. They will claim that their service can match you to a scholarship that suits your eligibility. Other companies may also ask for a ‘processing fee’ which they claim will be used to ‘handle’ all your scholarship applications for you.

The marketing pitch for this technique is all about convenience. They would have you believe that by paying money upfront, you will be assured of important college money. And to make the ‘client’ feel even more reassured, some companies will present you with a ‘money-back’ clause should their service fail.

But when you do pay, chances are they will simply take your money and run away faster than Usain Bolt. Try calling their company and you’ll be greeted by abandoned lines or an unattended answering machine.

Other techniques also include unsolicited phone calls or letters telling you that you’re one of the lucky winners of a hefty scholarship prize. They will tell you that in order to claim your award, you must pay for a disbursement fee and/or other tax fees. Most of the time, these con artists will ask you for your bank account and credit card number for ‘verification purposes’.  The moment they do, hang up or walk away.  You’re most probably dealing with a scammer who wants to con you out of your money.

Other scammers are more cunning, however, by passing themselves off as a credible organization. For instance, you may be invited for a financial aid seminar. The seminar will have professional looking presentations with fancy videos. They may even present useful information. But in the end, the whole event is merely a ruse to make you fork over hundreds of dollars for “valuable” scholarship information. 

Understand that there are already numerous legitimate scholarship websites that already provide detailed and useful information regarding scholarship types and application guidelines free of charge. In addition, there are also other sources for scholarship information such as government agencies, colleges and universities and even your high school guidance counselor. All these sources won’t cost you a penny for your inquiries. So why should you even cough up money for a seminar? 

Always remember that scholarship money is like an investment. Credible scholarship providers want to help deserving students get the financial aid they need to finish college and pursue promising careers. But it’s up to you to prove that you deserve the award, and there are no short-cuts for the whole process.

If someone tries to convince you that there is an ‘easier way’ by availing of their services, it’s likely that you are looking at a scam. Be wise enough to decline and, of course, report the company you suspect of fraud.

Penny Hastings asked:


When Jane English, a highly regarded soccer player in her rural high school in Illinois, began looking at colleges and collegiate soccer programs, her parents called the head soccer coaches at each of the schools she was interested in. They extolled her virtues and told the coaches why they would be lucky to have her on their team. Jane didn’t call the coaches herself; Jane also didn’t get recruited.

College coaches are often put off by over enthusiastic, too forward parents. They say they want the student-athlete to make the contact instead.

Chris Bates, head men’s lacrosse coach at Drexel University in Pennsylvania, was quoted by authors Penny Hastings and Todd Caven in their book, How To Win A Sports Scholarship (Redwood Creek Publishing, 2007, $24.95, www.winasportsscholarship.com), “I can appreciate parents wanting the best for their child, but sometimes they are overbearing and don’t realize that they’re putting their son or daughter at a disadvantage.”

Bates continues, “I want to hear that young man stammer through an introduction. I want him to advocate for himself. That’s the young man I want to deal with.”

John Ross, women’s basketball coach at Calvin College, Michigan, agrees. “The student, not the parents, needs to take the initiative.”

With college costs growing annually at a rate of 6.5% (a student starting in the fall of 2007 can expect to pay as much as $69,700 for a four-year degree at a public university; at private institutions this amount could easily climb to $142,000), parents are looking for ways to help pay these daunting expenses. No wonder they want their athletic kids to get a sports scholarship.

Sports and other kinds of scholarships are free money. They don’t have to be repaid. That’s why they are the best form of financial aid. But, sports scholarships are unlike need-based scholarships, given to the families with the greatest financial need. Sports scholarships are talent-based and are awarded by the individual schools’ athletic departments, rather than the colleges, organizations, associations or government agencies. They are used to recruit the best athletes for their school teams.

Talented high school (and 2-year college) athletes should begin researching colleges and the sports programs they might fit into early in their high school years. According to How To Win A Sports Scholarship, the student-athlete should be the team leader, while parents can provide backup support. They can help guide their athletic child through thinking about the type of school that interests them, looking at the competitive the level of the sports program at those schools and encouraging them to contact coaches—by letter, e-mail or phone call–at the schools they identify as possibilities.

According to Hastings and Caven, “Kids don’t have to be superstars. They need to be above-average athletes and students and willing to bring themselves to the attention of college coaches. Once they jump-start the recruiting process, coaches will respond.”

The authors wrote How To Win A Sports Scholarship after their own successful experience. Caven was a junior in high school when he began to look for colleges and hoping he could continue to play soccer at that level. He and his mom, co-author Penny Hastings, put together a ‘game plan’ whereby he contacted college coaches by mail and indicated an interest in their school.

“It was amazing,” says Caven. “While my friends, other really talented high school athletes, weren’t getting noticed by a single coach, I was getting letters, phone calls and e-mails from the coaches I contacted.”

Caven was offered four scholarships and chose Stanford University, where he played varsity soccer for four years, graduating with a degree in economics. His soccer coach, Sam Koch, who is now the head soccer coach at University of Massachusetts, told Caven that he stood out from the crowded field of applicants because he not only made first contact, but he kept in touch with Koch, reiterating his interest.

“That’s key,” says Koch. He appreciates the initiative student-athletes show when they contact him. He encourages parents to stay in the background during this time and let him get to know the student-athlete. He warns that pushy parents can subvert the process and cause coaches to reject their kids. When parents take the lead, coaches suspect they are more interested than their students.

Here’s some advice to parents by college coaches:

“The student-athlete, not the parent, should contact and correspond with the coach,” says Calvin College’s women’s basketball coach John Ross.

“I want to get a feel for the parents. It gives you a better idea about the kids. Sometimes the parents can be a deal-breaker for me,” says Shellie Onstead, field hockey coach, University of California at Berkeley.

“Don’t have your dad do a ‘voice-over’ on the video,” advises Stan Morrison, Athletic Director, University of California at Riverside.

Koch says, “Make sure you carry your own suitcase and sports bag when you come for a campus visit. I’m really put off if I see your parents carrying them for you!”

Bates continues, “I want to hear that young man stammer through an introduction. I want him to advocate for himself. That’s the young man I want to deal with.”

John Ross, women’s basketball coach at Calvin College, Michigan, agrees. “The student, not the parents, needs to take the initiative.”

Chris

If you are in college now or planning to attend college in the near future, the national recession is making the task of paying for a college education even more daunting. Perhaps you were counting on help from your parents, or as a parent, feel you should be providing the best education possible. Parents of students attending college or prospective college students have every right to be concerned. But you should also know that even with dire economic news, there are lots of ways to afford a college education.

As a father of five children I fully understand how difficult paying for college can be. My oldest son decided not to go to college and attended a police academy instead. The cost was modest compared to college, so it did allow me to devote more money to the other kids in the family. My second oldest son wanted to go to a small private college to learn a trade. While I was able to pay some of the costs from savings and current income, a parent Plus loan and student loans covered most of the cost. My daughter started at a private woman’s college with a scholarship for half the cost. She later transferred to a state university, and the cost of attending dropped by more than 50%. Again some savings, student loans, and paying for what we could from our current income has covered the costs.  

Not everyone can save money in advance and with today’s economic uncertainty, most of us are on edge when it comes to affording college. I started saving in mutual funds for each child and learned to move money from growth funds to more conservative money market funds as it got closer to time to pay for college.  This helps ensure that you are not taking too much risk with your money.

My third son is 19 and will graduate next year from college with no debt.  How is he doing it? First, he stayed home and saved on the cost of housing. Attending the local state college is much less expensive than the other six schools he considered. Getting excellent grades in high school allowed him to earn a scholarship for the first years’ costs—this was a big savings.  He has since been able to get additional scholarships, but he also works 30 hours a week (while maintaining a 4.0 GPA).  He is saving $100/week from his part-time job to pay for his senior year and has used the money we saved for him to pay the remaining costs. Avoiding student debt will really help him as he tries to pay for graduate school.

My youngest son is still a few years away from college, so we put money aside in a state 529 fund to take advantage of the tax benefits for this type of investment. The market is down and it allows me to buy more shares in mutual funds at a lower cost.  Over time (I still have more than five years), the stock market will recover and it is likely I will benefit from this fund. We also have money is a separate mutual fund account with an allocation between growth and more stable balanced funds. Additionally, I save all my lose change and have my wife deposit it in a bank savings account, where our youngest son also contributes a part of his weekly allowance. This gives him a stake in the plan to save for college and allows us to have discussions about the options for college costs and how to save for them.  

The most important thing is don’t give up before you get started. MeritAid.com recently surveyed over 2,500 high schools.  The results of the survey are telling—almost fifty percent indicated affording college was an issue of concern. Fifty-seven percent are considering attending a less prestigious college due to cost and sixteen percent don’t think they can attend college right now due to the cost.

Have a frank discussion as a family about what you can afford before you begin to search for colleges. But don’t give up on college because you think you can’t afford it. You may have to start at a community or junior college. In many states, you can get two years of college at the local level with smaller classes and save on the cost of going away to college. High school students can also take Advanced Placement (AP) courses in high school that often translate to college credit, that’s a big savings right off the bat. I was the first person in my family to attend college. I started at a community college and later transferred to a state university. While on active duty with the US Air Force, I continued my education and was able to earn a graduate degree. There are lots of paths toward getting a college education. Explore all the options.

    

Before you decide you can’t afford college, calculate what you can afford on www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov and start searching for scholarships, grants, and loans at free web sites:

Do everything you can to maximize financial aid. Financial aid is actually on the increase. The College Board found that while tuition rose less than one percent over inflation in 2007-2008 for a four-year college, financial aid rose by more than 5.5 percent over the cost of inflation during the same period. College students received more than $143 billion in financial aid, including grants, loans, work-study programs, and tax credits.

If you need help to pay for college, federal loans are an increasingly attractive alternative to private student loans. While the credit crunch is limiting the availability of private loans, the access to federal loans is not affected by the economic downturn. A new benefit of federal loans begins in July 2009, when the payment that borrowers are expected to make will be calculated to be proportional to their income.

Private colleges can remain affordable when you compare value and cost together. Students who assume those institutions are out of their price range might be surprised to learn that private colleges are affordable because need-based and merit scholarships are still available.

If you are attending college in a state where the cost of tuition for a public university is close to the cost of a private college, those costs can be offset by financial aid packages that outpace what public universities can offer. With the additional advantage of getting the classes needed to graduate in four years (unlike many public universities where earning an undergraduate degree can take longer), private colleges can be affordable.

If you or your family is worried about paying for a college education keep in mind a few key must dos:



Get past the “sticker shock.” When you see the tuition price listed at many colleges, don’t assume that’s what you are going to pay and instantly rule out those schools. Thanks to a variety of financial aid programs, few families pay the list price. The College Board reports that average tuition at private colleges after grants and tax benefits are factored in is often $10,000 less—and rising at a slower rate—than the “sticker” price.

Work with Mom and Dad to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Most colleges use the FAFSA to determine student financial assistance. The sooner you submit the FAFSA, the better the chances of getting a generous aid package. If a family’s financial situation changes during the course of the academic year, the college can make adjustments to provide more money immediately rather than waiting until the next school year. My kids learned this lesson the hard way. My 19-year-old son, who will finish college next year, did submit a FAFSA in his second year of college but it was submitted late, and as a result, scholarships had already been dispersed. The outcome of the late submission was that his parents had to pay most of the cost for his sophomore year.

Visit the campus financial aid department often. College financial aid officers should know you by your face and your first name. They are really there to help you and can be a tremendous resource for finding money for college from both the institution itself and the community at large. They will also help you navigate the in and outs of application deadlines. If you are interested in a private college, talk to the campus financial aid office about opportunities for assistance.



News reports about college financial aid may have you thinking that searching for financial aid will find the loan and grant pickings slim at best. But you should not disqualify yourself before investigating all options. In particular, I urge prospective first-generation college students and their families to explore financial aid options rather than concluding that higher education is out of reach in today’s economy. I recommend:



Investigating federal and state grants and loans before going to private loans, and checking alternative lenders thoroughly before applying for a loan. Student Lending Analytics, an independent research firm, has developed an Alternative Loan Guide to assist students and parents.

Meet all financial aid deadlines.

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible beginning January 1, 2009.



With each day seemingly bringing more bad news on the economic front, it’s important to remember that the dream of a college education doesn’t have to be delayed or set aside altogether. Help is out there for students and their families.

 

Curricular Changes in Teacher Education

 

 

India is a developing country. We have thousand years of Tradition and Culture. Different types of people are living in India. In olden days the educational institutions were called as ‘Ashramam’ and teacher was called as ‘Guru’. Guru is a respectable person in the society after mother and father. According to our Vedas Guru is a third God. In olden days they were given importance for shravana, Dhyana and Asana. All types of information are there in Vedas. Yoga is a greatest gift of India to the world. Yoga has its origin in the Vedas, texts that were heard by ancient sages in their state of meditation, and hence are known as srutis. The great sage Vyasa organized the Vedas in a systematic manner. Hence he is known as Veda Vyasa.

Now we are living in the technological world. Vast changes are occurring in day to day life of human being. The effect of Television, Telephone, Radio, Computer, Internet and Mobile is very much in our daily life. Even today also teacher is a role model for the students in the society. Teaching profession is a respectable job in the society. But there are enormous changes were occurred in the system of education.

Western culture is increased. Because of globalization we see everything in the form of commercial. But it is not good. Teacher is a nation builder. The development of any country depends upon its educational system. Any type of development is possible through education.

The concept of curriculum can be perceived as a connective link between teacher and student, organized in such a way to achieve goals previously set by the teacher, the learning organization or by the curriculum specialists.

            Curriculum is a means to the education. While education is learning, curriculum signifies situations for learning. While education deals with ‘how’ and ‘when’, Curriculum deals with ‘what’ education is a product, curriculum is the plan.

Teacher Education

Teacher education is an integral component of the educational system. It is intimately connected with society and is conditioned by the ethos, culture and character of a nation. The constitutional goals, the directive principles of the state policy, the socio-economic problems and the growth of knowledge, the emerging expectations and the changes operating in education, etc. call for an appropriate response from a futuristic education system and provide the perspective within which teacher education programmes need to be viewed.

When India attained freedom, the then existing educational system was accepted as such because it was thought that an abrupt departure from the same would be disturbing and destabilizing. Thus a predisposition to retain the system acquired preponderance and all that was envisaged by way of changes was its rearrangement. Consequently, education including teacher education largely remained isolated from the needs and aspirations of the people. During the last five decades certain efforts have been made to indigenize the system. The gaps, however, are still wide and visible. The imperatives for building the bridges may be as follows:

- To build a national system of teacher education based on India’s cultural ethos, its unity and diversity synchronizing with change and continuity.

- To facilitate the realization of the constitutional goals and emergence of the new social order.

- To prepare professionally competent teachers to perform their roles effectively as per needs of the society.

- To upgrade the standard of teacher education, enhance the professional and social status of teachers and develop amongst them a sense of commitment.

Scenario of Teacher Education

The need for improved levels of educational participation for overall progress is well recognised. The key role of educational institutions in realising it is reflected in a variety of initiatives taken to transform the nature and function of education — both formal as well as non-formal. Universal accessibility to quality education is considered essential for development. This has necessitated improvement in the system of teacher education so as to prepare quality teachers.

Various Commissions and Committees, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Commission (1948), Secondary Education Commission (1953), Kothari Commission (1964-66) etc., are appointed by the Central and the State Governments in recent decades have invariably emphasised the need for quality teacher education suited to the needs of the educational system. The Secondary Education Commission (1953) observed that a major factor responsible for the educational reconstruction at the secondary stage is teachers’ professional training. The Education Commission (1964-66) stressed that ‘in a world based on science and technology it is education that determines the level of prosperity, welfare and security of the people’ and that ‘a sound programme of professional education of teachers is essential for the qualitative improvement of education.’

India has a large system of education. There are nearly 5.98 lakh Primary Schools, 1.76 lakh Elementary Schools and 98 thousand High / Higher Secondary Schools in the country, about 1300 teacher education institutions for elementary teachers and nearly 700 colleges of education / university departments preparing teachers for secondary and higher secondary schools. Out of about 4.52 million teachers in the country nearly 3 million are teaching at the primary/ elementary level. A sizeable number of them are untrained or under-trained. In certain regions, like the North-East, there are even under- qualified teachers. As far as in-service education is concerned the situation is not very encouraging. It is estimated that on an average 40% of the teachers are provided in-service teacher education once over a period of five years. Regarding non-formal education, though a number of models are in vogue in various states in the country, much more needs to be done to prepare teachers and other functionaries for the system.

The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) as a non-statutory body (1973-1993) took several steps as regards quality improvement in teacher education. Its major contribution was to prepare Teacher Education Curriculum Framework in 1978. Consequently, teacher education curricula witnessed changes in teacher preparation programmes in various universities and boards in the country. A similar effort was made in 1988.

During the last decade, new thrusts have been posed due to rapid changes in the educational, political, social and economic contexts at the national and international levels. Curriculum reconstruction has also become imperative in the light of some perceptible gaps in teacher education. Teacher education by and large, is conventional in its nature and purpose. The integration of theory and practice and consequent curricular response to the requirements of the school system still remains inadequate. Teachers are prepared in competencies and skills which do not necessarily equip them for becoming professionally effective. Their familiarity with latest educational developments remains insufficient. Organised and stipulatory learning experiences whenever available, rarely contribute to enhancing teachers’ capacities for self-directed life long learning. The system still prepares teachers who do not necessarily become professionally competent and committed at the completion of initial teacher preparation programmes. A large number of teacher training institutions do not practice what they preach. Several of the skills acquired and methodologies learnt are seldom.

 

 

Definitions of curriculum, from Oliva (1997). 

Curriculum is:

      That which is taught in schools

      A set of subjects.

      Content

      A program of studies.

      A set of materials

      A sequence of courses.

      A set of performance objectives

      A course of study

      Is everything that goes on within the school, including extra-class activities, guidance, and interpersonal relationships.

      Everything that is planned by school personnel.

      A series of experiences undergone by learners in a school.

      That which an individual learner experiences as a result of schooling.

Flexibility of the Curriculum

            In India there are large number of communities living in the hilly area, the plateau area, the dessert area, plain area and costal area all having their own peculiar individuality, environment customs and needs. There fore, the same curriculum can’t be forced upon all, irrespective of their needs and environment. It must differ from locality to locality and from society to society.

            “The destiny of India now being shaped in her class rooms”. In the world based on science and technology it is education that determines the level of prosperity, security and welfare of the people (Education Commission 1964-66).

Different types of Curricula

There are eleven types of curricula

1.      Overt, explicit, or written curriculum

2.      Societal curriculum

3.      The hidden or covert curriculum

4.      The null curriculum

5.      Phantom curriculum

6.      Concomitant curriculum

7.      Rhetorical curriculum

8.      Curriculum-in-use

9.      Received curriculum

10.  The internal curriculum

11.  The electronic curriculum

Teacher Education Curriculum at Different Stages – NCTE

Teacher Education at the Pre-Primary Stage

 Objectives

·         Enabling student teachers to inculcate among children a desire to know their immediate natural environment, to love and respect it;

·         Preparing student teachers to use local resources and local contexts. 

 

Curriculum Content and Transaction

Teacher education curriculum at this stage need to develop awareness about literacy programmes, community dynamics, national and local customs, fairs and festivals and community mode of social living. It may also develop awareness of forces affecting environment including pollution, appreciation of places of historical and cultural significance and special educational features and developmental tasks contained in policies and programmes. 

Teacher Education at the Primary Stage

Objectives

·         Developing among student teachers skills for teaching integrated environmental studies, integrated social sciences and integrated science and technology;

·         Enabling student teachers to inculcate among children a desire to know their immediate natural environment, to love and respect it; 

Implications for Pre-service Teacher Education

 Curriculum Content and Transaction

It is necessary that student teachers be sensitised to the need for reducing curriculum load, organise appropriate learning experiences which are joyful in nature and related to immediate environment of the learner and help them develop and imbibe desirable values.

Teacher education programmes at this stage shall have to provide subject based orientation. Teaching and learning of mathematics would be woven around the environment of the learners so that environmental concerns are properly integrated. The activities would focus on local culture and environment using the local specific contexts and resources. Student teachers shall have to be provided with experiences to help children develop socio-emotional and cultural aspects. A realistic awareness and perspective of the phenomena occurring in the environment will have to be linked with social or scientific events. This may be accomplished by emphasizing observation, classification, comparison and drawing of inferences, conducted within and outside the classroom. 

Teacher Education at the Secondary Stage& Higher Secondary Stage

Objectives

·         Developing among student teachers awareness and sensitivity towards environment concern and promoting skills for meeting environmental challenges; 

Implications for Pre-service Teacher Education

Academic Stream

In addition, concerns like ecological imbalances, environmental degradation also have to be studied in their socio-cultural-economic context. 

 

 

 

Addressing Special Educational Needs of Learners

Education of the Gifted and Talented: Major Thrusts

Objectives

·         Enabling student teachers to develop among the gifted and talented students social responsibility and commitment to the society and the environment; 

In-Service Education of Teachers

Objectives

·         Enabling teachers to be sensitive to gender and environment-related issues. 

Need of Curriculum Changes in Teacher Education

            India has thousand years of tradition and culture. Educational institutions were called as Ashramam and teacher was called as Guru. A tremendous change was occurred in our daily life. Due to globalization now the educational system is affected totally. Now the educational institutions give importance for technical education. Teacher is a national builder. He has a capacity to change the society. By knowing the importance of technology, communication skills, National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) introduced a separate subject on technology known as ‘Educational Technology’ at both B.Ed and M.Ed levels. Computer Education, Communicative English, Personality Development are also introduced at B.Ed. level. Now we are facing so many problems like terrorism, poverty and high-population. We want such type of curriculum which improves peace, non-violence, positive attitude and values in the society. By inculcating these things in teacher education curriculum, we will get positive change in the society. Our National Education Policy (1986) and other Education Committees and Commissions were also given importance for quality teacher education. But it is our duty that to follow such type of curriculum. By conducting national seminars, workshops and conferences it is important to collect eminent scholars attitude towards importance of curricular change in the present scenario. There are many recommendations about curriculum change, but they are not in practice.

Guidelines/Suggestions

Ø      The present curriculum format of teacher education at different levels, pre-primary, elementary and secondary education is generally based, apart from others on Foundation Courses, which includes philosophical, sociological and psychological perspectives of education. The intention is that the teacher must have a conceptual understanding of the field of education, its significant concerns which are relevant for political, social and cultural development of the nation so that the teacher is just not responsible only for performing “knick knacks” of the task of teaching but is also imbued with the perspectives of creating individuals who can apply their minds to the diverse situations that obtain in the field of education. It is the Foundation Courses which provide a lot of scope for being recast to lay focus on discussion on the issues listed in the preceding chapters. Apart from others, it can re-look at the existing curriculum and divide it into appropriate cluster of topics which include the core elements of the NPE and the Constitutional concerns related to non-discrimination. Other areas of equal relevance for development of the ideas are the internship in teaching and working with the community.

Ø      The type of exercises for developing the values related to non-discrimination as given in the chapters on sex/gender, caste/tribe, disability, etc. could become the central themes of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities of the teacher education institutions. It is not the intention to repeat the listing of those activities here in this chapter; a reference can be made to these activities in the appropriate chapters in which they have been listed.

Ø      It could also be helpful to plan orientation programme on teacher education on this theme. The seminars could familiarize the teacher educators with strategies for operationalizing the teaching-learning dimensions relevant to the theme. An effective way to institutionalize the concept is to incorporate it in the elementary and secondary pre-service teacher education curriculum. This could be supplemented by a suitable co-curricular programme which should aim at offsetting some of the shortcomings in the curricular approach especially in terms of attitude and value development.

Ø      What is needed is a vigorous advocacy with state educational agencies, teacher education institutions and university departments of education for conscious inclusion of such components in the curricula.

Ø      In order to overcome the disadvantage of fragmented treatment of the theme, it is suggested that an independent comprehensive unit comprising familiarization with the Constitution of India and its concerns as impinge on education should be incorporated in the elementary and secondary teacher education courses.

Ø      In India, evaluation system influences the educational process especially the quality of classroom teaching significantly, and as such a separate unit of educational imperatives of Constitution will ensure due importance and weightage to the theme in the classroom teaching.

Ø      A great deal depends on the ingenuity and dedication of teachers and teacher educators in achieving anything substantial through education. If the concerns are handled with sincerity and purpose, they could definitely bring about the desired transformation in the educational system through teacher education.

Conclusion

Today we are in a technological world where things are happening fast. Parents and teachers would like to be getting results fast. India has kept pace in science and technology with forward nations but we have shown slower pace in our value system even when we have a strong heritage of human values.

An overview of the context and concerns as discussed earlier, teacher’s profile and general and specific objectives would define the boundaries of a curriculum framework. The perceived characteristics of the envisaged curriculum framework would include the following:

- Reflects the Indian heritage, acts as an instrument in the realization of national goals and fulfills aspirations of people.

- Responds to the latest developments in the field of education.

- Establishes integration of theory and practice of education.

- Provides multiple educational experiences to teachers.

- Enables teachers to experiment with new ideas.

- Ensures inseparability of pre-service and in-service education of teachers.

- Sets achievable goals for various stages of teacher education.

According to Swami Vivekananda Teacher gives knowledge and bright future to his students. He always trying to help students and encourages good habits not only in the students but also in the society. Teacher is a backbone for country’s development. The influence of teacher is more in the student life. Any type of social development depends upon its educational system. So it is very important to give prime priority for Teacher Education Curriculum. It is very important to give place to science and technology in Teacher Education Curriculum. Then surely India will become powerful and rich country in the world.

References

1.      Saxena N.R., Mishra B.K., Mohanthy R.K. ‘Teacher Education’, Surya Publications, Near Govt. Inter College, Meerut, First Edition, 1998.

2.      http://www.ncte-in.org/

3.      http://www.aponline.gov.in/

4.      http://www.ncert.nic.in/

 

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Peter Salazar asked:


It is the most baffling issue for a student to choose amongst top US universities. One needs to put in lot of hard work while locating a beneficial degree program and best university offering it. Remember! There is a very thin line of difference between a good and a bad decision. So, you need to carry out deep research and analysis before selecting a university, which could later on prove to be a milestone in long run.

Most Critical Factors To Address

Before you make a decision, measure the weight of your decision by taking into account its future prospects. Here is what you need to think more than once:

The reputation and industrial value of courses offered by a particular university.

Scholarship options offered by the university.

Fees structure and other financial requirements you would require to fulfill, once you are enrolled with a particular university.

Various special quotas offered by the university to certain sections of students.

Number of students enrolling each year in various degree courses.

Student loan facilities, if available.

These aspects lay a foundation for decision on which your selection for a university must be based. Don’t forget to take suggestions from friends, senior students and other experts in educational fields.

Online Universities – Are They worth It

A number of online US universities have emerged in recent time period, which are considered as good options for non-residents of USA. These options hold value for those students as well, who have relocation problems from one region to other and also, who are in favor of pursuing a degree program while doing a job.

The most alluring aspect of online universities is that it offers economical degree programs, as compared to traditional counterparts. However, one has to sacrifice the advantage of learning in a warm atmosphere and this is the biggest reason of interruption of online learning. Thus, you must review the decision of joining online universities to leave no scope for regrets in future.

Top Options We Want To Recommend

United States is a cluster of most respectable educational hubs and this is evident from the fact that millions of students are registered with various universities and colleges every year. Keeping this in mind, it becomes essential at this moment to name few most admirable options existing in the form of US universities. Thus, you can choose amongst Harvard University, Stanford University, Barry University, Boston University, Manhattan College and Claremont Graduate University.

It is recommended to take a worthy decision by referring to all good sources available in your hands. After all, this decision is going to underpin your march towards a successful career.

INSPIRATION AND PERSPIRATION!

Ever thought of putting together a pinup calendar featuring hot guys enrolled at your college or university?

Most people who think of creating a “Men of (Your) University” calendar assume that all they need to do is locate only 12 hunky college males and have them photographed. These tasks must be accomplished. But there’s much more to publishing a calendar and many more than 12 college guys must be recruited.

Besides recruiting, selecting, and training your student male models, there is production of the actual calendar, which includes photography, arranging graphic design and commercial printing. After the calendars are delivered, news media publicity must be arranged. Promotional events must be held. And, of course, your pinup calendar must be marketed!

But, first, the best-looking campus guys at your university or college must be recruited. After a decade of publishing, recruiting of college men, the Campus Men Calendar operation has learned a great deal and refined its approach. So, here are the facts:

GUYS WANT TO DO IT!

There is a high demand to appear in pinup calendars of college men. Publishers should be able to choose from many college guys. Therefore, do not cater to, or try to convince any one college student to appear. Either they want to appear in your calendar or they do not! Students who need special handling often drag their feet and cause delays. Delays cost in potential sales. Therefore, students who expect you to cater to them, cost you sales.

BEWARE OF GIRLFRIENDS!

Beware of any college guy who involves his girlfriend into your operation. Why? Because girlfriends do not truly want their boyfriends to “model.” Yes, they want their boyfriend to be “good looking” and for his looks to be “model quality,” but they really do not want them going on photo shoots, meeting female models and certainly do not want the competition that is generated from having their boyfriend’s body being advertised to other females by appearing in a calendar.

When it comes time to choose the best calendar photograph, girlfriends can spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E. A revealing photograph may be threatening to a girlfriend. When it comes to their bodies, guys want to “show it off.” Girlfriends want their men under wraps.

If you hold a promotional event after the calendar is released, any controlling girlfriend will either want to attend the event or will encourage your model not to attend. Remember, you cannot replace a model once the calendar is printed. You will only be able to select from the batch of 12 who appear in the calendar. That means if five guys are unreliable, you only have seven to choose from. How many of those seven will be working at their job during your event? If you convince a bar owner to hold an event, but only have one model show up, you might be in big trouble and possibly owe the bar owner for their advertising costs. If no models show up at a retail store that carries your calendar, you just might loose that store as an outlet!

In summary, chose independent-minded males.

SEX STILL SELLS?

The theme of the calendar drives which students should be recruited and selected. At Campus Men, we chose a theme that was developed after years of trial and error. Our theme was to present young, all-American college guys in sensual poses.

Your photos should answer the question of: I wonder what that incredible-looking guy I saw on campus would look like in bed? If a publisher wants to sell calendars, it is foolish to feature college men wearing sweaters. Publish photographs of guys wearing suits, fully clothed or face shots only - and you will not be returning to the market with a calendar the second year. If you want to sell calendars, appeal to the sexual motivations of the viewer, whether through a cute smile, great face or body or skimpy clothing. Attempt to give the viewer a fantasy of what it is like to be intimate with the college student.

You do not have to depict models fully nude with penis showing. Snug-fitting boxer briefs (or less) are just as exciting. Many guys will readily show their bare buttocks. By choosing students who are exhibitionists versus guys who are conservative, you give yourself valuable creative freedom when it comes time to photograph these college male models. Choose a male student who obsesses about which poses he will not pose for, versus choosing a young guy who is grateful for the opportunity you are offering, and you will undoubtedly find the production process more difficult.

Remember, there are thousands of students enrolled at your university. Why choose the ones who do not care about your profitability? You will find that buyers will remark on the one or two provocative photos that appear in your finished calendar. “Skin” photos draw more e-mails and sell more copies.

Campus Men learned this by accident. Gus Dakis posed for what our male model photographer calls a “miracle photograph” because the photo shoot was hastily put together due to bad weather. Gus and our photographer sped off to the photo shoot location and set up equipment as the rain still dripped from gutters around the pool house.

Yet, once set up, there was still no sun, which was needed for the photograph. Gus stood in exact position under the showerhead and our photographer stood by with his camera, continuously measuring light readings. Just as they decided to wrap it up and go home without taking any photos, the sun fell below the clouds, engulfing the pool area in a beautiful, brilliant deep gold color. A half roll of film was snapped off before the sun fell beyond the horizon.

Surprisingly, Gus’ photograph, which was created in two and one-half minutes, became the most popular image in Campus Men that year and was responsible for many sales. Why? Because the photo depicted Gus in a pair of wet, white shorts that inadvertently became translucent because of the hectic pace of that day’s photo shot.

GO FOR A CAMPUS FEEL

Design photographs with a collegiate or athletic feel to them, rather than “beach” themed photos. If people want to buy a beach theme calendar, they will buy the “Chippendales” calendar. Even the Chippendales calendar has changed to more “bedroom themes.” Remember, buyers want YOUR calendar because it offers college guys. While college guys are seen on beaches only during Spring Break, one will usually find college guys on the school’s quad, in a fraternity house, or playing sports. So, photograph your college men where buyers expect to see college guys. Plan imagery that brings college life to mind or portrays the college student as a sexy athlete.

Remember, the successful theme of a calendars should be: “Here’s what that athletic guy you passed on the quad looks like in bed.”

RECRUIT EXTENSIVELY

Far more than 12 students must be recruited. Calendar production processes call for locating as many attractive males on your campus as possible. It is not usual to evaluate at least 125 college guys and as many as 500 during the entire process. If you want to organize a calendar, your goal should be to meet hundreds of hot college guys.

A large number must be secured because the most important issue - other than quality of photographs - is timing of delivery. Delivering early in the sales season is very important. Calendars must be produced for delivery on June 1 of each year. This allows a seven-month selling season and allows featured college guys to talk up and sell calendars during the summer (when they have ample time to sell because they are not enrolled in classes; are usually home among family and friends). It also allows sales through national magazines, and allows the producers to reach incoming freshmen college guys visiting the campus during orientation sessions, held during June through August. This means the calendar also will be on store shelves in time for students who arrive back for the beginning of fall quarter and are seeking to decorate dorm or sorority room walls.

Winter term is a poor time to recruit college guys because completing any activity takes more time due to cold weather. We cannot easily see what college guys look like because they cover themselves with clothing when outdoors. College guys generally stay indoors, become sedentary, gain weight, and do not have tans.

If only 12 college guys are recruited, the operation can be delayed if even one student drops out or is dismissed.

Recruit a large number of college guys because appearing in a calendar is not for everyone. We found that we had to screen all guys to select only those who are willing to pose nude or nearly nude. Why? Because college-oriented calendars are not the thing for timid or conservative young men. We have published many pinup calendars with varying degrees of provocativeness. Tame pinup calendars are nice. But, few buyers actually part with $15 to buy a boring male calendar. More risqué calendars have always been more popular in sales.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Here’s what to look for in a college-guy model for a pinup calendar:

• Outgoing, can sell calendars. Guys who like to talk to everyone and anyone

• Muscular or defined body

• Confident guys. Young men with self-esteem problems make problems for you.

• Comfortable posing nude, uninhibited, the kind of guy who would skinny-dip for fun or go streaking at the drop of a hat

Advertising did not bring in the “right” type of college guys. Many young men who are perfect for your calendar would never think of submitting their names to you. They must be invited. That is where student recruiters are valuable.

Advertise for a team of students whose sole duty is to stop college guys on an informal basis. Advertising to locate recruiters can include classified ads, as well as fliers to sororities, career placement offices and dorms. Aim for at least three “hard core” recruiters, a Greek system recruiter and a minority representative. Recruiters need not be female. Guys can recruit and sometimes find it easier to approach other guys in gyms, classes and on the quad. Girls sometimes thinks asking a guy to pose is like asking him for a date.

NUMBERS GAME

About 60 percent of the college guys recruiters find will be acceptable. Of those students, 75 percent will accept an offer to appear. Therefore, to secure 22 acceptable college men, recruiters should locate 50 guys per calendar.

Compensation to recruiters is a finder’s fee paid for each “found” student who appears in the published calendar. Fees are payable only if the recruited student appears in the calendar. Do not pay a finder’s fee if you do not select the college student to appear, if the college student declines your offer to appear, drops out before publication, or is dismissed for any reason.

After a college guy applies to appear in a calendar (through a website), collect a bio or tape an interview with the individual. That’s how selection of new “male models” begins!

Revitalizing secondary education

By Sadaket Malik

With the central government lobbing its ball to the state governments for the implementation of the several schemes  for the revitalization of the system of the secondary education in the country, the schemes of the access, equity, Mahila Samakhya, and quality in the field of secondary education has lost its very essence. Basic issues of quality, equity and access to secondary education in India still unresolved besides the central legislations by the Ministry of Human Resource development Govt of India. The expert committees were formulated by the Govt. to gauge the system and suggest the measures to universalize the whole system. The central governments own figures indicate that many as two-thirds of those eligible for secondary education remain outside the school system today. A Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) committee estimates that 88,562 additional classrooms will be required in 2007-08 and over 1.3 lakh additional teachers. The CABE is the highest advisory body relating to policy making in education in India. Figures put out by the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s Department of School Education and Literacy indicate that as many as two-thirds of those eligible for secondary and senior secondary education remain outside the school system today. While noting that adequate number of elementary schools is to be found at a reasonable distance from habitations, the ministry admits in its website that this is not the case with regard to secondary schools and colleges. The gross enrolment rate for elementary education in 2003-04 was 85 percent, but for secondary education, the enrolment figure stood at 39 percent.

Pertinently, the CABE report also notes that the benefits of India’s reservation policy in higher education are unlikely to reach those it’s intended for in the absence of a strong secondary education system. A large majority of children and youth belonging to SC and ST community  do not have access to secondary education; less than 10 percent of the girls among SCs and STs have access to the plus two stage. Without secondary or senior secondary education, benefits of reservation to SCs/STs will remain elusive,” the report says. These are questions that the CABE report tries to address. School systems, the report says, should strive for equality and social justice, transcending discrimination that may arise because of gender, economic disparity, societal norms on caste and community, location (urban area or rural), disabilities (physical and mental) and cultural or linguistic differences. However, these inequities seem bound to remain given the current circumstances, where the government involvement in secondary education is much less than what is expected of it. The Committee report says that almost 25 percent of the secondary schools today are private, unaided schools whose clientele comes only from the privileged sections of society. Expert opines that Private education has always played an important role we have different types of private secondary schools, such as private unrecognized, private recognized but unaided schools, and private, recognized and aided schools. In Kerala and West Bengal, it’s common to see private aided schools, which are schools run by private managements that receive government grants. Going by the Sixth All India Survey Data, the CABE report notes that private aided schools account for over 46 percent of all secondary school students. The overwhelming participation of the private sector in secondary education, however, in no way absolves the government of its many responsibilities. To improve access to secondary education, experts agree that the government should invest more money. Unfortunately, the Centre has baulked at involving itself even in primary education, more so when it has to be on a collision. course with private schools.

Similarly, though the CABE committee report advocates a common school system, the government seems to have already shown its disinterest.The CABE report was accepted in principle, but soon after, the Planning Commission diluted our recommendation that the typical secondary school should be like a Kendriya Vidyalaya. The Commission started saying that instead of Kendriya Vidyalaya norms, SSA norms could be extended to secondary schools. Such a move would result in parallel streams of education with poor quality being accepted as a part of secondary education. The CABE committee, incidentally, had worked out the expenditure that will be incurred if all secondary schools are managed like Kendriya Vidyalayas. The total costs in such a scenario do not exceed six percent of the GDP but that does not seem to have been enough to convince the government. The report does not mention how many additional schools will be needed to meet the future demand. However, it presents two estimates, one projection based on the 100 percent success of SSA and the other, the 75 percent success of the programme. In the case of the former, the report estimates that 88,562 additional classrooms will be required in 2007-08 and over 1.3 lakh additional teachers

A worrisome trend in government schools, undoubtedly a factor contributing to their poor performance, is the fact that almost 95 percent of the government grants go into paying staff salaries. There is no money for buying teaching learning materials, for cleaning or blackboards,” he explains. The ratio should be at least 80:20, with 20 percent of the grant being used for improving or creating infrastructure, he adds. To ensure that government schools are more efficiently managed, a committee comprising members from the neighborhood could be asked to take decisions concerning the school, suggests several experts  of CABE Committee. Experts opines that there are several examples of successful private-public partnerships. “There have been initiatives like DPS Delhi Public School being given the responsibility to run two-three government schools in Gurgaon in Haryana In this way, the private schools can manage the schools for a while and use their expertise to train teachers.

The educationists have a consensus that the children are actually walking out because there is no quality education. Poor children can ill-afford to spend their time in classes that are taken badly, or in schools that have no infrastructure or teachers. Instead of looking for the reasons that are behind the problem, the government appears to be trying to implicate parents or children for the ‘drop-out’ rates. The CABE committee report has already set down comprehensive norms that secondary schools should follow, ranging from having one classroom for 30 students, ensuring safe drinking water facilities and separate toilets for girls and boys to computer labs. Experts also suggest granting free ships or scholarships to those from disadvantaged backgrounds to encourage enrolment in secondary and senior secondary schools. The CABE report notes that expansion of secondary education can be achieved by setting up new schools, upgrading existing elementary schools into high schools by providing more infrastructure and adding to the facilities in existing secondary schools to accommodate more students.

In view of this, the Central and the State/UT governments must jointly initiate planning to implement the agenda of universal and free secondary education in the first phase by the year 2015 and then extend it to senior secondary education in the second phase by the year 2020. The conventional expectation from secondary/senior secondary education lies in its role in creating the necessary base for generating technical person power, raising the potential of a society in contributing to the growth of knowledge and skills and thereby enhancing the nation’s capacity to face the challenge of global competitiveness.

The no of  higher secondary schools has been raised to 50,273 with  1000112 teachers, and figure of secondary schools is 101,777 with 1082878 teachers. Official statistics reveal that the enrolment of secondary and higher secondary school level is  3.70  crore and the gross enrolment ratio is 39.91. The total dropout rate up to matric is 61.92 as on September 2004. The population of children in this age group has been estimated to be 88.5 million as per Census, 2001.Enrolment figures show that only 31 million of these children were attending schools in 2001-02,

However, Para 5.13 –5.15 of the National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 (as modified in 1992) deal with Secondary Education. Para 5.13. of the NPE, inter alia states that access to Secondary Education will be widened with emphasis on enrolment of girls, SCs and STs, particularly in science, commerce and vocational streams. The disparity between boys’ and girls’ enrollment is particularly marked at the secondary stage. As per the latest data available, out of the total enrollment of 21.2 millions n 1991-92 (as on 30.9.91) at the secondary stage (Classes IX and above), the girls account for 7 millions only, i.e. mere 33 per cent of the total enrollment, whereas boy’s enrollment at this stage of education is 67 per cent of the total enrollment.

            Nevertheless, a significant progress is also made in all spheres of secondary education. More than 84 per cent habitations in 1993-94 had a secondary school/section within a distance of 8 km as compared to 70 per cent within 5 km.  The number of unserved habitations declined from 21 per cent in 1986-87 to 15 per cent in 1993-94.  During 1950-51 to 1999-2000, number of secondary & higher secondary schools increased from 7 thousand to 117 thousand.  The increase (16 times) is much more rapid than the corresponding increase in primary (3 times) and upper primary (14 times) schools.   In the latest decade (1990 to 99), more than 37 thousand secondary & higher secondary schools were opened. The ratio of upper primary to secondary schools also improved from 1.83 in 1950-51 to 1.69 in 1999-2000.

Keeping in view the dismal statistics of secondary education in the country, Ministry of HRD launched several schemes, like scheme for strengthening of boarding and hostel facilities for girl students of secondary and higher secondary schools. The scheme is being implemented by NGOs and of the state governments. A one-time grant non recurring  grant @Rs.1500/- per girl boarder for purchase of furniture (including beds)and utensils and provision of basic recreational aids, particularly material for sports and games, reading room equipments and books. And recurring Rs.5000/- per annum per girl boarder for food and salary of cook. Finally, The CABE Committee in June 2005 recommended that “there is no alternative acceptable to regular schooling of good quality to all the girls”. The Committee also felt that “incentives offered for promotion of girls education need to be revisited and measures taken need to be of such nature, force and magnitude that they are able to overcome the obstacles posed by factors such as poverty, domestic/sibling responsibilities, girl child labour, low preference to girl’s education, preference to marriage over the education of girl child, etc.” The key issues relating to secondary education highlighted in the Tenth Plan are: greater focus on improving access; reducing disparities by emphasizing the Common School System; renewal of curricula with emphasis on vocationalisation and employment-oriented courses; expansion and diversification of the Open Learning System; reorganization of teacher training and greater use of ICT. After merging several schemes like ET & CLASS scheme, a new Scheme called ICT Schools was launched for which the Annual Plan Outlay for 2006-07 was Rs. 67 crore. The intervention of the Central Government in Secondary Education has primarily been in two areas, (i) through apex level bodies and (ii) through various Centrally Sponsored Schemes. Central Government supports autonomous organizations like NCERT, CBSE, KVS and NVS and CTSA, the first named body for providing research and policy support to the Central and State Governments; CBSE for affiliating Secondary Schools and the remaining three for their own school systems. There are 929 Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVS) and 507 Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVS), and 69 Central Schools for Tibetans (CTSA).  Scheme of Vocationalistion of Secondary Education at secondary level to enhance individual Employability. Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) launched in 2007 is a mission-mode exercise to universalize secondary education in which the centre is all set to universalize the secondary education till 2020.

The irony is that the arguments on the part of HRD ministry on community participation in implementing such schemes are not encouraging. Government should initiate evaluation mechanism and core commission to evaluate the progress of the schemes and policies to support the education sector by community mobilization to revitalize the schemes and put the policies into practice.

The author can be contacted at sadaketmalik@rediffmail.com