UNESCO praises Modi govt for educational initiatives, hopes more Education is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set in the wake of UN Millennium Summit 2000, in which all 189 UN members had pledged to achieve “education for all” by 2015. For accelerating progress towards MDG 2, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon launched 5-year Global Education First Initiative (GEFI) in Sep 2012 with 3 priorities: put every child in school, uplift the quality of learning, and foster global citizenship. India fails in delivering education for all: Now, while 2015 has started knocking the door, UNESCO has lamented over Indias woeful performance in this regard clarifying that the goal of getting all children in school by 2015 is now apparently impossible to achieve. Its report published in June 2014 has pointed out that 1.4 million children of 6-11 years of age are still out of school. It was due to largest cut in aid to basic education by India, which fell by a whopping $278 million between 2010 and 2012. The report has expressed the concern that it can hurt level of school enrolment and quality. Moreover, as per 2010-11 data of HR Development, 41% children drop out before reaching Class VIII. DISE, NUEPA, New Delhi reveals that around seven million girls of India suffer from lack of separate toilet facility in schools. Degradation in quality of Indian education : UNESCO report has also thrown light upon degrading standard of Indian education system. The report says that in spite of after four years of school education, 90% children from poor families remain illiterate. Even after attending five-six years of school, nearly 30% children reach illiteracy rate. Elaborating upon the significance of quality education, UNESCO New Delhi director Shigeru Aoyagi had stated that India was facing a challenge on this front. Albeit, erstwhile UPA Government passed Right to Education Act in 2010, but it paid no attention towards what they learn in schools. Other reasons behind lowering quality include poor student-teacher ratio, less qualified teachers, teacher absenteeism and lack of basic infrastructure, which need to be dealt with. Initiatives taken by Modi govt to improve Indian education Modi-led NDA govt have resolved to frame a new education policy based on academic merit on way, for which govt will carry out discussion from January 2015 inviting suggestions from educationalist, teachers as well as students, in which last were ignored while framing earlier education policy in 1986. PM Modi believes that skill development is more important than degrees and hence skills have been separated from education with a separate budget. For ensuring education for all, HRD minister Ms Smriti Irani plans to launch “Shala Praveshotsav”, an enrolment drive for government primary schools, which was started by Modi in Gujarat over a decade ago. “Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat” programme focuses upon early reading, writing and comprehension and early grade mathematics. “Shala Darpan” initiative will update parents about their childrens progress in concern with their attendance, assignments and achievements. Among other initiatives include Pragati, Save the Daughter Teach the Daughter, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao for girl child’s education, and scholarships for differently-abled and North-East students. In Dec 2014, govt will launch a program to financially assist school dropouts, which majorly include women, tribal children and those from other backward or scheduled castes. Irani says that Govt is taking steps to realise PM’s vision of having separate toilets for girls in schools by July 2015. Challenges before Modi govt for improving education : Commending Modi govt’s initiatives for revolutionizing education, UNESCO Director-General Ms Irina Bokova has also pointed out the remaining challenges. She says that more can be done particularly for reducing inequalities to reach most disadvantaged and excluded children. According to Bokova, govt needs to do more for breaking the barriers between formal education and skills development and for tapping the full power of India’s greatest resource- its young population. If Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign is extended to education sector, then it can ensure the overall development of India, which is enriched with a treasure-house of talented and energetic scientists, doctors, engineers, businessmen and other people.
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 14:17:13 +0000
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