It was was held at Goa, India from 28th to 31st January,
2002
The Open Schooling system has been pursuing a mission to provide
education to those who have missed the opportunity to complete
school education. It provides education through courses and
programmes of general, life enrichment and vocational education
from primary to pre-degree level. Both Formal and Alternative
Schooling systems are required to take steps to meet the
educational needs of the children who for various reasons are out
of school. Keeping in view the nature of clientele, the Open
Schooling System, with its structural flexibilities related to
place of learning, time of learning, eligibility criteria,
students' choice in selecting combinations of subjects, and the
scheme of examinations, a viable strategy for reaching the
unreached may contribute to universalization of school
education.
Commonwealth of Learning (COL)
Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Canada is an intergovernmental
organisation created by Commonwealth Heads of Government to
encourage the development and sharing of Open Learning and Distance
Education knowledge, resources and technologies. The purpose of COL
is to create and widen access to education and to improve its
quality utilising distance education techniques.
National Open School (NOS)
The National Open School (NOS), an autonomous institution set up
by Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development,
Government of India, has emerged as a unique organisation
constituting in itself functions of Teaching Institution which
adopts Open Learning and Distance Education Methodology and
performs the role of the National Board in Open Schooling coupled
with the quality assurance and resource support role of an Apex
Agency at the National Level.
Collaborative endeavors between Commonwealth of Learning and
National Open School
National Open School (NOS) shares with the Commonwealth of
Learning (COL) the common concern to take education to the doors of
disadvantaged groups of children and adults through Open Distance
Learning. It is due to the close inter-linkage and collaborative
endeavours that in recent times some significant developments have
taken place towards strengthening of Open Schooling System through
involvement of a good number of Non-Governmental Organisations
(NGOs). In fact this has opened up new chapters in Open Schooling
for sharing of experience among Asian countries pertaining to some
vital issues concerning qualitative improvement of basic education
through Open Schooling. Open Learning has now come to be recognized
globally as the potential strategy for realising the goals of
Education for All (EFA). One of the emerging issues of present
times relates to the need for developing programmes and activities
in response to the local needs of various linguistic and cultural
groups. It is in this context that more and more discussion has
centred in and around the need for decentralising structural
support system of Open Schooling at different levels. With this in
focus the Goa Conference proposes to provide a forum for discussion
and exchange of ideas for promotion of Open Schooling in the States
by the State Governments/State Open Universities with professional
support from NOS.
Goa-II Conference
COL has proposed "Goa-II" Conference - Conference on Promotion
of Open Schooling - was held at Goa from 28th January to 1st
February, 2002. (The earlier Conference on Networking and
Collaboration in Open Schooling was held at Goa from 21st to 23rd
November, 1998.)
Objectives
The main objectives of the Conference are
to:
- Review Open Schooling scenario in India and abroad.
- Evolve strategies for publicity and advocacy for Open
Schooling.
- Identify alternative strategies for assurance of quality
education through Open Schooling.
- Formulate strategies for networking in Open Schooling.
- Universalise Basic (Elementary) Education.
Expected Outcomes
Formulation of strategies and arriving at decisions
for:
- Identification of need of Open Schooling and its Promotion in
the States by setting up State Open Schools and strengthening the
potential of existing State Open Schools for reaching the
unreached.
- Setting up 'Publicity and Advocacy Cells' in Open Schooling by
States.
- Suggesting alternative modalities for quality assurance and
standards in Open Schooling.
- Establishing Networking, Collaboration and Mutual Support
System amongst State Open Schools, State Governments, State Open
Universities, National Open School and MHRD.
- Achieving Universal Basic (Elementary) Education through Open
Schooling in view of education made as a fundamental right(6-14 age
group) and introduction of Open Basic Education (OBEE) Programme at
Centre & State levels.
- Providing potential forums* at national and international
levels for exchange of ideas and experiences and deliberations on
issues and problems in Open Schooling.
* The existing forums National Consortium for Open
Schooling (NCOS) and Open Schooling
Association of Commonwealth (OSAC) needs to be
strengthened.
Sponsorship
The Conference has been sponsored by the Commonwealth of
Learning (COL) and is being organised by the National Open School
(NOS).
Participants
Participants in the Conference will include State/UT Education
Secretaries, experts from India in addition to participants from
the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), the Ministry of Human Resource
Development (MHRD) and the National Open School (NOS).
TA/DA, Boarding and Lodging and other arrangements
TA/DA and other local hospitality including boarding and lodging
of invited participants from India will be met by the organisers of
the Conference. Venue for the Conference as also boarding and
lodging for the participants will be at Hotel Cidade de Goa,
Vainguinim Beach, Goa.
No funding in respect of international travel cost, board and
lodging etc. of foreign participants, if any, would be provided by
organisers of the Conference.