(Chairperson : Mr. K.S. Sarma : Initiaters : Prof. N.K.
Ambasht : Mr. Satayanaryan)
The session was chaired by Mr. K.S. Sarma, Additional Secretary,
Deptt. of Education, MHRD. The initiators were Prof. N.K. Ambasht,
Chairman, NOS and Mr. Satyanarayan Tyagi, Senior Executive Officer,
(OBE), NOS.
The session started with Prof. Ambasht, Chairman, NOS welcoming
the participants. He introduced Mr. K.S. Sarma, Addl. Secy., Deptt.
of Education, MHRD and briefed the group about the previous day's
proceedings. Introducing the topic of the session, Prof. Ambasht
handed over the session to Mr. K. S. Sarma.
Mr. K.S. Sarma, the chairperson of the session highlighted the
obstacles in the use of DEM for basic education as follows :
- Use of Radio - Mr. Sarma emphasized on the importance of Radio
as a medium because of its local availability, portability, low
cost and wider reach owing to its ability to cater to diverse
languages. He said that most of the radio stations in India worked
for not more than 10 hours a day and hence the remaining time could
be easily utilized for providing a variety of interesting
educational programmes. A thought could also be given to the idea
of starting on Open School in the sky through the Radio.
- Curriculum Framework - Mr. Sarma said that there was a need for
departure from the formal school system and the curriculum for the
out of school learners should be radically different. Too much
importance should not be given to rote memorization. He said that
there was a need for an examination reform too.
- Identification of Strengths in the learners - Mr. Sarma said
that there was a need for a positive approach wherein the strengths
of the students should be identified and highlighted before
mentioning their weaknesses. The aim should be to build up on the
strengths of the learners.
Prof. Ambasht, Chairman, NOS thanked the chair for the lively
analysis of the existing situation. He mentioned his apprehensions
about the use of non-visual media for those children in remote
areas who have no literacy and have to be taught how to write an
alphabet by word of mouth. He explained that the first obstacle in
reaching the unreached through DEM was the dispensation of the
teacher whose role in the personality development of the child
cannot be underemphasised. He also said that the use of technology
should not outshine the actual education part and that it was not
safe to hand over education in the hands of businessmen. The
ultimate aim should not be mainstreaming of the learners into the
formal system. Since the approach, transactional mode, methodology
and evaluation techniques are bound to be different, the curriculum
has to be different for these groups. The goal of education should
be changed and the aim should be to create a Socially Useful
Productive Citizen (SUPC) by introducing a variety of life coping
and entrepreneurial skills in the curriculum. Prof. Ambasht
informed that NOS is already working on an open evaluation system
i.e. Mukt Mulyankan Padati. Retorting to Prof. Ambasht's points on
the problem of financial resources, Mr. K.S. Sharma informed that
as per the Govt. of India's recent decision, every Department of
the Govt. of India is now authorized to spend 3 percent of its
planned budget on information technology.
The second initiator was Mr. Satyanarayan, S.E.O. (OBE). He said
that one of the obstacles was- not being able to create enabling
conditions for children to come to the education system. This was
an area which needs to be looked into. He gave the example of an
institute in Kakinara in Andhra Pradesh which was taking a holistic
approach by giving different type of education to different groups
along with other interventions like credit and thrift societies and
vocational training through Shramik Vidyapeeth. In this way they
helped in changing the quality of life of the family resulting in
empowerment. The curriculum and material need to be tailored to the
requirement of the target groups. Pointing out the high per capita
expenditure of the formal school learners, he said that there was a
need of more financial resources for Distance Education where we
talk of free elementary education. He highlighted the use and
importance of folk media for educational purposes, too.
The plenary session came to a close with a vote of thanks by Ms.
Rashmi Kumar, Executive Officer, NOS.
There after the participants were requested to divide themselves
into three Groups. Care was taken that in each group there should
be a representation from each category of participants. The groups
elected their chairpersons and the rapporteurs. The task before all
the groups for discussion was obstacles in the use of DEM at
primary level.
Obstacles
- Lack of infrastructure : There are some basic infrastructure
which is lacking for example, building, teacher and
equipments.
- Lack of facilities for physically impaired such as partially
blind, slow learners etc. as well as the disadvantaged groups like
scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and street children etc
- Lack of instructional materials for instructors, parents and
learners.
- Lack of motivation from the part of students, teachers and
community as a whole.
- Problem of evaluation, certification, comparability,
equivalency and its validity.
- Use of appropriate educational technologies.
- Proper identification of strengths and weaknesses of the
learners.
The groups had their discussions and came out with the following
suggestions/recommendations.
Suggestions and Recommendations.
1. Children Need Reinforcement/ Motivation :
Print material should be attractive enough to motivate the child
to learn study material. It should also be illustrative for e.g
cartoons, visuals etc so that learner curiosity is aroused.
The group was of the view that when print materials are sent to
the learners it may not be clear to them(since clientele are
illiterate) so they need clarification, so there should be a
contact person. Group also felt that community based learning
should be encouraged.
The members were of the view that print materials is a powerful
medium of instruction - print material need not be a lesson it may
be in the form of chart, games etc.
The group felt that one of the obstacle in the print media is
that ownership of the material is not there. Therefore, it was
recommended that NOS should empower Regional Centres so that they
are in position to develop local specific and need based
curriculum/courses.
2. Personal Contact Programme:
The group felt that so far such person have been already member
of an existing institutions. The role of such person is to be
expanded in cognizance of 5-8 years old learners. The teacher has
to be more than a guide so the contact programme becomes a problem
solving, diagnostic and remedial in nature to ensure that smallest
child learns effectively. In the contact programme working child
may have the opportunity to undergo practicals and have access to
Audio/Video programmes. At the contact classes the learners have
the opportunity to meet the peer group and clarify his
problems.
Electronic Media:
The major obstacle in this area is how to provide this facility
in remote areas where there is no electricity. Keeping in mind this
obstacle the group members have emphasised the use of Radio which
is cheap means of communication and easy to reach even in the
remote areas. One of the member cited an example of amateur radio
station at Gazipur. The radius of this type of Radio is 40 K.M. It
is battery operated instruments.
The educational programmes on Radio should be broadcasted in
evening since most of the learners are working. It was suggested
that messages can be given in capsule form and broadcasted
frequently. However, the modalities for using the Radio should be
worked out.
3. Activities (Drama, Sports, Festivals etc.)
Activity based learning make the child learn fast and enjoy the
process of learning. Activities can be in the form of play, drama,
toys etc. this enable the child to understand and conceptualize the
phenomena.
4. Curriculum
The instructional material should be related to his
surroundings/environment so that the child recognises his/her own
background and relate to the material. First curriculum should be
developed in the local dialect and gradually developed in mother
tongue. The difficulties faced by the child in learning has to be
kept in mind while developing the curriculum.
It was emphasised by all the members of the group that
curriculum should be need/ skill based rather than information
based.
- Mother tongue as medium of instructions
- Importance of dialect at initial stages
- Progress to standard form of language gradually
- Specific objectives to be highlighted
- Use of radio broadcast for teaching learning purpose
- multiple sets of learning material
- use of folk lore
- use of sound combinations for concept building.
- Use of audio materials
- Core curriculum to be modified as per locally relevant
content
- Core curriculum to enshrine the following
- need based
- competencies identified
- language and culture friendly
- Curriculum to follow integrated spiral approach
- to integrate local, national and international needs
- functional and life related
- enhance vocational skills
- Evaluation to be innovative
- 25 marks for different dialects
- analytic approach to test contents: languages or social
sciences, numeracy etc.
- Administrative Points
- Supervision of programmes
- Academic performance
- Certification
- Awareness generation
- Co-ordination with Agencies
- Decentralised and Community based learning
- Already existing infrastructure available with the community
and other agencies may be used for the purpose. In addition the
Instructors of the non-formal education centre will be used.
- Specific need based instructional material be developed and
provided to physically impared and disadvantaged groups. Expected
learning outcomes should be different than the normal
learners.
- Proper instructional material for Instructors/Facilitators and
parents must be developed. Instructors require proper orientation
and training regarding use of learning material and teaching
methodology for learners.
- In order to propagate the primary education programme through
DEM, at grassroot level the proper use of media particularly folk
and traditional media must be constantly utilised.
- It was resolved that thee should be joint certification at the
terminal stages of primary schooling stages.
- The joint certificate by the NOS and nodal agency and
accredited institutions be issued on the basis of the open
evaluation programme to the learner at the lower and upper primary
stage. The other boards and certifying agency must be taken into
confidence.
- Appropriate technologies such as folk media, radio, and audio
cassettes may be used.
- Various research studies may be conducted in order to identify
the strengths and weaknesses of the learners with the assistance of
local voluntary agencies and other institutions. Workshop at
grassroot level through the nodal agencies may be organised.
- Suggestions for NOS
- Survey to identify clientele
- Prepare a learner profile
- Identify mode of delivery as per infrastructure available
- Teachers role not to be undermined because there are
- young learners
- less motivated, need guidance
- Parents to be motivated as well
- Environment building
- NIOS - AIR collaboration for radio broadcasts