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Archive for October, 2009

Numerous researches have been conducted to support the issue that parents who are involved in their children’s education are building the foundations for a better educated child. These children are better adjusted to school which usually leads to life-long learning. Additionally, parental involvement sends a message directly from the parent to the child that education is important.

Parental involvement is directly correlated to reading achievement; reading is emphasized and becomes enjoyable when parents begin reading to their children at a young age. Children begin to understand the importance of reading and monitoring the child’s achievement becomes routine which keeps the child on the right grade level for reading throughout the educational process. Students’ reading performance is a big educational issue in America. Parents who develop a strong educational foundation in reading assist their children in future endeavors and life goals. Another pertinent reason for parents to be directly involved with their children’s education is that deficiencies can be noticed quickly. Early recognition of a child’s strengths and weakness helps to develop a child’s Individual Learning Plan (ILP) and can be addressed in the child’s daily instruction.

Equally important, is the fact that parents who are involved with their children’s education will make sure their home is conductive to learning. This means that the home will have plenty of books available for the children to read. The home will also have a variety of reference materials and tools available, such as: encyclopedias, magazines, a computer and other electronics, pens, pencils, paper, etc. The home usually has a designated area for study which allows for quietness and concentration for school work. Creating an educational atmosphere also includes limiting the amount of television viewed throughout the week. Homework is usually completed at the same time everyday, and if homework has not been issued it is often created by an involved parent.

Parent/Teacher Conferences and volunteer services for activities at school are equally important at demonstrating the significance of an education and building strong bonds for communication. Children observe their parents, and they realize that their education is important to their parent. Furthermore, school officials are appreciative of the parents who are involved and volunteer their services both in and out of the classroom. Parents become knowledgeable on educational issues and school funding sources which often lead to additional learning advantages and opportunities for their child.

The involved parent understands the importance of reading, having an educational environment that is conducive to learning and communicating and volunteering with the school personnel. Parents who are involved in their child’s learning process help them to build a strong educational foundation; these are the students who tend to excel academically and become the top of their class. Parental involvement is not something in which a parent should have a choice but something in which a parent must be involved.

If you’ve thought about becoming a teacher, one of the most important decisions you may have to make is which level of teaching suits you the best. Elementary, secondary, and post-secondary teaching all have very different characteristics and requirements, and shifting tracks once you get started would be likely to require that you go back to school. Therefore, your career path may be smoother if you choose carefully at the beginning, and focus your educational preparation accordingly.

Suppose you are interested in teaching very young children. In that case, you may want to be aware of the special characteristics that distinguish elementary school teachers, and how you would become an elementary school teacher yourself.

Distinguishing Characteristics of Elementary School Teachers

There are some characteristics that distinguish good teachers at all levels: a solid understanding of the subject matter; good communication skills, energy, creativity, leadership ability, and patience. But what are some of the particular characteristics that distinguish elementary school teachers?

In many ways, those characteristics can be defined by some of the special requirements of the job, such as:

A good base of generalist knowledge. Rather than specializing in a particular subject, elementary school teachers often teach a range of subjects to a given class or age group. A fundamental understanding of child psychology. Elementary school children are just learning to learn, and teachers need to be able to perceive how different children are motivated, and what factors may be inhibiting some of them. A basic knowledge of child development. Many learning disabilities are not spotted until a child is in elementary school, and the earlier a teacher can help identify special needs, the more can be done for the child. Sensitivity to non-verbal cues. Small children have often not yet learned how to express themselves clearly, so a sensitivity to non-verbal signals can be the key to communication. A tactful nature for dealing with parents. Parents are an especially important part of the learning experience at the elementary school level, and being able to communicate in a clear yet non-threatening way is a useful attribute.

In addition to the above broad range of skills, there are specific educational credentials needed to become an elementary school teacher.

Elementary School Teacher Education

Although requirements for elementary school teacher education vary from state to state, here are three common elements of most programs:

A bachelor’s degree. This would include both a broad background in general studies and specific education in teaching-related subjects such as classroom techniques and child psychology. Student-teaching experience. Education degree programs commonly include a requirement for a student-teaching internship. State certification. Public schools in all 50 states require teachers to be licensed, with the license often specific to the age group being taught. Private schools are less likely to require licensure.

Employment Outlook

Employment growth for teachers is expected to be about typical for the economy as a whole, but it is projected to be especially strong at the elementary school level. This occupation is less cyclical than most, so overall the job market is both promising and stable. Median income levels are above the national average.

Teaching is not an occupation for someone looking to get rich. However, for the personally enriching experience of helping children get a good start along the educational path, it can be an ideal choice.

You see, we should be very thankful that we are born in this modern generation due to the existence of the Internet. With the Internet, all information (whether about blogging and educational environment or any other such as sidekick ii, private blog, free blog for website or even the pink is the new blog) can be found with ease on the Internet, with great articles like this.

If only the millions of people currently web logging could understand that they do not need high traffic to make money, it would make a huge difference. However, first and foremost, it is important to understand that you will need to completely change your approach. The whole idea is that there is stuff that is best suited only to high traffic sites, just like there are things that work best with low traffic sites only. There are also certain things that work well with both low traffic and high traffic sites. The tricky part is getting to recognize them.

If you like to write, and are searching for a new place to display your work, web logging may be the answer you have been searching for. There are a few webs logging tips that you should keep in mind before starting. First off, there are many webs logging sites that will allow you to have your own web page for free. This free web logging sites can be found through a simple Internet search. Of course, if you want to get more serious about your blog you can register your own domain name and compile your blog there. Another tip to keep in mind is that if you do not want to write about your personal life, web logging for business may still be right for you. There are thousands of businesses that also run blogs as a way for their customers, and prospective customers, to stay notified. Web logging for business has taken off in the small business sector over the past year, and it is surely going to reach a wider audience as word gets around.

A RSS subscription option is crucial. You should not be afraid of it. Don’t run from it. If you want people to read your blog regularly then you have to make it easy for them to do so. Having an “enter your email here” box is a nice start. However, if I have 25 blogs I read, I am not going to want 25 different emails coming to me each time someone updates.

If as related to blogging and educational environment as this article is, and it still doesn’t answer all your needs, then don’t forget that you can conduct more search on any of the major search engines like Google to get more helpful blogging and educational environment information.

Setting up your blog to target a niche market is one of the best things you can do with your blog, provided you know the craft and have the requisite skills to run it successfully to start generating instant traffic (through syndication or RSS) and possibly start earning as well.

This really is a general overview of web logging for money, which is a big picture. However, do be reassured of its relative ease. The most important thing is just to make a start. Identify what you wish to write the blog about, register a free web logging account at BlogSpot or Word press, and then start posting! After that, you will surely pick up hints and tips about monetization and driving traffic along the way. Many internet marketers will confirm that blog optimization is a lifelong learning process, so do not feel you have to get it right first time. Web logging for money should be fun, so ensure you enjoy the process.

There is certainly nothing new about the idea of web logging, and yet many business owners and Internet entrepreneurs don’t seem to grasp the power of this simple strategy. This is evidenced by the fact that many business websites do not include a blog.

It might interest you to know that lots of folks searching for blogging and educational environment also got information related to another blog site list , bureaucracy, and even free blog system here with ease.

“Education means bringing out of the ideas of universal validity which are latent in the mind of everyman”.

–Socrates–

In every civilized society men and women believe that education is comprehensive, compulsory and necessary for every individual. Education is an important human activity. The very concept if education is like a diamond which appears to be of a different colour when seen from different angles.

Etymological Definition:

The word ‘Education’ had its origin in the Latin word ‘Educatum’, itself composed of two words, ‘E’ and ‘Duco’, means developing and progressing. Hence, in its literal scenario, education means becoming develop or progressing from inside to outside. In other words, education implies some of the change for the better and greater in a person.

Different educational theorists has given different derivations of the concept ‘Education’.

1. According to Forebel, “Education is a process through which child makes its internal external”.

2. According to Eddisoan, “When education works on noble mind it draws out to view every latent virtue and perfection.

3. According to Pestalozzi, “Education is defined as natural, harmonious and progressive development of men’s innate powers”.

4. According to M. K. Gandhi, “I mean an all around drawing out of the best in child and man body, mind and spirit”.

Education is aggregate of all the processes by which a person develops ability, attitudes and behaviour of practical values in the society in which he lives.

Narrow Sense of Education: In large majority of people use the concept of education to mean the training undertaken for some years in some educational institutions. This is the narrow meaning of the concept of education. In other words, it implies education provided according to a fixed curriculum by a particular set of people in a specific place.

Wider Sense of Education: The very betterment of an adjusted pattern of life is the product of that educational system. The very educative system is going on every moment in the life of a person. Here, each day’s activities has an effect upon him. The educant may perceive or not perceive that effect.

Liberal Sense of Education: When the word ‘Education’ is accepted in its more literal meaning it is granted that all the times and places and individuals is imbibing some of its areas. Here, it is not limited merrily to the classroom. It can be obtained all kinds of social organizations, associations, individuals, nature, etc. It is mention may be made that a child gets his education not only from his teacher, but also from the entire environment of his life.

A Sense of Individual Development: Education is the complete development of the individuality of the child. According to some thinkers and philosophers, education is nothing but a process which a child can have free, spontaneous and individual betterment. Basically, the main achievement of ‘education’ lies in ability to arouse interest towards the subject of inspiring him.

As a Product: Education is the product of learning process. It implies growth and development. Education is a process or system through which date, experience, information is achieved of course it is a continuous and comprehensive process of training and guidance.

A bi-polar System: Education of course is a bi-polar system. Here it involves the interplay of the educator and the educant. In this process of education the teacher and the taught are the active participants. So education is nothing but bi-polar process by which the natural spontaneous and progressive betterment of the child is justified.

A tri-polar System: Education is also a tri-polar system. It involves the interaction of the personality of the educator and the educant in a social setting. In other words it effects the modification of the behaviour of the educant.

education in the West: Educational training like every other branch of knowledge started in the philosophical deliberation of the ancient Greek philosophers. Here, it is mention may be made of Plato’s name. He termed education as a “Life long process starting from the first years of childhood and lasting to the very end of the life”.

Education in India: In Indian approach, it becomes necessary to cover the spiritual area. Here, it is accepted as a part of betterment by education. In other words, Indian philosophers have placed special importance upon this. According to Shankaracharya, “Education is that which leads salvation”. Yajuavalkya said that, only that is education which gives a sterling character to an individual and renders him useful for the world.

A modern developed society cannot survive without education. It is an old as humanity. It helps people adjust to change. Succinctly, it is only education which can help a person understand to all the Social changes and provide the skills and technology for adjusting to them.

Elementary school graduation speeches should reflect the age of the students. For that reason they should be short, have a touch of humour and be very easy to understand.

Elementary School speeches need to have the personal touch. They should refer to events and happenings during the school life of the students in question. It might be about a trip abroad or about an important volleyball match they played.  If the speaker is a teacher he or she should speak of adventures shared together over their time at that Elementary School.

Obviously such speeches should include a welcome to the parents of the children graduating.  They should be light-hearted in tone because after all you are celebrating. The students should be told that the celebration is for and about them. You should mention how proud their school is of them and how you know they will be a credit to you whatever new school they attend.

Elementary School speeches should reflect the fact that young children believe that wonderful things can happen. They should encourage them to believe in their hopes and dreams. They should speak of working hard to make those dreams come true.

Such children might also be a little apprehensive about the future, about leaving friends behind as they move on. Such speeches should be reassuring and comforting painting a picture of what is going to happen when they go on to their new school. The speeches should clarify the fact that there will be someone there to guide them and show them the ropes.

Teachers often have a great bond with elementary students and their Elementary School speeches should reflect this fact. The students should know that they can always go back to their old school for advice or guidance because someone who has known you as a child will know your capabilities and understand your worries. They should be always made to feel that they will be welcome back to their Elementary School.   In fact you can make them laugh when you tell them they might even come visiting when they become President.

Above all, Elementary graduation speeches should paint pictures.  You might compare their move to that of someone at a certain stage in a race or to an actor who has a certain  part in a play where he/she have yet to learn their lines and moves.  Elementary School speeches should end with a blessing or good luck wish.

You must have heard of success stories of various children who opted for online high school diploma. But there are others as well who have failed miserably. This situation has many times put parents in jeopardy when deciding the most suitable way of study for their child. If you too are stuck in a similar dilemma it might benefit you to consider these few points before making a decision for your child’s course of education.

First and foremost what needs to be considered is that will an online high school diploma work for your child as well as for you and your family? To attain an online high school diploma a child has to spend his/her entire day in the house. Are you or your spouse as a parent ready to provide your child with that guidance and supervision that was offered to him in school by his teacher? It might help to start working from home and become a stay-at-home parent if you need to provide supervision to your child.

If you want to enroll your child to get high school diploma an online due to poor behavior then you might need to reconsider your decision as many times a child behaves in a worse manner when he/she gets full reign in his/her home in the absence of parents. Additionally, your child might need extra help in some subjects with which he won’t be able to cope up alone. In a traditional setup the teacher provides this additional help. Will you able to provide the same to your child or will you be able to appoint a tutor for the same? If you are already bogged with official and other family responsibilities, think hard before you enroll your child for an online high school diploma.

Motivation stands as a very strong factor for a teenage child to fare well in studies. Do you think your child is competent enough to produce similar or better results during an online high school diploma as compared to the traditional setup where there a teacher looking over his shoulder all the time? A child is after all a child. So, you need to consider carefully whether or not your child will be able to motivate himself/herself in the absence of a teacher or guiding force. If not, then you might need to consider staying back at home for providing the same to your child. You might as well need to squeeze out time to meet supervisors in case you appoint any to meet your child’s educational needs in an online setup.

Children, in most cases, like socializing. Once you pull out your child of a traditional school to provide him education in an online setup, you will lneed to look after his/her socializing needs, in absence of which he/she might become isolated or introvert or anti-social. You need to think of ways in which you can meet these needs of your child outside school. You can enroll your child to some other learning programs or courses, or engage him in social service or in social groups, or can take him to sports clubs and associations if he/she is interested in sports. You should also allow your child to meet his old friends to make him feel comfortable with them at all times.

Additionally, you and your child together can join a network specially made for distance learning students and their parents to get high school diploma online. You need to offer your child replacement activities, in order to take him/her away from negative peer group and provide him with new interests.

These are few of the considerations that you need to make before planning an online high school diploma for your child. For further information and resources visit http://www.gethighschooldiplomaonline.info

Specialist flooring company Flowcrete has developed a comprehensive brochure aimed at the education sector.

Entitled ‘Transforming Education Environments’ the guide brings together a broad range of information – including details on sustainability and sector specific case studies showcasing flooring projects across the UK .

Information on the specification of floors within the different areas of a school environment – from food preparation areas to classrooms and changing rooms to science labs – is also featured.

Alan Dean, sales director of Flowcrete UK, said: “This brochure offers a broad range of information for specifiers involved in the modernisation of UK schools in a unique format, covering a wide variety of detail in a comprehensive manner.

“Through our extensive portfolio of products, manufactured in Britain, we have flooring solutions that meet the functional requirements of educational environments.

“Ultimately, a Flowcrete floor transforms educational environments and creates a motivational effect for staff and pupils alike.”

Within the education sector, Flowcrete offers its unique Floorzone concept, which involves the installation of acoustic system, underfloor heating, floor screed and seamless floor finish, all carried out by one highly trained Flowcrete approved flooring contractor on site.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Flowcrete is a world leader in the supply of specialist flooring for commercial and industrial buildings. With 30 offices worldwide and manufacturing plants globally, Flowcrete’s aim is to transform environments with its innovative specialist flooring products. These include decorative seamless resins, waterproof car park decking, resin terrazzo, seamless anti microbial flooring, corrosion protection, self-levelling cements, underfloor heating and acoustic systems. Flowcrete is using its global expertise to introduce environmentally friendly, hygienic and aesthetically attractive floors to create a better and more sustainable world at our feet.

Since April 2008, Flowcrete has become part of RPM International Inc, a multinational holding company floated on the New York Stock Exchange with subsidiaries that manufacture and market high-performance coatings, sealants and speciality chemicals.

Flowcrete UK Ltd

The Flooring Technology Centre

Booth Lane,

Moston,

Sandbach,

Cheshire

CW11 3QF

Visit us on the web at http://www.flowcrete.co.uk for the UK and flowcrete.com for global details.

Press release issued by Jane Shepherd, Shepherd PR 01538 308685 mobile 07985 129315.

jane@shepherd-pr.com

 

For individuals interested in attaining a highly regarded academic degree without attending classes on-campus, accredited universities now offer Online PhD Programs.

People with PhDs are often solicited to undertake consulting, speaking and writing engagements in their respective fields. People who exert the energy (and time) required to earn a doctorate degree clearly demonstrate their dedication and expertise in their given field.

Online PhD Programs – The Pros and Cons

Online PhD Programs are especially beneficial for individuals who do not have the time to attend conventional classroom lectures, but still want to earn their doctorate degree in a reasonable amount of time. Individuals who have already earned their master’s degree are already well on their way to earning a doctorate degree and will spend significantly less time pursuing their doctorate than someone who has only obtained a bachelor’s degree. One of the most powerful things about completing one of the online PhD programs of interest is the opportunity of being recognized as a global leader in your field.

With the advent of the internet, it’s easy to understand why so many colleges have started offering PhD degrees online. Some of the most popular Onlnie Doctoral Programs include Business, Management, Public Policy, Engineering, Criminal Justice, Healthcare, Human Services, and Education. Clearly, this list is not all-inclusive and additional online PhD Programs are being added on a continuous basis by top universities all over the nation.

Online PhD Programs – Sample Salaries

One of the most in-demand doctorate degrees is the Doctor of Business Administration, or DBA. On average, a newly earned PhD in business earns $88,000 a year according figures published by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Those entering financial planning and consulting generally earn over $100,000 a year.

Summarization

The majority of individuals attaining their PhD degrees become specialists in their fields of study and contribute to society in a number of important ways.

Online PhD Programs are great for anyone who wants to pursue their area of interest, and is looking to become a leader in their chosen field. To get the complete scoop, compare universities offering Online PhD Programs now.

In effort to remain competitive in today’s fast moving business world, many professionals are finding it necessary to advanced their studies up to the PhD level. However, not many of these professionals are willing to uproot their families and relocate to new places. But thanks to the Internet, it is now possible to earn a PhD from home – meaning you can study without giving up on your family or full time job.

Online PhD programs from reputable universities make it possible for you to earn the highest academic credential while keeping current job to help pay for schooling. You should however be careful when choosing a distance learning PhD to avoid falling for degree mill scams that can get you sacked.

Here is how to compare and select the genuine online doctorate programs from the Internet world:

Accreditation
Under all circumstances, never settle for a school that is not accredited (recognized) by an authorized accreditation organization. Degree mills will often list a fake or unauthorized accreditation organization and market their online PhD program extensively.

Online Verification
Every accredited online college and university is  listed at the US Department of Education. You should only settle for a program that is  on that list because this will give you a ready answer if a potential employer ever questions you about the legitimacy of your online PhD.

Brick and motor schools
You should find out if the university offering the PhD program is a virtual only institution or there is a brick and motor campus that offers off-line programs. The latter usually enjoys a better reputation and cannot offer fake degrees.

Completion time
It takes between 3 to 4 years of study to earn a doctorate degree. However, online PhD degrees can be completed in a  2 years. A school that advertises one year completion times must be avoided as you may end up getting a worthless certificate.

Student-teacher interaction
An online doctorate program that offers face-to-face interaction between students and the faculty is usually more credible.

Find complete information on Online PhD Courses offered at Popular online colleges & Universities.

Education for All: Trend and out reach at Tamilnadu in India

The world convention on to Meet fundamental Learning requirements was adopted by the World Conference on Education for All at Jomtien, Thailand, in March 1990. The meeting design comprehensive review of policies concerning basic education. The Education for All (EFA) 2000 appraisal is a major global attempt that aims to enable the participating countries to

(i) Construct a comprehensive picture of their progress towards their own Education for All goals since the 1990 Jomtien Conference,

(ii) Identify priorities and promising strategies for overcoming obstacles and accelerating progress, and

(iii) Revise national plans of action accordingly.

EFA indicators which are grouped according to the following six ‘Intention Magnitude’:-

1. Expansion of early childhood care and development;

2. Universal access to and completion of primary education;

3. Improvement in learning achievement;

4. Reduction of adult illiteracy rate;

5. Expansion of provision of basic education and training in essential skills required by

Youth and adults; and

6. Increased acquisition by individuals and families of the knowledge, skills and values

organized for better living.

For this purpose a National Assessment Group was constituted in the Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development consisting of senior officials of the Department concerned with EFA and representatives of specialized national institutions, like NCERT, NIEPA and NCTE. During its deliberations, the Group felt that the Indian exercise should be carried out in a larger perspective which takes into account the following important developments:

? The wide range of programmes initiated for achieving Universalisation of Elementary Education after formulation of National Policy of Education, 1986;

? The massive effort made in the form of literacy campaigns to reach education to the masses; and

? Enormous amount of activities in the field of primary education witnessed in the country on an unprecedented scale in the 1990s through projects and programmes specifically focused on EFA.

The EFA 2000 exercise is, therefore, seen not merely as a stock taking exercise but also as an effort to review and fine-tune strategies and programmes of basic education.

It is with this dual perspective in view that it has been planned

(1) to make the exercise quite comprehensive covering every dimension of basic education;

(2) to get the various component areas reviewed by independent experts from across the country; and

(3) to evolve a plan of action for the next phase, probably the final phase, of the national effort to reach the goal of EFA.

India’s EFA Assessment 2000 Country Report draws upon the following three documents:

i. Report of progress made with respect to the 18 EFA Indicators as identified in the General and Technical Guidelines given by the EFA Forum Secretariat;

ii. The State of the Art Review (Synthesis) on Learning Achievements; and

iii. The State of the Art Review on Learning Conditions.

The Department of Education in the Ministry of Human Resource Development has taken the initiative to commission twenty-four sub-sectoral studies on various aspects of EFA in India which seek to capture the varied experiences that have emerged from the projects, programmes and schemes undertaken during the last decade. The findings of these studies are proposed to be disseminated widely in India and abroad with a view to enrich the EFA 2000 Assessment exercise and provide useful inputs for policy makers, planners and administrators who are working towards achieving the goals of EFA.

Education for All – frame work

The goal of EFA in India are to be viewed in relation to the stage of education development that obtained on 1990 ¾ the year of world declaration on EFA. By then, fairly large expansion of in all parts of the country. Other sectors of education like adult education Non – formal education had also developed fairly well. Therefore, the main challenges in education in 1990s related to EFA have been the following: Access to basic education for the unreached segments and uncovered habitations

Qualitative improvement in content and processes of education; to make them more responsive to learning needs of individuals-children, youth and adults, families, community and development in different sectors of social and economic life. Consolidation and newer orientation wherever required in different areas of education through innovative programmes and changed role of educational personnel. Community participation in education; making education a people’s movement. Evolving effective and efficient management structures in education.

All goals and targets of EFA to be fulfilled in 1990’s have to be assessed in terms of the nature of the programmes, the degree to which they have led to achievement of the goals of EFA, and the promise they hold for making the processes and supportive structure sustainable. Thus, when EFA programmes were implemented in 1990’s,a new framework for development of basic education in the country was emerging which had the following broad features.

Holistic Approach

The holistic approach adopted for planning and implementation of EFA programmes is characterized by:

- A holistic view of basic education with grater linkages and integration between pre – school, primary education, non – formal education and adult education;

- Relating programmes of education with national concerns such as nutrition and health care, environment, small family norm and life skills education.

- Collaboration of different departments and sectors of development with primary education.

Education Grantee Scheme

The EGS centers in Tamil Nadu deserves special mention as an important new initiative in the 1990s.the remarkable success of EGS drawn the attention of planners and policy maker. The EGS centers covered 6-11 age groups who did not battened school. The key factors on which EGS hinges are community demand and government guarantee. By projecting community demand as a start-up point, EGS addresses the issue of enrollment and retention. The EGS is seen as successful mode of reaching the unreached or ‘Hard to reach’.

Education Grantee Scheme in Tamil Nadu (2004-2005)

ACTIVITIES

Administration arrangement: The coordinator have appointed.

Capacity building All the staff/ teachers have completed the strategy planning work shop.

Equivalence strategy The special effort is being taken to enroll the school drop out children.

Duration The short duration of the programme is 60-75 days.

School hours Two to three hours

Number of children per class 25 – 40 is high and low is 10-20

Teacher qualifications, Training and honorarium As per the government norm

Academic support and supervision The separate supervisors for every eight to ten schools

Teaching – Learning Materials The material prepared separately

Collaboration with NGOs Many EGS centers running by NGOs

A PROGRAMME FOR UNIVERSAL ELEMENTARY EDUCATION IN INDIA

In accordance with the constitutional commitment to ensure free and compulsory education for all children up to the age of 14 years, provision of universal elementary education has been a salient feature of national policy since independence. This resolve has been spelt out emphatically in the National Policy since independence (NPE), 1986 and the Programme of Action (POA) 1992. A number of schemes and programmes were launched in pursuance of the emphasis embodied in the NPE and the POA. These included the scheme of Operation Blackboard (OB); Non Formal Education (NFE); Teacher Education (TE); Mahila Samakhya (MS); State specific Basic Education Projects like the Andhra Pradesh Primary Education Project (APPEP); Bihar Education Project (BEP), Lok Jumbish (LJP) in Rajasthan; National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (MDM); District Primary Education Programme (DPEP).

Why Elementary Education

Social justice and equity are by themselves a strong argument for providing basic education for all. It is an established fact that basic education improves the level of human well – being especially with regard to life expectancy, infant mortality, nutritional status of children, etc. Studies have shown that universal basic education significantly contributes to economic growth.

Constitutional, Legal and National Statements for UEE

The Constitutional, legal, and national policies and statements have time and again upheld the cause of universal elementary education.

Constitutional mandate 1950 – “The state shall Endeavour to provide, within a period of ten years from the commencement of this Constitution, for free and compulsory education to all children until they complete the age of 14 years.”

National Policy of Education 1986 – “It shall be ensured that free and compulsory education of satisfactory quality is provided to all children up to 14 years of age before we enter the twenty first century.”

Unnikrishnan judgment 1993 – “Every child/citizen of this country has a right to free

education till he completes the age of fourteen years.”

Education Ministers” resolve 1998 – “Universal elementary education should be pursued in the mission mode. It emphasized the need to pursue a holistic and convergent

approach towards UEE.”

National Committee’s Report on UEE in the mission mode 1999 – UEE should be pursued in a mission mode with a holistic and convergent approach with emphasis on preparation of District Elementary Education Plans for UEE. It supported the fundamental right to education and desired quick action towards operationalization of the mission mode towards UEE.

The Scenario so Far

Consequent to several efforts, India has made enormous progress in terms of increase in institution, teachers, and students in elementary education. The number of schools in the country increased four fold – from 2, 31, 000 in 1950-51 to 9, 30,000 in 1988-99, while enrolment in the primary cycle jumped by about six times from 19.2 million to 110 million. At the upper Primary stage, the increase of enrolment during the period was 13 times, while enrolment of girls recorded a huge rise of 32 times. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at the Primary stage has exceeded 100 percent. Access to schools is no longer a major problem. At the primary stage, 94 percent of the country’s rural population has schooling facilities within one kilometer and at the upper primary stage it is 84 percent.

The country has made impressive achievement in the elementary education sector. But the flip side is that out of the 200 million children in the age group of 6 -14 years, 59million children are not attending school. Of this, 35 million are girls and 24 million are boys. There are problems relations to drop – out rate, low levels of learning achievement and low participation of girls, tribal and other disadvantaged groups. There are still at least one lakh habitations in the country without schooling facility within a kilometer. Coupled with it are various systemic issues like inadequate school infrastructure, poorly functioning schools, high teacher absenteeism, large number of teacher vacancies, poor quality of education and inadequate funds.

In short, the country is yet to achieve the elusive goal of Universalisation of Elementary education (UEE), which means 100 percent enrolment and retention of children with schooling facilities in all habitations. It is to fill this gap that the government has launched the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)

The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is a historic stride towards achieving the long cherished goal

of Universalisation of Elementary Education (UEE) through a time bound integrated approach, in partnership with States. SSA, which promises to change the face of the elementary education sector of the country, aims to provide useful and quality elementary

Education to all children in the 6-14 age groups by 2010.

The SSA is an effort to recognize the need for improving the performance of the school system and to provide community owned quality elementary education in the mission mode. It also envisages bridging of gender and social gaps.

OBJECTIVES OF SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN

? All children in school, Education Guarantee Centre, Alternative School, ‘Back to School’ camp by 2003;

? All children complete five years of primary schooling by 2007;

? All children complete eight years of schooling by 2010;

? Focus on elementary education of satisfactory quality with emphasis on education for life;

? Bridge all gender and social category gaps at primary stage by 2007 and at

Elementary education level by 2010;

? Universal retention by 2010.

Structure for Implementation

The Central and State governments will together implement the SA in partnership with the local governments and the community. To signify the national priority for elementary education, a National Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Mission is being established with the Prime Minister as the Chairperson and the Union Minister of Human Resource Development as the Vice Chairperson. States have been requested to establish State level Implementation Society for UEE under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Education Minister. This has already been done in many States.

The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan will not disturb existing structures in States and districts but would only try to bring convergence in all these efforts. Efforts will be made to ensure that there is functional decentralization down to the school level in order to improve community participation. Besides recognizing PRIs / Tribal Councils in Scheduled Areas, including the Gram Sabha, the States would be encouraged to enlarge the accountability framework by involving NGOs, teacher, activists, women’s organizations etc.

Coverage and Period

The SSA will cover the entire expanse of the country before March 2002 and the duration of the Programme in every district will depend upon the District Elementary Education Plan (DPEP) Prepared by it as per its specific needs. However, the upper limit for the programme period has been fixed as ten years, i.e., up to 2010.

Strategies central to SSA programme

? Institutional reforms – As part of the SSA, institutional reforms in the States will be carried out. The state will have to make an objective assessment of their prevalent education system including educational administration, achievement levels in schools, financial issues, decentralization and community ownership, review of state Education Act, rationalization of teacher deployment and recruitment of teachers, monitoring and evaluation, education of girls, SC/ST and disadvantaged groups, policy regarding private schools and ECCE. Many States have already affected institutional reforms to improve the delivery system for elementary education.

? Sustainable Financing – The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is based on the premise that financing of elementary education interventions has to sustainable. This calls for a long – term perspective on financial partnership between the Central and the State governments.

? Community ownership – The programme calls for community ownership of school based interventions through effective decentralisation. This will be augmented by involvement of women’s groups, VEC members and members of Panchayati Raj institutions.

? Institutional capacity building – The SSA conceives a major capacity building role for national and state level institution like NIEPA/NCERT/NCTE/SCERT/SIEMAT. Improvement in quality requires a sustainable support system of resource persons.

? Improving mainstream educational administration – The Programme will have a community based monitoring system. The Educational Management Information System (EMSI) will correlate school level data with community based information from micro planning and surveys. Besides this, every school will have a notice board showing all the grants received by the school and other details.

? Habitation as a unit of planning – The SSA works on a community based approach to planning with habitation as a unit of planning. Habitation plans will be the basis for formulating district plans.

? Accountability to community – SSA envisages cooperation between teachers, parents and PRIs, as well as accountability and transparency.

? Education of girls – Education of girls, especially those belonging to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, will be one of the principal concerns in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

? Focus on special groups – There will be a focus on the education participation of children form SC/ST, religious and linguistic minorities, disadvantaged groups and the disabled children.

? Pre Project phase – SSA will commence throughout the country with a well planned pre project phase that provides for a large number of interventions for capacity development to improve the delivery and monitoring system.

? Thrust on quality – SSA lays a special thrust on making education at elementary level useful and relevant for children by improving the curriculum, child centered activities and effective teaching methods.

? Role of teachers – SSA recognizes the critical role of teachers and advocates a focus on their development needs. Setting up of BRC/CRC, recruitment of qualified teachers, opportunities for teacher development through participation in curriculum related material development, focus on classroom process and exposure visits for teachers are all designed to develop the human resource among teachers.

? District Elementary Education Plans – As per the SSA framework, each district will prepare a District Elementary Education Plan reflection all the investments being made in the education sector, with a holistic and convergent approach.

Components of SSA

The components of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan includes appointment of teachers, teacher training, qualitative improvement of elementary education, provision of teaching learning materials, establishment of Block and Cluster Resource Centers for academic support, construction of Classrooms and school buildings, establishment of education guarantee centers, integrated education of the disabled and distance education.

Conclusion

Non-government Organization

Non – government organizations, commonly referred to as voluntary agencies in India, also participate in EFA programmes. For instance, a large number of voluntary agencies are implementing non – formal education programmes to meet the educational needs of out of school children. Many of them focus on socially and economically back ward areas and marginalized sections of the society and on education of girls. The current decade has seen the emergence of a number of EFA programmes supported by international agencies. These include support multi – lateral agencies including UN bodies, the World Bank and the ADB. Five UN agencies have supported the development of a joint initiative with the government of India and state governments on community based primary education. Assistance from UN agencies and bilateral dononars is in the form of grants, while the World Bank provides concessional loan assistance through IDA. Matching contributions in cash and kind are provided by central and state governments for such projects. The last three five year plans have witnessed significant shift in the expenditure of the department of education in the central government towards primary and adult education and away from tertiary education. That the central government is paying serious attention towards achievement of the goal of EFA is brought out by these actions of government.