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Impact
of Various Schemes related to Elementary Education : |
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Summary The challenge of quality elementary education for all the children in the age group of 6 - 14 years continues to elude India. In spite of the remarkable expansion of the elementary education system in the last few decades, a very large number of India's children continue to be out of school. Most of those who enrol in class I do not complete the 8 years of education. The growing needs of primary education have not been met by all the efforts made so far and there continues to be fairly large gaps in achievement levels. Of all children enrolled at primary stage, a very high percentage of them drops out even before reaching class V. Literacy for girls has very far reaching implications both for society as well as the recipient girl. Literacy for girls is a crucial input for developing/preserving human resource development, which in the ultimate analysis is a national asset. As far the individual recipient girl, literacy/education equips her to enjoy the fruits of social justice, social culture and of social, political and economic rights. Here then lies the crux of the problem related to girls' literacy. In one State, reckoned as 'Educationally Forward State', elementary education for girls has succeeded in achieving its qualitative and quantitative targets while in the neighbouring State such targets are not achieved and hence it is recognized as an "'Educationally Backward State". Why so ? Even when various schemes related to elementary education for girls have been implemented in both the States without any element of discrimination in terms of inputs, resources etc., why one State or its any region, lags behind while the other one moves forward and attains its determined targets? This is the fundamental question that requires empirical investigation/research. For the present study Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh are taken as educationally forward and backward states respectively. |
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Objectives of the study are as follows
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The locale of the study was Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh - the two states recognised by the Planning Commission as the 'Educationally Forward' and ' Educationally Backward' states respectively. From each state one district was selected for the study - from Maharashtra, Pune and from Madhya Pradesh, Ratlam district were selected purposively. Maharashtra is educationally forward state and Pune is one of its most progressive districts with higher literacy rate. Madhya Pradesh is educationally backward state and the characteristics of Ratlam district are not different from the state. One block each from the said two selected districts was chosen. Due consideration was given to the representation of SC, ST and other population within block while selecting the blocks. In Pune, Junnar block and in Ratlam, Jaora block were selected for the study. 10 villages each were selected from both of the blocks to collect primary data. Units of observation were parents, teachers, panchayat raj representatives and educated villagers/NGO/social workers. From each village 10 parents, 5 teachers, 5 panchayati raj representatives and 5 educated villager/NGO/social workers* were taken and interviewed. Thus, from each selected district 100 parents, 50 teacher (54 teachers in Maharashtra), 50 panchayat raj representatives and 50 educated villagers/NGO/social workers (30 educated villagers in Madhya Pradesh) constituted the sample. The total number of respondents from Pune district was 254 and from Ratlam district, it was 230 making total size of sample from both the districts * In Jaora block of Madhya Pradesh, there is no NGO working in rural areas and therefore only educated villagers could be taken in this category. 484. (In Madhya Pradesh, number of teachers in some villages was less them 5, so to achieve the required sample size, teachers of nearby villages were selected.) For the purpose of the study, four separate Interview Schedules were prepared for Parents, Teachers, Panchayat Raj Representatives and Senior/Educated villagers/NGO workers. Schedules were prepared to specifically find out the status of girls' literacy, awareness towards girls literacy and problems and probable prospects to boost the girls literacy. The prepared Interview Schedules were first pre-tested in the field. All necessary additions and alteration were made in Interview Schedules on the basis of field experience of pre- testing. Open ended questions were also given due space in the schedules to know the ground reality of problem under research. An observation diary was also maintained in the field to elicit all related information. After data collection separate code-books were prepared for each of the four Interview Schedules (to code the open ended questions). The Interview Schedules were coded accordingly. A programme was developed for entering the collected data in computer. Accordingly all the coded data from Interview Schedules were entered in computer. As desired by the Planning Commission, more stress was given on the assessment of various schemes, mechanism of implementation, budget allocation, organisational set-up and other operational aspects of elementary education in general and girls' literacy in particular. For this purpose frequent visits to State capitals were made to obtain all relevant information and data. Data were collected from the Secretariat and Directorate of Education both the States. The report is divided in 6 parts. Part I presents Introduction and methodology of the study. Part II provides the details of education system, status of education and other relevant information based on the secondary sources appertaining to Madhya Pradesh. Part III covers the details of education system, status of education and other relevant information based on secondary sources about Maharashtra. Part IV gives the analysis of primary data of Madhya Pradesh. Part V interprets the primary data of Maharashtra. Part VI concludes the study and also makes suitable suggestions. |
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Madhya Pradesh has a population of 6.61 crores (1991). The percentages of rural and urban population are 76.79 % and 23.21 % respectively. The share of SC and ST population to total population is 14.55 % and 23.27 % respectively. The total literacy rate of the State is 43.45 % and for male the literacy rate is 57.43 % and for female 28.39 %.The total literacy rate for SC is 37.41 % and for male the literacy rate is 57.43 % and for female 23.76 %. The total literacy rate for ST is 29.60 % and for male the literacy rate is 40.65 % and for female 18.19 %. Madhya Pradesh has an agriculture dominated economy as about 76 per cent of its population depends on agriculture. Educational Institutions in Madhya Pradesh are as follows : Primary Schools -81198, Middle Schools - 20076, High Schools - 3656 and Higher Secondary Schools - 3778. As far as teacher-pupil ratio in Madhya Pradesh is concerned, it is : Primary School -1:44, Middle School -1:35, High School - 1:32 and Higher Secondary School - 1:33. Percentage of girls enrolment in rural enrolment is as follows -Primary School -41 %, Middle School - 30 %, High School - 19 % and Higher Secondary School - 17 %. Percentage of girls enrolment in total enrolment is as follows -Primary School -42 %, Middle School - 36 %, High School - 31 % and Higher Secondary School - 31 %. After 73rd Amendment Act, Madhya Pradesh became the first state which enacted new panchayat raj system in the state and formed PRIs. After formation of PRIs, state government gave several powers and duties to PRIs and education was one of such areas. Elementary education was transferred to the Panchayats under this revolution of powers. As such in rural areas all schools from Pre-primary to Higher Secondary Schools are now managed and operated through panchayats. The main functions of Panchayats are -management of schools, operation of schools, construction and extension of school buildings, to make available teaching aids for school, control over operation of non-formal education system, appointment of Shikshakarmies and implementation of promotion schemes. Village Education Committee (VEC) is also one of the significant aspects of community participation in education. Every village has a VEC. The VECs are formed instead of School Development Committees. The VECs are empowered to ensure the presence of teachers, operation, control and inspection of schools, enrolment campaigns, ensure the enrolment of each school going age child in school and control the tendency of dropout. |
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The Maharashtra State Government right from its formation on 1st May, 1960 committed itself to planned development of primary education. The planning process in the country started in the year 1951 with the First Five Year Plan. Maharashtra joined this process of socio-economic development through planning from the Third Five Year Plan onwards. The programme of educational development was envisaged under the Second Five Year Plan. The Third Five Year Plan provided for the essential needs of free, universal and compulsory education in primary stage of standards of I to IV. The Fourth Five Year Plan provided not only for a quantitative expansion of primary education but also aimed at qualitative improvement in the system, methods and facilities of education. For the first time in the country Maharashtra State published a Policy Statement of Educational Reconstruction in February ,1970. The Statement announced a programme of long-term perspective planning for educational reconstruction linked with social and national goals. It suggested the transformation of the educational system so as to make it relevant to the needs and aspirations of the people through appropriate development of all stages of education, through equality of educational opportunity, through qualitative development of education, through co-ordination of educational planning with the planning of other sectors of development, and through the reorganization of teacher education, educational administration and the passage of suitable legislation. Since the Constitutional Directive to Universalise Elementary Education by 1960 could not become a reality, the Fifth Plan envisaged facilities of education to 100 % children in the age group of 6-11 and 60% children in the age group of 11-14. During the period of the Fifth Plan, a Sub-Plan for the Educational Development of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was prepared, as 12% of the population in the State belongs to the S.C. and S.T. The Sixth Five Year Plan, pointed out the critical role of education in the process of economic development and how it was the principal means for creating human capital of trained, competent manpower for implementing the process of development. Its approach was to ensure essential minimum education to all children upto the age of 14 years within the next ten years, particularly giving attention to school drop-outs and to those groups which were in danger of being left behind because of their special circumstances During the Sixth Plan Period a primary school was opened in every village in the State having a population of about 200 and above. The Seventh Five Year Plan's objective was to universalise primary education in the 14 year age group children, to reduce dropout rate, especially amongst girls. The objective of opening a new primary school with a population of 200 within the radius of 1.5 K.M. was achieved during the Seventh Plan. The new policy of universalisation of primary education was given priority in the Eighth Plan and a sum of Rs. 404.48 crores was spent on Primary education. The enrolment of children belonging to 6-14 age group was 84% by the end of the Plan. In Maharashtra, primary education in the rural areas is entirely the responsibility of the Zilla Parishads. Based on the recommendations of the Naik Committee, Maharashtra adopted the Panchayati Raj pattern which deviated from the model laid down by the Balwant Rai Mehta Study Team by making the district body, the Zilla Parishad, a strong executive body at the district level rather than the block level body. At the village level, Village Education Committees have been established as bridges between the schools and the society. The objective of establishing these committees was to get the cooperation of influential and educated villagers in the implementation of the various Government schemes for primary education, to raise resources for maintaining schools, to participate in the socio-cultural activities of the school, to supervise the attendance of the students and teachers, to make available educational material and help the sale of crafts prepared by students, to maintain the school property through repairs and helping the students to gain from their knowledge and experience. Schemes and Programme - 1. Primary Education Schemes, 2. Non-Formal Education, 3. Construction of School Buildings, 4. Schemes for Students Belonging to scheduled castes, Scheduled Tribes, Nomadic Tribes and Vimukta Jatis, 5. Book Bank, 6. Attendance Allowance for the Girl students, 7. Shaleya Poshan Aahar Yojana (national Programme of Nutritional Support), 8. Scholarships, The Government of Maharashtra decided (1987) that free education to girls be given from standard I to XII throughout the state in approved, aided and un-aided schools. |
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