State pulls 44-page education policy draft from govt website

State pulls 44-page education policy draft from govt website

AFTER FLAK

The department is expected to upload updated draft in two weeks

MUMBAI: After receiving flak for recommending eight-hour school days for students and the use of mother tongue as first language till Class 10, the state school education department pulled down the 44-page draft of recommendations for the new education policy from its website on Wednesday. The department is expected to upload an updated draft within two weeks. 

The department backtracked on instructions from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, said officials. “The CM asked us to withdraw it [draft] as we were getting more criticism than suggestions on the report,” said Nand Kumar, principal secretary of the department. “We will now frame our opinion properly after discussing it with government officials and will put it up on the website within two weeks, for public opinion.” 

First uploaded on November 11, the report was compiled based on suggestions gathered from consultations held at the village- and block-level in 22 districts, and it comprised opinions of farmers, housewives, school headmasters and other professionals. The report was open to public feedback till November 23. 

Academicians, however, said the suggestions were not vetted by government officials before the draft was uploaded on the website. Some of the suggestions, according to them, were highly implausible for modernday schools to implement and could have increased burden on students. 

Education minister Vinod Tawde said the recommendations did not echo his own or department’s views, but only those of the expert groups from every district. “The report was uploaded so that people could give their suggestions, but some public representatives politicised the issue,” said Tawde in a press note issued on Wednesday. “For the first time in nearly 30 years, consultations were held at grassroot level before finalising a new education policy.” 

Member of Legislative Council from the teachers’ constituency, Kapil Patil, was among those demanding the report be scrapped as the suggestions were impractical. 

Other features of the proposal

>> Introduction of advanced education programme
>> Constructive approach to learning
>> Engaging parents as a partner in education
>> Empower school management committee and parent teachers association
>> Biometric attendance system/remote monitoring devices for teachers
>> Ensure that the child competes with self rather than peers
>> Conduct social audit

Source | Hindustan Times | 19 November 2015

Regards

Pralhad Jadhav

Khaitan & Co