THE ROLE OF TEACHERS IN SHAPING TODAY’S STUDENTS

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Never be happy with what you know

Indra Nooyi is an India-born, naturalized American, business executive and the current Chairperson and CEO of PepsiCo, the second largest food and beverage business in the world. She has consistently ranked among the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women and in 2014, she was ranked 13 in the list of Forbes World’s 100 most powerful women.

I was watching NDTV’s 25 Greatest Global Living Indians ceremony on television where she was recognized as one of them and listened to her three lessons for young people:

First, be a lifelong student. When we are kids we ask questions like “why is the sky blue” and “why the bird is flying so high”. For some reason as we grow older the curiosity goes away. If we are happy with the knowledge we have then we are actually going to atrophy. Please remain lifelong student and don’t lose that curiosity.

Second, consider your job be a calling. Whatever you do, throw yourself into it. Throw your head, heart and hands into it. She says, “I look at my job not as a job but as a calling and a passion. I don’t care about hours, hardships because everything is a joy.”

Third, help others rise or come up in life. Greatness comes not from a position but from helping build the future.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” There is no end to education. Education is a life-long process. From the moment you are born to the moment you die, you are learning. The more you learn the more you realize how little you know.

Quote: “Learning is not a product of schooling but the lifelong attempt to acquire it.”  – Albert Einstein

IAS topper, who failed sixth grade

When Rukmani failed in Class VI, her parents were upset and sad. Her teachers scolded her. Her friends laughed at her. The Neighbours said that she lacked intelligence. Relatives advised her parents to send her for tuition.

Rukmani alone knew the reason for her failure. She knew she had not paid attention in class and that she was careless about study. When the parents arranged for tuition, she rejected it and decided to challenge herself. She made up her mind to work hard and give her best.

That’s what she did. She never failed again. She passed her secondary and higher secondary with high percentage. Twice she won gold medals in her college studies. She passed her Masters from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

Her desire shifted to IAS. She not only passed her IAS in the first attempt without any coaching but secured Second Rank in the Country in 2011. She is none other than Rukmani Riar from Chandhigarh. Just think of it, IAS topper, who failed in Class VI. The reward of determination, hard work and perseverance!

Achievers get to the top of a mountain by climbing it. James Allen says, “The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn, the bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities.” According to Napoleon Hill, “When your desires are strong enough, you will appear to possess superhuman powers to achieve.”  True brilliance shines anywhere. No one can put a limitation on you, except you. Where there is a will, there is always a way out!

Quote: “To accomplish great things we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” – Anatole France

1009* at fifteen

Pranav Dhanawade, son of an Auto rickshaw driver at the age of fifteen became the highest run-scorer with his 1,009*. This is the first four digit score by an individual in an official match, surpassing 13 year old Arthur Collins’ 628 in a house match in England in 1899. Dhanawade is a student of Class 10 of KC Gandhi School, Kalyan. He achieved the feat against Arya Gurukul, Kalyan, in a district inter-school tournament for HT Bhandari Shield organised by the Mumbai Cricket Association.

He achieved this in a batting time of 6 hours, 35 minutes, Pranav faced 323 balls and hit 59 sixes and 129 fours with a strike rate of 312.38. Mumbai Cricket Association has announced a monthly scholarship of Rs. 10000 each to Pranav Dhanawade.

Haven’t you heard people crying about what they do not have? “I’m too old.” “I’m too young.” “I’m not educated.” “My parents are poor.” “I’m from the backward class” “I can never make it.” “I feel nervous.” “I could never do that.” A winner is someone who recognizes his talents, works his tail off to develop them, and uses them to achieve his goals and brings happiness to others. An unquenchable desire to achieve and succeed has enabled many individuals to accomplish what was well beyond their wildest dreams. Unceasing hard work, strenuous labour and practice give you success no matter your background.

Quote: “Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want.”  ― Paulo Coelho

Statement of purpose

Students who want to pursue higher studies abroad will have to write their statements of purpose (SOPs). What is a statement of purpose? It is an application essay a student applying for a graduate programme at a foreign university is required to write in order to be admitted to the programme. In U.K. it is called ‘personal statement’. The length of it is about 500 and 700 words.

I do not know of any college or university in India asking for a SOP at the graduation level. Why do foreign universities ask for it? It helps colleges and universities to test whether the applicants are really interested in the programme that they have applied for, whether they are capable of pursuing the programme and completing it successfully and whether they will be able to contribute significantly to the institute.

A great SOP speaks to the members of the admissions committee and makes them smile and say, “Here is the guy I am looking for.”

Do you have an SOP? Why have you chosen a specific college or university? In which field do you want to specialise in? Why have you chosen it? When did you develop your interest in it? How passionate are you about the field you are going to specialise in? What is your career goal? What is your purpose in life?

Living and doing things with a purpose gives meaning to every little thing we do. There should be something to look forward to, so you will find meaning to it and you will realize that every action you take has its value. Today many students enter into colleges and universities without having a purpose. All study becomes monotonous and burdensome if it has no goal or purpose. A sculptor after hacking and cutting away at a block of marble all day was asked, “What are you making?” He said, “I really don’t know. I haven’t made any plans.”

Quote: “My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal, we never lose — somehow we win out.” — Ronald Reagan

I have done my duty

Justice S H Kapadia former Chief Justice of India expired on 4th January 2016 in Mumbai at the age of 68. He was born in a poor family with abject poverty. At one time he had to survive with a little food being provided by the roadside peanut seller. He started his career as a class IV employee of the High Court.  It is astonishing and inspiring that he rose from the lowest category employee to the highest rank in Indian Judiciary. He gave priority to work, set goals for himself, did not mind dismantling systems which could breed corruption, detested indiscipline and frowned upon unnecessary expenditure and corruption in any government department. He propounded the principle of “institutional integrity”.

He did not take leave even for a day in his about 22-year-long career as a judge. Once suffered a fracture as a Bombay High Court judge but he was in court next day with plaster. He was a man of duty and impeccable character and was popular for his uncompromising stand on principles. He practiced what he preached. In his retirement speech he said, ‘I have done my duty and done no more’.

Justice S.H. Kapadia stands out as a man of duty. I am reminded of the Bible verse which says, “So you also, when you have done everything commanded of you, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'” (Luke 17:10). Duty commands us to look neither to the right, nor to the left, but straight onward. Every act of duty is an act of faith. It is performed in the assurance that God will take care of the consequences. One of the scout promises is, “On my honor, I promise, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country.”

Quote: “Activate yourself to duty by remembering your position, who you are, and what you have obliged yourself to be.” – Thomas a Kempis

A chance to start afresh

January is the beginning of a new year. What does this suggest to you? That we are getting another chance to make new beginnings. So, if you didn’t have a good start to the new year, this is an opportunity to make it right. And if you did have a good start, it is time to make it even better.

So, how do you make something better? By putting in more hard work, using your resources in a smart manner, and thinking innovatively. There is one more thing that we need to focus on: improving quality rather than quantity. Quantity is important but one should not ignore minute details that go on to make a huge difference in the end. The final product, whatever it may be, should be measured not just by its size or numbers but its quality and attention to details.

Mahatma Gandhi says, “It is the quality of our work which will please God and not the quantity.”

A lot of people do make substantial efforts to produce quality work but often due to constraints of time, manpower, resources, etc. their efforts fall short of the desired goals. And sometimes, one shot, which we usually get in life, at attaining our objectives, is not enough. That’s why getting a second chance is usually considered a stroke of luck. Second chances are rare but worth all the efforts.

I read somewhere from an unknown author, “If you are lucky enough to get a second chance at something, don’t waste it.” A new year is all about second chance, an opportunity to start afresh and realize your dreams. Goethe once said, “Whatever you do or dream you can do — begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it”.  It is not about changing the dates but direction; it’s not about changing the calendar but commitment; it’s not about changing the actions but attitude.

So, whenever you get one, in whatever form, never let go of that opportunity to produce the desired results. Cherish that opportunity and put your body, mind, heart and soul into it to make things right. The results will surely be worth it.

Dr. P.D. John, M.A., M.Ed, PhD

Finding the Joy of Christmas

Christmas is here! Shops are being decorated with Christmas posters and lauded with Christmas goods. In the guise to ‘give, give, give’, the pressure to ‘buy, buy, buy’ is on. Those with little money to spare begin the struggle to stretch their purses.

Big and shiny, the Christmas of today doesn’t even resemble its humble origin. Every woman who’s ever been nine months pregnant understands how gruelling a task it must have been to ride on a donkey. Every person who’s familiar with the sights, the sounds and the smells of a barn, knows the story of a babe born in a manger is much more pleasant in the telling than the reality.

With nowhere to go, and nothing but faith, a man and a woman on the verge of becoming parents spend the night in a stable. Their lodging is lowly, even by the standards of the day. It offers no creature comforts, no luxuries, and no conveniences of any kind. What they do not have is an important part of the story. Today, lack of material possessions, in no way, defines who you are, or determines the purpose of your life.

The old Christmas song says, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” December is full of long, clamorous days culminating in the wearied singing of “Silent Night.” Christmas Eve will find us lifting up our weary voices to sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.”

Christmas is for love. It is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for reuniting with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly decorated packages. It is for reconciliation and forgiveness.

I would like to offer ten tips on how to find joy during this Christmas and in life:

1. Choose to be happy. You can choose to be happy or sad. Two people met with an accident and were severely wounded. They did not choose to be in the accident. It happened to them. But one of them chose to live the experience in bitterness, the other in gratitude. These choices radically influenced their lives and the lives of their families and friends. We have very little control over what happens in our lives, but we have a lot of control over how we integrate and react to what happens to us.
2. Look out for miracles. Miracles are all round, if you look out for them. Sometimes the miracles around you are as simple as a bud bursting into bloom or the hatching of birds’ eggs outside your kitchen window. Taking time to see and appreciate the miraculous is guaranteed to bring a smile to your soul and hope to your heart. Isn’t it a miracle to open your eyes in the morning…? To see the golden sun rise and hear the birds sing… Isn’t it a miracle to feel the golden breeze…? And to see the wind dancing in the trees… According to Albert Einstein, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
3. Becoming joyful in heart. Laughter is the cheapest, safest, and most reliable medication there is! Laughter promotes good health in body and spirit. It not only brightens your mood, but also eases tension. A good dose of laughter has been shown to improve blood circulation, stimulate digestion, lower blood pressure, and prompt the brain to release pain-reducing endorphins. Be joyful in life, full of laughter and smile…
4. Count your blessings. Count your many blessings. Name them one by one! Even when circumstances are grim, you can always find something to be thankful for. As the popular saying reminds us, “I had the blues because I had no shoes, until upon the street I met a man who had not feet.” “Thank God for your pain,” urges Dr. Paul Brand, who has worked most of his life in leper colonies. Lepers lose all sensation, so they have no pain to warn them, Dr. Brand explains. Their fingers may drop off because they have no pain to alert them to infection. “Pain is always telling you something if you are willing to listen.”
5. Share your joy. To multiply your own joy, enjoy the happiness of others. Many people find it easier to weep with those who weep than to rejoice with those who rejoice, because jealousy has a way of rearing its ugly head. Allow other people’s delight to become your delight.
6. Let go of the Past. Sometimes we hang on to voices or perceived injustices from the past, long after the person or situation is dead and gone. By bringing closure to these events, we are free to move forward. You may not be able to forget what has gone before, but you can stop dwelling on it. According to Charles F. Kettering, “you can’t have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time.”
7. Find God in everyone. Mother Teresa said it time and again, “See the face of God in everything, in everyone and everywhere.” Everyone is a reflection of God. Sometimes we have to dig a little deep to see it as our perceptions, expectations and fears cloud our vision. But when we can recognize how God is mirrored in each person, our lives are calmer and freer!
8. Focus on being. When we are focused on who we are, what kind of person we are, we tend to be on a journey of spiritual evolution, which in itself tends to have less stress. When we are focused on doing or having, we are not focused on our higher selves, but only on certain cravings that we have. Be a being, not a doing!
9. Be an original. Each of us is an original. Why be a copy when you are already an original. Since the beginning of time, and until the end of time, there will be only one you. This means that comparing yourself to others makes very little sense. If you want to make a worthwhile comparison, try comparing yourself to yourself.
10. Start living. We only get one life to life, so much to give, so much to share, and so much to do. We might wish for more. D.H. Lawrence said, ‘If only one could have two lives. The first in which to make one’s mistakes… and the second in which to profit by them.’ But there are no dress rehearsals for life; we are on stage straightaway. Perform or perish!

May Christmas 2015 bring about good will in each one of us to love, to forgive, to give and to share!

Salient Features of National Curriculum Framework 2005

Introduction:

• NPE 1986, assigned a special role to NCERT in preparing and promoting NCF.
• Yash Pal Committee Report, ‘Learning without Burden’ (1993) observes that learning has become a source of burden and stress on children and their parents.
• Considering these observations, Executive Committee of NCERT decided at its meeting of July 14, 2004, to revise the National Curriculum Framework.
• The process of development of NCF was initiated in November, 2004 by setting up various structures like National Steering Committee Chaired by Prof. Yash Pal and twenty-one National Focus Groups on themes of curricular areas, systemic reforms and national concerns.
• Wide ranging deliberations and inputs from multiple sources involving different levels of stakeholders helped in shaping the draft of NCF.
• The draft NCF was translated into 22 languages listed in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution. The translated versions were widely disseminated and consultations with stakeholders at district and local level helped in developing the final draft.
• The NCF was approved by Central Advisory Board on Education in September, 2005.

Vision and Perspective

• To uphold values enshrined in the Constitution of India
• To reduce of curriculum load
• To ensure quality education for all
• To initiate certain systemic changes

 Guiding Principles

• Connecting knowledge to life outside the School
• Ensuring that learning is shifted away from rote methods
• Enriching curriculum so that it goes beyond Text Book
• Making Examination more flexible and non-threatening
• Discuss the aims of education
• Building commitment to democratic values of equality, justice, secularism and freedom.

Focus on child as an active learner

1. Primacy to children’s experience, their voices and participation
2. Needs for adults to change their perception of children as passive receiver of knowledge
3. Children can be active participants in the construction of knowledge and every child come to with pre-knowledge
4. Children must be encouraged to relate the learning to their immediate environment
5. Emphasizes that gender, class, creed should not be constraints for the child
6. Highlights the value of Integration
7. Designing more challenging activities

Curricular areas, school stages and Assessment

• Recommends significant changes in Maths, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences
• Overall view to reduce stress, make education more relevant, meaningful

 1. Languages

• To implement 3-language formula
• Emphasis on mother tongue as medium of instruction
• Curriculum should contain multi-lingual proficiency only if mother tongue is considered as second language
• Focus on all skills

2. Mathematics

• Teaching of Mathematics to focus on child’s resources to think and reason, to visualize abstractions and to solve problems.

3. Sciences

• Teaching of science to focus on methods and processes that will nurture thinking process, curiosity and creativity.

4. Social Sciences

• Social sciences to be considered from disciplinary perspective with rooms for:

• Integrated approach in the treatment of significant themes
• Enabling pedagogic practices for promoting thinking process, decision making and critical reflection.

5. Draws attention on four other areas

a. Art Education: covers music, dance, visual arts and theatre which on interactive approaches not instruction aesthetic awareness and enable children to express themselves in different forms.

b. Health and Physical Education: Health depends upon nutrition and planned physical activities.

c. Education for Peace: As a precondition to snub growing violence and intolerance

f. Work and Education: As it can create a social temper and agencies offering work opportunities outside the school should be formally recognized.

School and Classroom environment

• Critical pre-requisites for improved performance – minimum infrastructure and material facilities and support for planning a flexible daily schedule
• Focus on nurturing an enabling environment
• Revisits tradition notions of discipline
• Discuss needs for providing space to parents and community
• Discuss other learning sites and resources like Texts and Books, Libraries and laboratories and media and ICT
• Addresses the need for plurality of material and Teacher autonomy/professional independence to use such material.

 Systemic Reforms

• Covers needs for academic planning for monitoring quality
• Teacher education should focus on developing professional identity of the Teacher
• Examination reforms to reduce psychological stress particularly on children in class X and XII

Examination reforms highlight:

• Shift from content based testing to problem solving and competency based assessment
• Examinations of shorter duration
• Flexible time limit
• Change in typology of questions
• No public examination till class VIII
• Class X board exam to be made optional (in long term)

Teacher Education Reforms emphasize on preparation of teacher to

1. View learning as a search for meaning out of personal experience, and knowledge generation at a continuously evolving process of reflective learning.
2. View knowledge not as an external reality embedded in textbooks, but as constructed in the shared context of teaching-learning and personal experience.

Guidelines for Syllabus Development

1. Development of syllabi and textbooks based on following considerations

• Appropriateness of topics and themes for relevant stages of children’s development
• Continuity from one level to the next
• Pervasive resonance of all the values enshrined in the constitution of India the organization of knowledge in all subjects
• Inter-disciplinary and thematic linkages between topics listed for different school subjects, which falls under different discrete disciplinary areas.
• Linkage between school knowledge and concern in all subjects and at all levels
• Sensitivity to gender, caste, class, peace, health and need of children with disability
• Integration of work related attitudes and values in every subject and all levels
• Need to nurture aesthetic sensibility and values

2. Linkage between school and college syllabi, avoid overlapping
3. Using potential of media and new information technology in all subjects
4. Encouraging flexibility and creativity in all areas of knowledge and its construction by children.

Development of Support Material

• Audio/video programmes on NCF-2005 and textbooks
• Source-book on learning assessment
• Exemplar problems in Science and Mathematics
• Science and Mathematics kits
• Teachers’ handbooks and manuals.
• Teacher Training Packages.
• Developed syllabi and textbooks in new areas such as Heritage Craft, Media Studies, Art Education, Health and Physical Education, etc.
• Taken various initiatives in the area of ECCE (Early Childhood Care Education), Gender, Inclusive Education, Peace, Vocational Education, Guidance and Counseling, ICT, etc.

Overall Evaluation

NCF 2005 highlights the following aspects:

• The value of Interaction with environment, peers and older people to enhance learning.
• That learning task must be designed to enable children to seek knowledge other than text books.
• The need to move away from “Herbartian” lesson plan to prepare plans and activities that challenge children to think and try out what they are learning.

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education, Act, 2009

Introduction: India has a dubious distinction of having the highest number of illiterates in the world. Unfortunately, even the recent educational statistics on literacy rates – according to 2011 census – confirm this trend. Males (80.9%); Females (64.6%)’ and Overall (73.0%) These numbers signify that 1/5^th of all Indian males, 1/3^rd of all Indian females and more than 1/4^th of all Indian do not have “basic literacy skills”! It is more appalling that, even after 65 years of Indian Constitution, “about half of the children between the age of six and fourteen (82.2 million) are not in school. They stay at home to care for the cattle, tend to the younger children, and collect firewood or work in the fields, tea stalls or restaurants. These children are thus denied their childhood. Indeed, even today “education seems to be a privilege rather than a right for the children of India”, although India has her own Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009!

Background:

• Art 21-A inserted in Fundamental Rights as per 86^th Constitutional Amendment: “The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of 6 to 14 years in such manner as the State may, by law, determine.”
• Consequential legislation: The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
• Presidential assent received on 26^th August, 2009.

Right of Children:

• To free and compulsory admission, attendance and completion of EE.
• Free: no child liable to pay any fee/expense preventing her from pursuing and completing EE.
• Compulsion: on the state; parental duty to send children to school.
• Not enrolled/dropout children be admitted to age appropriate class.
• No child shall be failed or expelled upto class 8
• Bars corporal punishment mental harassment.

Teachers:

• Qualification for appointment of teachers to be laid down by academic authority authorised by Central Government.
• Academic responsibilities of teachers laid down
• Prohibits deployment of teachers for non-education purpose, except for:
  • Decennial census
  • Disaster relief
  • Elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, Local Bodies.

Schools:

• Norms and standards specified for all schools
  • Infrastructure and related facilities
  • Pupil Teacher Ratios – for each school
  • School days; working hours for teachers
  • Facilities
• Community participation in schools ensured through SMC comprising elected reps, teachers and parents
  • ¾ members from among parents of children in the school; 50% women
  • Proportionate representation to weaker and deprived sections
  • SMC to plan, manage and monitor – in collaboration with the local authority
• All aided schools to provide free education to at least 25% children.
• Special category schools and unaided schools to admit in Class I at least 25% children, belonging to weaker section and disadvantaged group, from the neighbourhood, and provide free and compulsory elementary education.
• No capitation fees
• No screening for admission
• No school without recognition.

Curriculum:

• Curriculum and evaluation procedure laid down by prescribed academic authority should:
  • Conform to constitutional values
  • Make child free from fear, trauma and anxiety
  • Be child centred, child friendly; provide for learning through activities
  • Medium of instruction – child mother tongue to the extent possible
  • Provide for comprehensive and continuous evaluation
• No Board examinations till completion of EE

Duties: Central Government:

• Develop a national curriculum framework
• Develop and enforce standards of training of teachers
• Lay down minimum qualification for appointment of teachers
• Prepare estimate of capital and recurring expenditure
• Provide to States as GIA of revenues such percentage of expenditure as determined in consultation with State Governments
• Request President to make reference to Finance Commission to examine need for additional resources to be provided to State Governments.

Duties: Appropriate Government, Local Authority:

• Ensure free and compulsory education
• Establish schools in neighbourhood within 3 years
• Children belonging to weaker sections and disadvantaged groups not to be discriminated against
• Infrastructure, school building, teaching staff, learning equipment
• Special training for previously not enrolled or drop out children to enable them to be at par with others
• Monitoring of admission, attendance, completion of EE
• Timely prescription of curriculum, courses of study, teachers’ training.

Protection of Right:

• Decentralised grievance redressal mechanism
• NCPCR/SCPCR assigned additional functions
  • Examine and review safeguards for rights under this Act, recommend measures for effective implementation.
  • Inquire into complaints relating to child’s right to free and compulsory education.
  • Powers assigned under Section 14 and 24 of the Commissions for Protection of Child Right Act.
• Where SCPCR not constituted, appropriate Government may constitute an Authority.

Way Forward:

• Initiate action under delegated legislation; review existing state legislations on compulsory education and legislations on organization and management of private schools.
• Identify mechanisms for school and habitation mapping in order to define ‘neighbourhood’ , and ensure universal access.
• Notify plan for automatic progression from primary to upper primary, designate schools and feeder schools.
• Identify schools that do not conform to norms and standards prescribed in schedule.
• Undertake redeployment of teachers to ensure PTR in all schools.
• Review Cadre and Recruitment Rules for Teacher appointment.
• Untrained teachers should not be appointed in future,
• Notify that teachers shall not be deployed for non-academic work.
• Notify that teachers shall not give private tuitions.
• Ensure no-detention/no expulsion policy; ban corporal punishments and no Board exams till completion of EE.
• Set up SMCs – Enforce management and supervision of schools with community support.
• Notify all panchayats, municipalities as local authority
• Where SCPCRs are not constituted, constitute authority to perform functions in clause 31(1)
• Ascertain which schools are under obligation to provide free seats
• Prescribe mechanism for private schools to obtain certificate of recognition

• Establishing schools in the neighbourhood
  • Upgrading all EGS / AIE into regular schools
  • Opening schools in unserved areas
• Providing additional classrooms and facilities
  • One classroom per teacher; office/store, Head Teacher room
  • Adequate drinking water
  • Separate toilet facility for girls and boys
  • Barrier free access.

• Provision of adequate teachers
  • Primary level
    • Enrolment upto 60 :               2 teachers
    • 60-90                 :               3 teachers
    • 90-120                 :               4 teachers
    • 120-150 :               5 teachers
    • 150-200 :               5 teachers + Headmaster
    • > 200                 :               PTR not to exceed 40 + Headmaster
  • Upper Primary level
    • PTR 35:1, 1 teacher per class (Science & math, Social Studies, Language teacher)
    • Enrolment > 100 – One Head Teacher; Instructor for Art, Health and Physical Education and Work Education.
  • Mainstreaming out-of-school children
  • Child entitlements: textbooks/workbooks/stationary, uniforms
  • Teacher Learning Equipment; library grant
  • Teacher development
    • Pre-service training of existing untrained teachers
    • Pre-service training of new teachers to be appointed based on attrition rate
    • In-service training

 Conclusion: The RTE Act clearly brings out the resoluteness of the Govt. of India for ensuring the education of every child. The various provisions of the Act clearly indicate that the country has put education first in its agenda for nation transformation. The Act has succeeded in delineating the various responsibilities of school managing committees, teachers and other stakeholders in education. It has created a legally protected environment for the child to get education which can function as a launch pad for the future. The Act will definitely create a great impact on improving literacy rate and guaranteeing children their rightful place in the world.