|
G. V. R. R. Prasad |
1. Introduction: 1.1 During the past few decades the facilities for education, have been increased considerably and education for all has become atleast the 'motto', if not the reality. Despite population growth the percentage of literacy has been increased from 16.67% of 1951 to 36.23 in 1981 and 52.21 in 1991. Still we have in India about 328.88 millions of non- illiterates too. The committed and concerted efforts made through National Adult Education Programme, Mass Programme for Functional Literacy and National Literacy Mission, have helped us in creating an appropriate and conducive atmosphere for continuing and lifelong education. Just learning 3 Rs ie., reading writing and arithmetic is not conceived as an essential phenomenon, the acquired literacy skills have to be linked with development. Literacy and development are inter related. 1.2. Continuing Education and lifelong education cannot start from a vacuum. There should be some thing; some knowledge, some ability. Hence a neo-literate trying to pursue his/her studies can be said to be engaged in continuing education. A drop out while trying to learn further either to join the main stream again or to take qualifying tests as a private candidate, is also is continuing education. One who had to discontinue studies before fulfilling his aspirations, and is desirous or doing so; is again in continuing education. 1.3. Thus ranging from Post-literacy work to specialization in allied
fields by elite and educated persons can come under continuing education.
This is a phenomenon which result in lifelong education. Formal, non-formal
and informal education are needed; these are not mutually exclusive. Mostly
continuing education comes under the second category. It can be organised;
but outside the Institutional Structure. It can be for all irrespective
of age, sex, occupation, locality, socioeconomic status, religion etc. It
thus becomes nonformal. There is no boundary of time or space. It can be
own time education as well. 2. Need for Continuing Education Programme 2.1. The Total Literacy Campaign and the Post Literacy Programme have resulted in a large reservoir of neo-literates. Besides it had the following unintended positive fallouts:- - The impact of the Total Literacy Campaign Programmes on the enrollment in Primary Schools. - Administrative concern for the overall development of the people particularly the disadvantaged sections of the society was clearly visible. - The environment building exercises on the mass Campaigns have helped in motivating Government employees and other sections of the Society for taking up constructive programmes. - The success of national programmes like pulse polio is one such example all over the Country. - Drawing of the women from their daily drudgery and empowering them to express themselves. - Creating a large body of volunteers and tuning the people for voluntarism and local self-help is one of the biggest advantages. Further effort has to continue in this direction. The above are only few of the more important spin off benefits to the society. These advantages and benefits to the society have to be consolidated and continued. Hence the need for Continuing Education Programme. 2.2. The literacy process therefore, has to be continued so as to enable the people to realise their potentiality and help them to achieve self-reliance. The ultimate goal of achieving a 'learning society' is not possible unless sufficient arrangements are made for the Continuing Education of neo-literates. Hence there is a need for a systematic and ever evolving and dynamic Continuing Education Programmes for the neo-literates, coming out of the literacy campaign. 2.3 Today there is already a large underemployment in the rural areas where people are dependent totally on land. This is more so in backward regions and upland areas with little or no possibility for surface irrigation. The employment opportunities for them could be increased through Continuing Education Programmes. Wherever these programmes are taken up now, the efficiency of the delivery system can be increased due to greater awareness among the beneficiaries about the programmes. 2.4 Reaching the goals of Education for All and Health for all would greatly be accelerated through Continuing Education Programmes. 2.5 . Thus Continuing Education Programmes are not only needed but they
are inevitable and inescapable for the over all development of the society. 3. Objectives: 3.1. The main objectives of the continuing education programmes are: a. Provision of facilities for the retention of skills. b. Creating opportunities for the application of literacy skills. c. Dissemination of information on developmental programmes. d. Organising short duration training courses. e. Providing library and reading room facilities. f. Organising cultured and recreational activities. 3.2. The target groups for the continuing education programme are not only neo-literates but also school dropouts, pass outs from primary schools, passouts from NFE programmes. But primarily the CE Programme concentrate, on neo-literates. The continuing education programme is expected to ensure appropriate
opportunities for the life long learning of neo-literates. 4. A.P.Model of Continuing Education Programme: 4.1. The Government of India proposed the CEC as a permanent centre and provided sanctions for CEC for five years. In the first three years the Central Government will provide total grant, in the remaining two years both central and state Governments will share the responsibility in running the CECs. The AP model of CECs deviates from this aspect emphasizing sustainability of CECs after five years. 4.2. The AP model of CECs programme lays great stress on making the people/new-literates to pursue the programme by themselves. The AP model of CE programme has been conceived on the assumption that, local initiative is very much necessary for sustaining and making the CEC as permanent programme in the villages. Local participation is very much needed in order to see that the scheme (CECs) continues to run even without the financial support from the Government. Further it is also felt that free service is no service in the community from Government side. The CE programme of A.P.therefore visualised the programme from two angles (a) creating the feeling among the neo-literates that, it is their centre to be initiated, developed and sustained by themselves only (b) financial support for the day to day running of centres. 4.3. In order to make the centre sustainable even after the Government stops funding, in A.P. in every CEC it is proposed to collect Rs.10,000 as corpus fund. This amount will have to be paid by the beneficiaries of the programme. This amount can be paid at one time or in installments. This amount will be deposited in the local bank. This fund has to be collected from more number of people preferably beneficiaries of the same CEC area but not from one or two persons in order to ensure more community involvement and participation. The interest accrued on this fund can be utilised for the day to day running of CEC from the 6th year onwards. In addition to this, in every CEC each member has to pay one rupee per month as membership fee. This amount will be utilised for organising activities in CEC. 4.4 The membership will enable the neo-literate to set a sense of participation in the programme. 4.5 The CEC should be made lively and activity oriented with continuous activities @ one activity every week which will benefit the individual and community as a whole. This involves three steps ie., planning, preparation and implementation state district, mandal and village levels. Every weakly activity should be supported by reading material in neo-literate language. Suitable instructions should go from Government side from State Level to grass root level function level. Feed back and re3view of weakly activities is very important. The activities of CECs are not thrust from the about, but it is the learners' association which decides about the type of activities to be carried out in each CEC. There from the programme totally aimed at making is on learner programme with their participation at all levels. 4.6 . The AP model of CE programme which is implemented with new vision
and direction will have to address to many field realities. Ensuring community
participation is the most important task before the CE programme. Community
participation is becoming the Central issue of the contemporary times. With
the emergence of people's organizations, people today all manifesting an
increasing urge to participate in the events and processes of development
that shape their lives. 5. Setting up of CECs: 5.1. The CEC has to be a totally people bound structure at the level. It is marked by its necessity to be designed as a sustainable structure. If therefore necessiates extensive field work before launching of the centres. The following will be the process: 5.2. At Mandal level one enthusiastic teacher who participated in the literacy campaign will be deputed by State Government at its own cost as Mandal Literacy organiser (MLO). The MLO identifies like mind social activists and teachers to constitute Mandal Support Group (MSG). 5.3. MLO and MSG along with Mandal Educational Officer, NFE Supervisors and ICDS staff chalks out an intensive visit schedules to cover all the habitations atleast 3 to 5 times to explain the scheme of CEC/CEP and form the various committees ultimately leading to formation of VEC (Village Education Committee). 5.4. Each learners association adjunct CEC will be encourage to collect Rs.1/- per month per member as membership fee towards sustainable programme on long run. The learners association will also collect donations from among themselves and other village elders to constitute a corpus fund of atleast Rs.10,000/-. 5.5. The learners association on collection of the corpus fund and membership fee would open a bank account in the nearest Nationalised Banks and deposit the amount. The funds for running of CEC would be released directly to this account from the district level. 5.6. At the district level the District Collector organisers a multi departmental campaign and to take to the people the message of Continuing Education and the necessity to forming Village Education Committees for each village and learners for the neo-literates. 5.7. The members of learners association and VEC have to be trained at cluster level in the concepts of Continuing Education and on method to establish libraries. 5.8. Seven Preparatory Activities for Launching of Continuing Education Programme:
5.9 Skill mapping of the district by Scientific identification of need for technical skills in the fields of agriculture, industry, service sectors both present and projected date wise plan for imparting skills to the neo literates with a view to fill the gap between the need and availability of skilled man power in the district. The cost for survey and preparation of modules can be built into the project cost of the CE programme. The balance cost shall be met out of the regular funds of DRDA/SC Corporation/other corporations. It should be clear understood the skill upgradation is an essential part of CE Programme. It is tentatively decided to launched CEP in these districts on 1st November, '97.
6.1. The Government of Andhra Pradesh constituting Village Education Committees for every every village. The composition of Village Education Committee would be @ 3 persons from each of the sub-committees of Parents Association, Mothers Association, Learners Association (Continuing Education) and Non Formal Education. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Village Education Committee Sarpanch as Head Master as Chairman Convenor
| | | | | | | | 3 3 3 3 PA PA MA LA Primary Non Formal Anganwadi Continuing School Education Centre Education Centre 6.2 The Village Education Committee is finally responsible for the successful
implementation of all the Educational Programmes at Village Level and achieve
Education For All ultimately. 7.Conclusion: 7.1. In view of the changing scenario, the old concepts and prevalent paradigms of development must now be radically reviewed and revised. Development must be woven around people and not people around development. It should empower individuals and groups rather than doing the reserve which has been the case till date. 7.2. The term participation i.e., community participation is increasingly influencing the development thinking and practice across the globe. At the same time voices from below are increasingly head demanding due shall in decision making. Now a definite consensus has emerged supporting the need for gross root participation in development programmes particularly in the developing countries. Given this increasing concern, it is imperative to understand what does participation means. Peter Oakley et al (1991) discuss two schools of thought on participation. a) One school view participation in the context of development project as key input in-terms of the inclusion of human resource in development efforts. b) The other school underscores participation as a process where by the common people seek to have some influence and to gain access to the resources which would help them sustain and improve their life situation. 7.3. "Participation" as an end can be seen as a process which unfolds over time and whose purpose is to develop and strengthen the capabilities of rural people to intervene more directly in the developmental activities. "Community Participation" can be viewed from the three angles (a) Participation as contribution (b) Participation as organisation (c) Participation as a process of empowerment. 7.4. The following questions have to be addressed by the concerned planners and implementators themselves. a) In what way the objectives are considered suitable for the target group? b) What is the level of learning of the target group? c) Extent of motivation among the target group? d) Who are the real beneficiaries of the programme? e) What is the contribution of the community for the CE Programme? f) What are the processes involved in enlisting community participation for CE Programme? g) What kind of arrangements all available for the governance of CE Programme? h) What kind of collective decision making observed in the CE Programme? i) What are the intended and unintended results from participation in the CE Programme? j) What are the obstacles of community participation in CE Programme?
G.V.R.R. Prasad |
      |
Policy | Research | Technology | Innovations | Training | Bookstore | Home | Help | Site Map | About ILI | About NCAL
