Centre will shut ‘BEd shops’, says Javadekar
CHANDIGARH: Union human resource development minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday said that his ministry would not allow “shops being run in the name of BEd colleges” in several parts of the country.
Announcing this, Javadekar said the central government had sought affidavits from BEd colleges with complete information about their courses, structure in the colleges and criteria for admissions to clamp down on such teachers’ education institutions. “About 7,000 colleges have submitted affidavits and many more are in the pipeline. They have time till June 30,” he said in his address on the concluding day of a two-day workshop here. He also said that no new colleges would be allowed this year.
Javadekar said that there were several renowned BEd colleges but they were not getting students, whereas fly-by-night operators were handing out degrees at ₹1 lakh. “We will ensure such shops are shut. Only quality educational institutions will be allowed to function,” he told top officials of eight states – Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Delhi. The workshop on “Innovative and Best Practices in School Education” was held by the Union HRD ministry with Punjab being the host state.
MULTIPRONGED STRATEGY FOR QUALITY EDUCATION
Javadekar, who expressed serious concern over decline in education standard in government schools, said a multipronged strategy was being pursued for improvement in the quality of education.
“The government is drafting a Bill on no-detention policy. I am sure it will get through. About 25 states were in favour of ending the policy, but four states wanted to continue with it. We are now going to give the authority to the states to decide on detaining the students failing in Classes 5 and 8 board exams conducted in March and giving them another opportunity in June,” he said.
The minister said that learning outcomes had been defined by the National Council Of Educational Research And Training (NCERT) to bring accountability, as schools in some areas had just become “mid-day meal schools”, where it was all about “aana, khana and jaana (come, eat and go)”. The remaining two measures cited by the minister were reintroduction of board examinations in Class 10 and revamp of teachers’ education to make it more integrated.
He also highlighted the need to impart education in native languages besides English, and accountability of teachers as well as parents in shaping the future of the students. He cited Navodaya Vidyalayas and Kendriya Vidyalayas as good examples in imparting quality education, which are worth emulating.
MINISTER TAKES DIG AT BIHAR BOARD EXAMS
Taking a thinly-veiled dig at the board exams in Bihar, Java dekar said the topper of a state was absconding and another top per failed to explain basics of music, one of his subjects. “Usko sur-taal ka kuch pata hi nahin tha. He could not answer any questions on the subject.
This clearly shows how the education system has lost its fun damentals,” he said, without naming the state. Punjab educa tion minister Aruna Chaudhary Union secretary, school educa tion and literacy, Anil Swarup and joint secretary, HRD minis try, Ajay Tirkey were among those present.
The government is drafting a Bill on nodetention policy. I am sure it will get through. About 25 states were in favour of ending the policy. PRAKASH JAVADEKAR, Union human resource development minister