Abhimanyu Singh*

    Universalisation of Elementary Education (UEE) has been accepted as a national goal in India since Independence. The founding fathers of our Constitution recognised UEE as a crucial input for nation building. The Directive Principles of State Policy envisage that the state shall endeavour to provide free and compulsory education for children up to 14 years of age within a period of 10 years. The National Education Policies so far have reiterated the constitutional directive. The National Policy on Education 1986 (as envisaged in 1992) resolves to provide free and compulsory education of satisfactory quality to all children up to 14 years of age before the commencement of the twenty first century.

    The colonial regime prior to our Independence in 1947 established a system of education that had limited access and denied mass education. It gave greater emphasis on conformism to socio-political and economic systems obtaining in the country in those times. Macaulay explicitly stated that the objective of the education system was to create a new breed of Indians as similar to Europeans as possible. It was on account of this that the Indian National Movement developed a strong critique of the British System that only imparted learning skills and not life skills and that did not respect Indian traditions. The national movement also expressed the global sentiment of education for all and Gopal Krishna Gokhales Compulsory Education Bill reflected the spirit of Indias freedom movement.
 
 

Fresh Approach

    The fervour for freedom and patriotism to achieve swawalamban, made our leaders search for an alternative approach to elementary education. Article 41 and 45 of the Constitution enunciating the Directive Principles of State Policy on education, provided the basis for the new approach. 14 States and four Union Territories enacted Legislation for free and compulsory primary education. All States have exempted children from tuition fee up to upper primary classes. However, compulsion has not been enforced due to socio-economic and political considerations.

    The thrust of the Central and State Governments in universalising elementary education so far has been on three aspects, namely- universal access, universal retention and universal achievement. Concerted efforts made in these areas have resulted in significant expansion of elementary education in the country. The number of primary schools has increased from 2.10 lakh in 1950-51 to 5.90 lakh and number of upper primary schools from 13,000 to 1.71 lakh in 1995-96.

    During this period, Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at primary levels has increased from 43 per cent in 1950-51 to 104 per cent in 1995-96. 95 per cent of the rural population in the country has a primary school within one kilometre and 85 per cent an upper primary school within a distance of three kilometres. With 15 crore children and 30 lakh teachers, we have one of the largest elementary education systems in the world. The proportion of girls in classes I-VIII as also women teachers has increased steadily.
 
 

Policy and Planning

    The period after Independence saw a linear expansion of the elementary education system through allocation of additional resources. The first National Policy on Education, 1968 recommended free and compulsory elementary education and equalisation of educational opportunities especially for girls and children belonging to SCs and STs. The National Policy on Education 1986 and its Programme of Action, (1992) was enunciated on the basis of a detailed review of the countryÕs educational performance. The policy resolves to achieve UEE by 2000 A.D.

    The plan allocations for elementary education have increased steadily, though still not adequate to fulfil the constitutional commitments. Fifty years of freedom have seen higher levels of spending by the Central and State Governments to provide quality education for all. Better school infrastructure, more and better-paid school teachers, timely availability of subsidised or free text books in regional languages, provision of scholarships, uniforms and mid day meals have all received attention of State governments who are the main providers of elementary education
 
 

External Assistance

    Following the World Conference for Education for all (EFA) in Jomitien (Thailand) in March 1990 there is a greater commitment and willingness on the part of multilateral and bilateral aid agencies to invest in primary education in developing countries. A major internationally assisted programme namely District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) was launched in 1992 with assistance from World Bank and European Union. The programme adopts a holistic approach to promote primary education through decentralized planning and integrated programming at district level. The programme has been extended to 149 districts in 14 States in 1997. The Lok Jumbish (LJP)and Shiksha Karmi Projects (SKP) are two other successful internationally assisted projects. Lok Jumbish, meaning a peoples movement for UEE, has a holistic understanding about the problem of UEE and is implemented by establishing an interface between the local community, the teaching profession, the educational administration and the learners. The Shiksha Karmi Project envisages a paradigm shift in delivery of primary education. Inspired by the concept of barefoot teachers, the project has effectively responded to the problem of teacher absenteeism in the remote and inaccessible areas of Rajasthan.
 
 

Community Mobilisation

    The process of decentralisation has been an encouraging feature of our efforts to universalise elementary education. NPE, 1986 visualises direct community involvement in the form of Village Education Committees for management of elementary education. The POA, 1992 emphasised micro- planning as a process of designing a family-wise and child-wise plan of education by which every child regularly attends a school or a Non Formal Education (NFE) centre, continues his or her education at a place suitable to him/her and completes at least eight years of schooling or its equivalent at the NFE centre.

    The Seventy-third and Seventy-fourth Constitutional Amendments have created greatedr aventes for the Panchayati Raj Institutions to play a more dynamic role in mobilising the communities to take responsibility to ensure quality education for every child. Genuine community involvement is the key factor for the successes of LJP and SKP in Rajasthan. LJP has had a positive effect on the empowerment of locally elected people, especially women at village level who are often active members of the LJ core teams and Mahila Samoohs. The VECs, carefully formed and trained through environmental building activities in the LJ, are actively involved in school matters. SKP has constituted VECs in 2000 villages. An important role of the VEC is to mobilise resources for maintenance, repair and construction of school buildings. The VECs also help in determining the school calendar and school timings in consultation with the local community.
 
 

NGOs As Partners

    NGOs are emerging as important partners in efforts of the Governments towards UEE. The participation of NGOs together with community support has helped to improve the physical conditions and environment of elementary schools as well as promotion of education for girls and children belonging to SCs and STs and working children. As of now, nearly 750 NGOs are supplementing the Governmental efforts towards UEE by rendering cooperation and resource support to non-formal education with assistance from the Government.
 
 

Future Challenges

    The country has undoubtedly been successful in evolving a national structure for elementary education in the last fifty years. Primary education is now provided in the mother tongue or regional language in all the States and UTs. There has been substantial increase in access to elementary education. First generation learners, girls and the underprivileged sections of society have been provided with unique opportunities for vertical mobility. Literacy standards have been substantially improved across the country.

    Despite substantial achievements, the task of UEE is far from complete. Schools and enrolments have certainly increased but so has the number of out of school children. The country today has one of the largest illiterate population in the world. Caste, gender, class and regional disparities in UEE though reduced, are still glaring and persistent. While the demand for quality education is showing perceptible increase because of improved awareness and social mobilisation through organised efforts, supply is generally inadequate. The educational administration in most States and UTs is yet to effectively tackle endemic problems concerning shortage of teachers, inadequate and improperly designed school buildings, lack of teaching/ learning equipment, need based teacher training and a curriculum related to real life requirements.

    The recent measures initiated by the Government, namely DPEP, Mid-day Meal Programme and the proposal for National Elementary Education Mission (NEEM), the National Programme Media advocacy and publicity for UEE and the Joint GOI-UN System Education Programme are expected to address some of these challenges more effectively. The proposed National Elementary Education Mission should evolve strategies for reaching the un-reached and achieving the goal of UEE within a given time frame in a systematic, sustained and integrated manner. The resolve of the Government to make elementary education, a fundamental right of all children of 6-14 years, is expected to spur the government and non-government sectors to take necessary measures to achieve UEE. Efforts of the Government to mobilise resources for education to the extent of 6 per cent of GDP will also help in hastening the process of universalising elementary education.

    It is hoped that with a clear vision, firm will, higher investments, greater dedication, and increased people's participation, we would be able to fulfil our goal of providing satisfactory quality of education to all children in the country within the next decade.-PIB