The sphere of education is badly in need of an impartial and independent commission exactly like Election Commission and judiciary.
A national workshop on Educational Reforms & Achievements was held near Kochi by Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas, an academic outfit deeply involved in research for formulating a Bharatiya Education Model. Nyas organised the programme in collaboration with Amrita University and Saparya Educational Foundation.
Proposals were made on the basis of the subjects discussed in the workshop, like National Educational Policy document, Value-based Educational Scheme, Environment Education, Vedic Mathematics, National Educational Policy, Autonomy of Education, etc. These proposals will be submitted before the Union Government.
The workshop was kicked off on May 22 and concluded on May 24. The sessions took place in Raja Yoga Centre, Aluva and Saraswathi Vidyanikethan, Chenga-manad, near Kochi.
Shri Dinanath Batra, renowned Bharatiya academician and national convener of Shiksha Bachao Andolan Samiti. He said education should be free from control. This is necessary for achieving efficiency and educational reforms. “Realm of education is badly in need of an impartial and independent commission exactly like Election Commission and judiciary. Bharatiya Education Commission is the best bet. Education institutions and varsities are responsible for rural development. Every institution should adopt a village. Schools, varsities and agri-industry institutions should work together for this purpose. New national educational policy of the NDA Government should be thoroughly and widely discussed. Policy formations should reach the bottom from the level of the bureaucracy. Government approach and actions in this regard are remarkable.
Shri Atul Kothari, national secretary of Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas, said Indian thoughts are being recognised in the educational field. If we need changes in this world, a change in the educational field is a must. This is a fact that it cannot be achieved by a single institution or organisation.
Shri Santosh Panda, chairman of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), opined that good teachers are needed to bring changes in the educational field. NCTE stands for spotting good candidates from senior secondary and grooming them as good teachers.
Yoga and Information & Communications Technology (ICT) will be drafted in the teachers training. The aim is to mould teachers in conformity with the dreams of Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi and Madan Mohan Malaviya. Education will be used as the instrument to impart heredity of Indian science to the students. University Grant Commission (UGC) Joint Secretary Pankaj Mittal was the chief guest.
The prestigious prize, Bharat Ratna Madan Mohan Malaviya Memorial Educational Puraskar, was given to Amrita University. Vice Chancellor Dr Venkitarangan received the Puraskar from Union Minister Nithin Gadkiri, on behalf of Mata Amritanandamayi Devi. Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan and BJP State President V Muraleedharan were present during the occasion. Shri Ranga Hari (former Akhil Bharatiya Bauddhik Pramukh), Desh Raj Sharma (national office bearer of Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas), Mataji Brahmakumari Radhaji, Suresh Tandon (Punjab Technical Varsity’s Controller of Examinations), Jugal Kishore (Shiksha Utthan Patrika), Dr Sonali of Delhi University, Shobha Paithankar (former Madhya Pradesh PSC member), Prof Renu Mathur (Vidya Bharati national vice president), Vinod Master (state president of Education Protection Council, Dr J Latha (VC of Cochin University for Science & Technology), Dr Jayashree, and AR Shailaja addressed different sessions. Government’s new educational and language policies were discussed at the workshop.
—T Satisan, Kerala
