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Development of Education System

Notes

Harvey, L. and Green, D., 1993, ‘Defining quality’, Assessment and Evaluation in
Higher Education, 18(1). pp.9-34. Harvey, L., 1995, ‘Editorial: The quality agenda’,
Quality in Higher Education, 1(1) pp. 5-12. Nuttall, D., 1992, The OECD International
Educaiton Indicators. Van den Berghe, W., 1998, Indicators in Perspective.

8.4 Status of Quality in Education in India

The first thing this commission acknowledges is the existence of several types of institutions of
higher learning, both private and public, and also vocational and non-vocational. The
increasingly stringent selection in order to ease the pressure on higher education is unacceptable;
therefore, the first suggestion is for the universities to diversify what they offer, like:
1. as scientific establishments and centres of learning from where students go on to theoretical
of applied researcher teaching;
2. as establishments offering occupational qualifications;
3. as meeting places for learning throughout life;
4. as leading partners in international cooperation;
5. for the developing countries they must provide the vocational and technoloical training
of future leaders; the higher and middle level education is additionally required to save
them from grinding poverty and underdevelopment.
The strategies proposed are (i) seeking cooperation of the local community including parents,
schools, teachers and other (ii) public authorities, and (iii) the international communities.
The commission in general and Monsieur Delors in particular should have remembered while
talking of international cooperation that neither in Europe nor in Middle East does one see any
signs of international understanding or cooperation. The way the so-called developed nations
behave is decidedly not designed to bring about any cooperation. It is these nations which
define 'progress,' 'quality of life', 'development,' standards of cooperation and even norms for
research. The way they have usurped the right of others to think independently is surely not
very ideal.
Not unlike our-grown concept of the overload of curricula, Dellors also points out the dilemma
education faces, i.e., when children and adolescents should be care free, they are worried about
future. There are no places where they can learn and discover none to give them the wherewithal
to think or offer them a choice of pathways suited to their abilities.
Clearly this is the price our societies in general and children in particular have to pay hooked
as they are on the concepts of 'progress,' development,' and 'future well-being' as defined by
the rich and powerful. The lure to achieve lands them in the competitive grooves which very
few are able to master.
Delors repeats the off-cited concept of broadening international cooperation in the global village.
If these terms are to be defined by the USA or read Britain only, do can save us from the
impending disasters. Still his questions are worth noting because there is considerable repetition
of what the World Summit in March 1995 at Copenhagen had recommended.
The chapter scheme in the report reflects the basic thinking already done by Delors and Co. But,
interestingly enough, everything said and suggested/recommended in less than extraordinary.
8.4.1 Present Enrolment and Dropout Ratios
Indian education system largest in Common wealth countries and 2nd largest in the world next
to USA.

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