Page 142 - DEDU505_TEACHER_EDUCATION_ENGLISH

Teacher Education Kulwinder Pal, Lovely Professional University

Notes Unit 14: Policy Perspectives on Teacher Education

—Secondary Education Commission

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
14.1 Historical Background of Secondary Education Commission
14.2 Major Recommendations of Secondary Education Commission about Development of
Teacher Education
14.3 Summary
14.4 Keywords
14.5 Review Questions
14.6 Further Readings

Objectives

After reading this unit, students will be able to:
• to describe the historical background of the secondary education commission.
• to discuss the major recommendations of the secondary education commission about
development of teacher education.

Introduction

Secondary education is the stage of education that includes all the classes after the primary school
and before university education is started. This stage is considered to be the backbone of the
country’s entire educational programme. This however, is also the stage which marks the
competion of education for the large majority of pupils. Secondary education is also the basis of
higher education which gives the desired direction to the nation’s power. An inefficient system
of secondary education therefore is bound to affect adversely the quality of education at all later
stages.
14.1 Historical Background of Secondary Education Commission

Secondary Education Commission, 1952-53, which had a far reaching effect on India’s Secondary
Education.
Both the public and the Government began to take keen interest in the development of secondary
education. Although the number of secondary schools and its enrolment began to significantly
increase even before India’s attaining independence, the quality of education imparted was unable
to meet the changing socio-economic needs of the country. As such, the need for reform was
strongly felt. Meanwhile with the attainment of independence, the political situation of the
country also underwent a complete transformation. Education also needed a fresh look, calling
for a new outlook which was appropriately voiced by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the then
Education Minister in his presidential address to the Central Advisory Board of Education in
1948. The Central Advisory Board of Education at its 14th meeting held in January 1948
recommended the appointment of a commission to examine the prevailing system of Secondary
Educaton in the country and to suggest measures for its reorganization and improvement. There
were other considerations also before the Government of India for setting up a commission for
Secondary Education.

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