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Azim Premji's Article in Education World,
October 2001 "A new prescription
for Revamping Primary Education to Create A New Generation
of Employable Citizens"
October 12, 2001
A new prescription for Revamping Primary
Education to Create
A New Generation of Employable Citizens
I firmly believe that every child in this
world has a fundamental right to childhood and education -
both formal and informal is an integral part of this childhood.
If we do not enable the child to enjoy formal education in
the school and constant informal education outside school
(including at home), we would be depriving the child her fundamental
right. The changing face of the global economic paradigm necessitates
a whole new look of education at all levels. It would redefine
education and literacy. It is in this new paradigm that we
have to view primary education as a basic building block.
My utopian view of Primary Education in India
is best described as follows:
- Pronounce universalisation of education as the number
one national priority.
- Each citizen of this country must hold himself / herself
responsible for primary education.
- The entire focus at the primary education level must
shift to learning of the child than teaching the child.
Child's creativity and ability to learn needs to be given
the highest focus.
- Providing wholesome access to every child in the remotest
corner of the country is the joint responsibility of the
government and the community.
- The curriculum, the teaching methods and the teacher
training must all focus on learning through child's environment,
the rural setting and the culture at home.
- Make education upto 8th standard absolutely free in Government
Schools.
- Empower the school authorities, teachers and the local
community to run the school in the best interest of the
primary education.
- Significantly increase the financial resources towards
primary education.
- Build accountability in the school and in the community
for the learning levels of the children.
- Introduce Information Technology to make education more
exciting, standardize the quality and support teachers to
simplify understanding of relatively difficult concepts
at elementary education level.
Azim Premji - Education World
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