Thesynergyonline Education Bureau

NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 06 :
AROUND 150 delegates attended a seminar on Co-creating a Value Based Education System, organized by Foundation for Restoration of National Values (FRNV) on Teachers' Day,

The event had several eminent 'role-models' participating in the deliberations, the primary focus of which was the sharing of a stakeholder based process model for creating a value based education system in the schools, colleges and the universities.

The chief guest of the inaugural session, Dr Kiran Bedi, IPS, applauded the foundation's efforts and initiatives towards restoration of national values. Referring to her work in the field of education, Dr. Bedi stressed the need for schools to go beyond imparting knowledge. Rather, she emphasised, they must focus on making better human beings, who are deeply aware of their responsibility to share to contribute to the society through community work and be sensitive and just human beings.

Ms Lata Vaidyanathan, the principal of Modern School, drawing from the fundamental tenets of several world leaders, noted the importance of living values through demonstrative actions. She reinforced that education is not merely a means for earning a livelihood, but more a preparation for living a life based on ethics and values.

A model for implementing value-based education system in the schools through a process of stakeholder engagement was presented by FRNV's Education Task-force. This process is anchored on the principles of "co-creation" and "living-values" which are arrived at through a structured process of interaction amongst the various stakeholders and making commitments, honouring them on a regular basis.

Several eminent educationists gave their views on embedding values in the education system and living them daily in our lives. It was universally agreed that without the integration of value education into the school curriculum, we would never produce citizens able to actualise their potentials, nor would they find the much sought happiness in their lives.

Mr M K Kaw and Prof M R Ravi both emphasised the connection of values with spirituality, and how the need for values is based on our being united at the spiritual core. In this consumerist ecosystem, perhaps, values may also need to be marketed like many other products, albeit with the help of intellectual conviction and an emotional buy-in.

The concept of integral education, which can fulfil the different and varied objectives of life was also felt. It was unequivocally felt that imbibing of values is meaningless unless the stakeholders connected with the student become actual role-models.

The deliberations concluded with the valedictory address from HE Tajendra Khanna who emphatically stated that unless the citizens of India took it upon themselves to return to the path of "Dharma" urgently, our nation would not be able to play its role as a global leader and instead be perilously close to losing out being a beacon to the world.

The education task-force of the Foundation for Restoration of National Values would now assimilate the learnings from the event, and integrate them into its next phase of work in this area. Apart from working in the area of value education, the Foundation is also focussing on four other areas, viz. Electoral and Administrative Reforms, Police Reforms, Preventive Vigilance, and Eliminating Corruption. (editor@thesynergyonline.com)

'STOP INSISTING ON Phds FOR AD-HOC APPOINTMENT IN DU, JAMIA AND JNU'

Thesynergyonline Education Bureau

NEW DELHI, AUG 30 :
THE Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has urged the University Grants Commission (UGC) to give up its insistence on having a Phd qualification and NET (National Eligibility Test) exam passed for appointment of ad-hoc lecturers in central universities like DU, Jamia Millia and JNU since a good number of such posts are lying vacant for want of qualified Phd holders.

As a result, students in these campuses have been suffering as in the absence of lecturers, classes are not being held as required, leading to disenchantment and dissatisfaction in large number of students, points out the ASSOCHAM.
The ASSOCHAM Committee on Higher Education in a representation to UGC and Ministry of Human Resources Development has highlighted this issue, urging authorities concerned that for appointment of ad-hoc lecturers on short-term basis, a degree of MPhil with good academic record should be the criteria as was per the practice until academic session of 2009-10.

The Chamber Secretary General, Mr. D.S. Rawat said that as far as permanent appointment of lecturers in a prestigious university like DU, Jamia and JNU, the degree of Phd or NET qualification should be essential. As far as appointment of ad-hoc lecturers are concerned, the insistence on Phd degree should be done away with since not many competent and qualified degree holders are available and the academic career of students, aspiring to pass out their higher education suffer with consequences.

According to rough estimates close to 400 vacancies of lecturers are lying vacant in the identified institutions as qualified Phd degree holders and people with NET qualification are not available. Thus, the backlog continues to grow fatter if relaxation is not observed for appointment of ad-hoc lecturers in central universities like that of DU & JNU, added Mr. Rawat.

From academic session 2010-11, authorities have started insisting on Phd qualifications for ad-hoc appointments for faculties in vast number of departments within DU, Jamia and JNU. As a result, shortages are reported as qualified and competent Phd holders are hardly available and in the process, the higher education suffers. (editor@thesynergyonline.com)

Thesynergyonline Education Bureau

NEW DELHI, AUG 26 :
KIDZEE the lmajor chain of pre-schools in India participated as the 26th World Congress held in Sweden in August 2010at the 26th World Congress held in Sweden in August 2010. Kidzee is the first organization to re-present India at this global platform in past 26 years.

Kidzee was identified as the perfect India chapter for OMEP on two parameters: Kidzee's competency based structured curriculum - 'iLLUME' and acknowledged largest pan-India reach across 315 cities through 750 pre-schools. Kidzee shares OMEP's passion and endeavor in children's rights, education for sustainable development and to create awareness on the importance of early childhood education.

To take forward the world congress vision for India, Kidzee would undertake initiatives towards streamlining the early childhood education teaching methods in India. The first initiative would be to bring about a marked change in teachers' approach in classrooms. Towards this Kidzee will undertake a survey of about 200 teachers across India to understand and analyze the inadequacy faced by teachers in implementing the correct pedagogy. Once identified, Kidzee would undertake corrective measures to create a uniform teaching method.

Apart from this, Kidzee on behalf of OMEP will also re-construct the method of teaching for a sustainable development of early childhood education. This will be aimed at instilling the green habits in our children so that they start caring for mother earth. E.g.: There would be two different dustbins placed in each of the Kidzee classroom named as organic waste and un-organic waste, the children will be guided to throw the waste by the adult in the class…a simple activity will be performed before initiating them into this.

The class will bury some leftover food in a pot, also a small plastic lego piece…after a few days they are dug out, the children observe the change in the food particles…the children themselves will conclude that organic means gets disintegrated, and the other kinds do not…based on this the waste paper bins are given and the children encouraged to do the same.

Quote from any committee member of OMEP (share appreciation on Kidzee's wide reach and pedagogy - illume) …"It was great interacting with you and getting to know about Kidzee. Its pedagogy and reach.."Ingrid Samuelson..world president OMEP.

The 26th World Congress is the largest international meeting held in the field of sustainable education development. About 52 countries participated in this congress. It was a three day event that presented lectures, workshops, seminars, social activities and visits to preschools and primary schools. It united people, teachers, researchers and other participants from around the world and provided an opportunity to learn and share their experiences. The conference was is in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the importance of capturing children's perspectives and experiences.
Commenting on the occasion, Nitya Ramaswami, Head Child Development and Academics, Zee Learn (Pre-schools & Schools), " A great learning experience, exchange of ideas and oneness in doing what is right for the child".

Kidzee's unique pedagogy iLLUME is in alignment with OMEP's aspiration to create maximum awareness on the importance of early child hood education. iLLUME is a competency based structured curriculum with the child in centre. It lays before child diverse pathways: visual, auditory, interpersonal, kinesthetic & intrapersonal, thereby differentiating itself from the one-size-fits-all approach followed in most of the Indian preschools. The ambience of the classroom is created in a way that nurtures the child's innate need to enquire and discover in their own unique ways. It thus facilitates the child's quest for holistic learning.(editor@thesynergyonline.com)

NEW DELHI, AUG 12 :
PPROXIMATELY 120 percent fees hike have been observed for kindergartens between 2005 to 2010 which on an average went up from Rs. 1500 per month to over 3500 per month in a schools with tag of brands in all metros and bigger cities which include Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Pune, Dehradun, Kolkata and Lucknow, according to a country wide survey conducted under ages of ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation (ASDF).

The fees hike not only for tiny tots have been abnormally higher but the caution money which is taken under the garb of security deposit have gone up from 10,000 in 2005 to over 25,000 Rs. In beginning academic session of 2010, adds the finding of survey.

The schools that run kindergartens are all branded and charge such an extra ordinary amount without having a sense of regret or else remorse  for which parents of tiny tots continue to sweat to generate the required amount in the hope of better education for their children.

Authorities especially in the state level have yet to take note of this unfortunate growing trend as no regulatory measures seem to be in the offing and the trend will multiply, reveals the survey .

The survey in which over 6000 parents were surveyed in the aforesaid townships under ages of ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation, close to 70 percent demanded a regulation from district education departments to curve this.

Releasing its finding, ASSOCHAM Secretary General said that” On average, pre-schooling fees on an average range about Rs 60,000 a year per child, depending on the school and the locality. This includes caution or deposit money. He further points out that the fees in upscale areas like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore can be as high as Rs 60,000 a year. In smaller towns and less-developed urban areas the fees can be a more modest Rs 15,000 a year.

The paper also explains that branded pre-schools are still a very metro-centric phenomenon and parents of upper- and upper middle-class families know the importance of sending their children to pre-school.

The Chamber also points out that there are no real regulations governing them and just about anybody can start one. Moreover, the investment required to set up a pre-school is comparatively low.
The major players in the organised sector include Kidzee, Shemrock Schools, Euro Kids International, Tree House and Kangaroo Kids. While unorganised schools are simple affairs often operating out of a single room and with no fixed curriculum.

Most preschools in India fall in the unorganized sector. The business of running preschools has tremendous potential in India as it is still highly unorganized and often lacks a standardized curriculum, infrastructure and quality.
Most of branded school enrolls around 15,000 to 20,000 children annually, driving this growth are several social factors, like the increasing number of double income nuclear families who desire to enroll their kids in the best of schools and fear losing out on the rat race.

These are some of the baits upmarket play schools are offering to attract working parents who want to groom their kids for the competitive world. Play schools are definitely playing a pivotal role in the entire kid-grooming process. But all these come for a cost

The maxim “catch them young” holds true for the numerous upmarket play schools that have mushroomed all over the country in the last few years. These play school even counsel parents on parenting and prepare them to face nursery admission interviews.

Booming population, rapid urbanisation, working couples, nuclear families and higher disposable incomes have all contributed to the rise of such upmarket play schools. As the family size has reduced in urban India, parents want the best for their children.

The on an average fees of play school of Rs 3,000 per month for two-three hour in addition to a non-refundable admission fee of Rs. 15,000 to Rs 25,000. It also provides day boarding for children of working parents. As this is a service industry, these play school expects a turnover of a little above Rs 6-15 crore every year.

The high fees pinch middle class households. It’s a rude awakening, but most parents are slowly realising that they have to start doling out huge sums of money as soon as their child starts crawling
Pre-schooling in India is over 4,000 crore in 2010 and expected to be worth 8,000 crore by 2013. The industry is dominated by the unorganised sector (small, neighbourhood schools), which accounts for over 75 percent of the market.(editor@thesynergyonline.com) 

EDUCATION MAREKT SIZE LIKELY TO BE OVER $ 50 BILLION BY 2015

Thesynergyonline Education Bureau

NEW DELHI, MAY 22 :
FIFTYFIVE percent of Indian middle class households have started saving for higher education of their children because it is no longer considered as an expense and deemed to be an investment and thus will work as catalyst to push up higher education market size grow over $ 30 billion in next five years, say projections of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) on future prospects of higher education in India.

The projections further reveal that with government planning to spend around 5 percent of India's GDP in next 5 years on education, it's market for primary, secondary, higher secondary including colleges and universities in totality could exceed $ 50 billion by 2015.

The current estimates of India's education market size are around less than $ 25 billion of which higher education market size are considered close to less than $ 15 billion. Primary, secondary, higher secondary and colleges/universities put together constitute a market size roughly measured at $ 10 billion as per current estimates.

Releasing projections of the Chamber about future prospects of higher education, its Secretary General, Mr. D S Rawat said that a few years ago only 9 percent of middle level households were saving for higher education of their children and it used to be considered as an expense.

However, their has been a 20-25 percent rise in income of people belonging to middle class as a result their saving ratio for obtaining higher education for their children has suddenly gone up to 55 percent, reflecting potential for growth in education sector.

It is because of these estimates, the Chamber is hopeful that in next five years, the total market size of Indian education could exceed $ 50 billion because of variety of reasons which include higher anticipated GDP spend on education as also as the government intends to increase the gross enrolment ratio to over 15 percent at higher education levels from less than 9 percent as of now.

Other reason as to why the market size of Indian education will increase substantially in next five years because disposable income is expected to increase for urban India at a CAGR of close to 6 percent as that of 4 percent in rural areas.

As has already been mentioned that 20-25 percent rise in income of people belonging to middle class is being handsomely utilized for purpose of obtaining higher education for children of middle class households.

The Chamber's projections also points out that in financial year 2009-10, approx. 15 percent of urban India's per capita monthly household income was spend on education. Haryana toped the list of state with about INR 147 monthly per capita expenditure on education by urban sector household followed by Delhi, (Rs 144) and Punjab (Rs 135) in Northern part of the country. Other states also spend almost similar amount on per capita income of their people on education.

The Chamber projections also point out the need for higher education reforms for which a number of legislation have been drafted and introduced in the Parliament. The challenges that Indian higher education system face comprise on three fronts which include quantity, quality and access.

Compare to global average, gross enrolment ratio (GER) of 23 percent, 54.6 percent for developed and 23 per cent of Asian countries, India has less than a low of 10 percent. The capacity constraints in the sector are pushing students to private institutions many of which offer low quality education and indulge in exploited malpractices. These shortages are forcing an increasing number of parents to spend large amount of money on overseas education.

According to latest estimates, more than 4,50,00 Indian students spend about $ 30 billion on overseas education. With the exception of selected universities and institutions, bulk of government and private institutions provide higher education which suffer from serious lack of quality.

Therefore, quality education need to be encouraged for which investments would be forthcoming. Thirdly, access to education also remain a persistent problem with Indian education system continuing to be plagued by regional, social and gender disparities.  

ANIMATION COURSES IN CBSE SCHOOLS SOON : SIBAL

Thesynergyonline Education Bureau

NEW DELHI, MAY 21 :
MINISTRY of Ministry of Human Resource Development is likely to introduce a new course of Animation in schools governed by CBSE from + 2 levels as soon as it receives a detailed model for this stream from Bollywood industry which want government to initiate animation courses in all schools and colleges as early as possible, said Mr. Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for HRD.

Inaugurating ASSOCHAM organized 6th Education Seminar-cum-Fair here today, Mr. Sibal pointed out that a delegation of Bollywood called on me to press for introduction of animation courses at all school levels in view of it's demand in film industry.
"I have asked them to prepare a detailed role model for animation courses that bollywood wants to be taught in schools under CBSE and as soon as it is given to the government, the course would be commenced to serve film industry", said Mr. Sibal.

He emphasized needs for introduction of such skilful and resourceful courses in all CBSE- controlled institutions and other colleges also since people with skill are hardly available so that India is able to successfully absorb shocks of anticipated human resource crisis as Mr. Sibal foresees a great human resource crisis taking India into it's grip.

If India needs to survive possible foreseen human resources crisis, it has to gear up and prepare itself for which beginning has to be made in schools by imparting skills not only in animation but other such related courses, categorically stated Mr. Sibal.
Speaking on macro level of education issues at ASSOCHAM organized event here today, Mr. Sibal allayed all fears that Indian universities and higher education institutions will not face any discrimination of any sort after the Foreign University Bill is enacted as foreign education institutions and domestic academic institutions will be regulated by accredited agencies appointed by the government as per provisions of law.

He also clarify that the government will make sure that colleges run by private institutions adhere to their disclosure norms as pronounced in the prospectus and in case any discrimination is discovered by the regulator, the institutions guilty of any omission will be prosecuted.

The Minister said that the Ministry of Human Resource Development will not interfere in any matter relating to private sector education but if established norms are violated, the law will take it's own course and the guilty institutions will be severely dealt with.
Among others who spoke on the occasion comprised UGC Chairman Dr. Sukhadeo Thorat, former Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Surendra Singh, Ambassador of Belarus, Mr. Oleg Laptenok, ASSOCHAM Education Committee Chairman, Mr. Vinay Rai and it's Secretary General, Mr D S Rawat. (editor@thesynergyonline.com)  

UP, BIHAR AHEAD ON EDUCATION AND HEALTH ALLOCATIONS

Thesynergyonline Education Bureau

NEW DELHI, MAY 19 :
UTTAR Pradesh and Bihar are among notable Bimaru States in North that spend the highest amount of their state GDP in education and health against average national GDP level of 0.57 in a bid to successfully uplift their education and healthcare infrastructure, say an assessment of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

This is due to the fact that average literacy rate in UP and Bihar continues to stagnate at 56.27 percent and 47.00 percent respectively, added  Mr. D S Rawat, Secretary General ASSOCHAM.

According to latest available figures provided to ASSOCHAM by state governments on share of GDP spend in education and health by States in North India, it is noted that Uttar Pradesh has been spending close to 3.67% of state GDP to modernize it’s education system.

The State of Bihar, that’s overall state GDP, recorded a growth of close to 11 percent in last fiscal also spent Rs.13147 crore on healthcare facilities and won laurels for good governance across all states.

The state of Uttar Pradesh which is yet to be rated for good governance, however, spent Rs.20359 crore to modernize it’s education system as per latest available figure for fiscal 2009-10. 

The national average of GDP spend  on education is estimated at 0.7 percent while in case of Bihar, it is 5.70 percent and that of UP, 3.76 percent of their Gross State Domestic Produce.

The ASSOCHAM Secretary General said that Rajasthan is another state which GDP spend on education aggregates at 3.57% of it’s state GDP, while in case of Madhya Pradesh, it is calculated at 3.38 percent.  Punjab, Haryana which are considered progressive states in Northern belt respectively spend 2.23 percent and 2.05 percent in education of their GDP.

The literacy rate in Rajasthan is close to 60 percent while in Madhya Pradesh it is 63 percent.  Literacy rate in Punjab and Haryana are respectively estimated at 69 and 67 percent. 

However, Delhi is one state which GDP spend on an aggregate is considered at 1.17 percent on education against its literacy rate of 81.67 percent which is the highest in Northern region.

As regards to health expenditure, Delhi on an average spends close to Rs 1800 crore for upgrading healthcare facilities against Rs.3981 crore of Haryana, Rs.7711 crore of Madhya Pradesh, Rs.4593 crore of Punjab and Rs.4855 crore of Rajasthan.

The report further points out that state governments are in habit of providing higher budget outlays on core sectors including education and health but at the end of the year, practically it is found that not many states are able to achieve planned spending.

In case of education, healthcare and infrastructure, things are better in states with relatively less geographically areas like Delhi, Punjab, Haryana.  Another notable point is in states with higher literacy rate, the expenditure on education vis-à-vis percentage of gross state domestic product is relatively low.

For improving the situation further, ASSOCHAM suggests strong political will coupled with sincere efforts and positive approach towards development in all sectors by both central and states.  Apart from the budgetary allocations, there is need for reviewing the progress on a regular basis.  There is also a need to identify new projects each year for new beginning and maintenance with better facilities of existing installations. (editor@thesynergyonline.com)  

UKRAINE TO ATTRACT MORE STUDENTS FROM INDIA

Thesynergyonline Education Bureau

NEW DELHI, MAY 04 :
OVER the years, Ukraine, owing to its world-class education system, infrastructure and universities has emerged as one amidst top 10 countries that attract maximum number of international students.

Ukrainian State Centre of International Education under the aegis of Ministry of Education and Science, Government of Ukraine - the authority which regulates and coordinates enrolment of international students into higher educational institutions has now appointed Proactive Group, an active member of International Chamber of Commerce and respected partner of 30 leading Ukrainian universities with offices in Kyiv and New Delhi managed and run by Ukrainian nationals, as their official and licensed educational consultancy to assist Indian students.

According to a research study conducted by ASSOCHAM (The Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India), over US$ 13 billion is spent every year by about 450,000 Indian students enrolled in higher education abroad. Over 90 percent of students desirous of admission in premier institutes like Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) are rejected due to capacity constraints and as per the estimates available, the top 40% pay to secure admission abroad.

The number of Indian students studying in Ukraine today stands at 3000 however this number is poised to grow significantly in the days to come. As of now, Indian students opting for education programs in Ukraine were assisted by independent agents who offered limited service like document preparation only.

Buoyed up by the huge potential that the Indian students have come to represent, the Government of Ukraine issued an initiative to appoint an officially licensed and authorized consultancy, the Proactive Group, which shall assist Indian students willing to study in Ukraine on a turnkey basis.

Ukraine: Advantages galore!

· Offers globally recognized programs in medicine, aviation, engineering & hospitality

· 9 Ukrainian medical universities are recognized by Medical Council of India (MCI)

· The tuition fee of medical, engineering and aviation degrees usually does not exceed Rs 17,000 per month which is far lower when compared to that in other international study destinations.

· Cost of living starts as low as Rs 4,400 per month

· English as medium of instruction

· No entrance exam required for professional courses

Exhaustive services offered by Proactive Group to Indian students include consultation in choosing the right education program and university, place to live etc.; preparation and filing of required documents; negotiation on behalf of students with universities, embassies, ministries and other official authorities; training and orientation for students and parents on aspects like legal issues, European lifestyle etc.; visa and travel support; reception at the airport in Ukraine; assistance with required registrations; social and legal support; employment in Ukraine; and support to parents intending to visit their child in Ukraine.

Ukraine is a part of the Bologna process (European Higher Education Area) which stands for uniform academic degree standards and quality assurance standards with 46 participating countries. Therefore, Ukrainian degrees are recognized globally (even by UNESCO, European Association of Universities and European Union) and accepted as equal with degrees of other participating countries.

What's more, nine Ukrainian medical universities are recognized by Medical Council of India (MCI). Indian students can choose English as their medium of instruction.

The process for admission is very simple and entails only an interview, no entrance exam is required. Besides, there are hundreds of student exchange programs available as well which allow them to opt for any European university while completing their education. Besides, Ukrainian universities often invite professors from Canada, USA and Great Britain to deliver lectures, thus giving students a chance to gain knowledge from both local and foreign specialists

Tuition fee starts from Rs 8,000 per month and varies from course to course. Average monthly cost of studying medicine in Ukraine is approximately Rs 14,000; Rs 13,500 per month for technology and engineering and about Rs 15,000 per month for studying aviation. This is highly affordable in comparison to tuition fee for similar courses in other international study destinations, especially Western Europe.

Even the cost of living is highly reasonable and ranges between Rs 4,400 to Rs 17,600 per month (meal at fast food restaurant - Rs 132, vegetables and fruits - Rs 88 per kg) depending on the city sans any compromise on social life which is at par with any metropolitan in the world.

According to Mr. Viacheslav Tymokhin, Director, Ukrainian State Centre of International Education (Ministry of Science & Education, Government of Ukraine), "Ukraine offers truly endless educational opportunities. We have established a well developed and ramified system of education recognized globally.

Those who attain education in Ukraine are evaluated and paid well across the world. Not to forget the fact that many Indian graduates from Ukrainian universities prefer to remain and work in Ukraine."

"Supported by the Ukrainian government, Proactive Group guarantees transparent process of enrolling into the university and clear fee policy. Every Ukrainian university has limited number of seats for international students however, as Proactive Group works closely in association with Ukrainian State Centre of International Education, there is always a greater possibility that the student gets accepted if he/she comes through us," says Mr. Yuri Gorokhovskyi, Chief Executive Officer, Proactive Group.

Being the officially licensed and authorized educational consultancy in India for Ukrainian education, even the universities and government departments in Ukraine are more eager to work with Proactive Group as compared to individuals and other agencies. Proactive Group has expert consultants for each of the streams - medicine, aviation, engineering, hospitality etc., who are aware of all possible aspects of their respective domains and are personally acquainted with the deans of Universities. (editor@thesynergyonline.com)

SEVERAL JVs IN OFFING BETWEEN INDIA AND US ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Thesynergyonline Education Bureau

NEW DELHI, MAY 03 :
SEVERAL universities in the United States of America would shortly acquire space in leading Indian universities campuses to jointly impart higher education skills as soon as Foreign University Bill is passed by Indian Parliament, says Ms. Hilda Lockhart, Director International Development, State of Alabama of the United States.

Delivering her Keynote Address at a meeting organised by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) which hosted a 30-member business delegation of State of Alabama in the US here today, Ms. Lockhart disclosed that talks have begun between authorities of universities of USA and those of India for joint collaboration at higher education levels.

She said that apart from higher education, the collaboration will expand to other areas such as aerospace, healthcare, automobile, agriculture and civil aviation.

The US is hopeful that Foreign University Bill would be passed by Indian government as soon as possible to facilitate arrangements for making joint ventures between Universities of USA and India in which US would be able to transfer all it’s knowhow to its counterpart in India, pointed out Ms. Lockhart adding that this will prevent brain-drain from India as large number of it’s students immigrate towards US for attaining higher education.

With the passing of Foreign University Bill, higher education would be available in India with US know-how at much cheaper price and Indian students would acquire education skills of world standard, said Ms. Lockhart.

The other areas of cooperation would include healthcare, civil aviation, aerospace and agriculture as State of Alabama has state of art technology in these areas for which Indian companies are seeking joint venture arrangements with it’s industry, said the Director International Development, State of Alabama in US.

Referring to export potential of State of Alabama to India, Ms. Lockhart pointed out that it exported chemical, engineering and other related products to India worth US$ 161 million in fiscal 2009-10.  The same could register an increase of minimum 15-20% and rise to levels of over US$ 200 million by end of March 2011, she added.
The Governor of State of Alabama would shortly visit India and initiate talks and dialogues with authorities of Indian universities so that campuses are able to accommodate US faculties in them and provide higher education to students through collaborative approach made out of joint venture arrangements, disclosed Ms. Lockhart.

In his welcome address, Education Committee Chairman of ASSOCHAM, Mr. Vinay Rai hoped that the Foreign University Education Bill would become enactment after the current budget session is over and facilitate joint venture arrangements in higher education between India and the US.

ASSOCHAM Secretary General, Mr D S Rawat in his remarks said that the US which is the largest market for India would also turn out to be a great source of knowledge for India and it’s students as soon as the Foreign University Bill is passed and enacted.  He said that two more areas would open up for collaboration between India and USA after recent bilateral initiatives undertaken by administration of US and India and that will improve collaborative approach in higher education and close tie-ups on nuclear energy front.   (editor@thesynergyonline.com)

'PLAY AND STRUGGLE ' MAJOR FACTORS TO DETERMINE LEARNING OF PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN

Sultan Ahmed, MD of Edu Media

LANGUAGE test, IQ test, GK test, social skills test; these are not tests for getting into a premier management college they are tests little toddlers need to clear to get admissions into a pre-school. If that is not enough the parents educational background and economic status are thoroughly scrutinized. You wonder what happens to the so called below average children of less educated or low income parents.

When its time to put your 3 year old into a pre-school the decision on which one is right is a very difficult one. In India we have no standards to evaluate a pre-school, there is no central board that formally lays down guidelines to be followed. So now it comes down to which school advertises more and which one promises to make little adults out of your little angels quickly.

The past decade has seen several pre-school chains that have mushroomed all across the country adding to the existing good old crèche’s. Do these schools follow any systems and standards at all? Well to be fair to them most of them have evolved their own systems and are trying their best to ahere to it. The irony is that there is no national standard in this context, but internationally preschools are considered an important aspect of education, there is a lot of research that goes on to ensure that the right systems and methodology is adopted. A lot of pre-schools claim that they are following international standards, rarely if ever you will come across any pre-school in India that adheres to the stringent laws and standards followed internationally.

Pre-schools are known by their founders who are normally renowned educationists and have a lot of learning in pedagogy and child development. But the important factor that determines the quality of the pre-school is not the founder but the staff and systems. The staff have to be well-trained, well-groomed and passionate. The school has to be hygienic, well lit, well ventilated and the furniture is child friendly using materials that do not cause any harm. Schools should maintain a good student teacher ratio.

It is said that play and struggle are two major factors that determine the learning of pre-school children. The curriculum should be devised in a manner that it allows for a lot of active learning play by children with a lot of touch and feel equipment. There should be an element of struggle for a child to stretch their imagination, creativity and physical self to discover learning. Social skills and communication skills need to be given more importance than academically oriented subjects. Most importantly the pre-schools should aim at making individualistic little children out of their students and not factory made little adults as the society or media would want them to be.

(The author of the above article is Mr. Sultan Ahmed, Managing Director of Edu Media. Mr. Ahmed is a trained counsellor, public speaking coach and an expert in Innovative school management. Sultan is a much sought after trainer in communication and life skills. ) (editor@thesynergyonline.com)

FOREIGN UNIVERSITY BILL WILL HIKE PROFILE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Thesynergyonline Education Bureau

NEW DELHI, MARCH 21 :
THE enactment of draft Foreign Education Bill will not only dramatically enhance profile of higher education in India but help it save outflow of about 7.5 billion of foreign exchange per annum as large number of Indian students go abroad to receiving higher education, reveal findings of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

With the smooth passage of Foreign Education Bill in Parliament, foreign universities would be allowed to set up their campuses in the country which would be a step in the right direction. This will also prevent brain drain as students that go overseas for higher education, usually prefer to serve overseas land rather than opt to return to their motherland which in itself is a great loss of human resources, feel the Chamber.

Releasing its findings, ASSOCHAM president, Dr. Swati Piramal, said that Indian students going abroad, cost the country a foreign exchange outflow of $ 10 billion annually and a legislative framework to provide foreign universities to open their campuses in India could prevent at least 3/4 of students number as they would prefer to study here.
According to estimates made by the Chamber over 5 lakh students choose to go overseas every year to obtain higher education which include professional courses in engineering, medical and management.

The reason as to why large number of Indian students prefer to go to foreign universities is that such institutions in India have capacity constraints which deny them space. Secondly, many abroad going students have a perception that foreign education is qualitatively superior that provides skills to help them find better placement.
The Bill after Parliament approval and with due assent from the president of India is expected to widen the definition of FDI in higher education and is anticipated to not only shake up the market but also open exciting possibilities for top teaching, said Dr. Piramal.

The Chamber is of the view that after foreign universities are allowed to open their campuses in India, it's domestic higher education which currently is run on high subsidies would also be deregulated and fill-in a sense of greater competition, benefits of which would be ripened by these students.

Currently, higher education in India is so subsidized that on an average an engineering or management students in reputed institutions pay $ 120 per month as fee while the amount is between $ 1500-5000 in equivalent institutions in country like USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Britain.

A country like Australia earns nearly $ 15 billion annually from around 4 lakh foreign students while the number of foreign students that are currently receiving higher education in India is less than 30,000. This is despite the Indian higher education is highly regulated and is also criticized for not imparting necessary skills as required by Indian industry to employ such students.

According to the Chamber , the foreign universities have already put in place elaborate plans to set up their shops in India especially in places like New Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Chandigarh, Pune, Mumbai and even Dehradun and are keenly waiting for this Bill to become an Act.

The Chamber has appealed the all political parties to extend their support to UPA government so that it's smooth passage is ensured in the Parliament and education sector which is a key segment of Indian economy is also opened up for foreign direct investments.

The Bill which has already been cleared by the Cabinet has some cause of concern about provision which allows foreign education institutions to have their own admission processes and fix fees. However, the law of land applicable to private institutions should be applicable to foreign universities aspiring to set up campuses in India, feels the Chamber .

Currently, the fee for private engineering and medical colleges is fixed by state level committee headed by a private Judge. There is no mechanism to finalise the fee structure in private universities which the current Bill should ensure that the management of foreign universities do not exploit the Indian students and unnecessarily take advantage of free flow of education, said Dr. Piramal. (editor@thesynergyonline.com)

PARENTS FIND 3 LAKH UNAFFORDABLE TO COACH CHILDREN FOR IITS/ MEDICAL

Thesynergyonline Education Bureau

NEW DELHI, MARCH 13 :
MAJOEITY of middle class parents desist from sending their children of age group exceeding 17-18 to established coaching institutions for making careers in IITs, medical, management institutions including for Law courses for want of resources as these make a hole in their pockets by Rs. 3 lakh per annum even if their children have been rated above average by their respective schools with potential to qualify for listed courses, reveals a survey conduced under aegis of ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation(ASDF).

Such parents are thus left with no option but to encourage their children to chase their mirage for better career in banking, railways, life and general insurance and state levels civil services for which career counseling is a little expensive for which middle class parents burn their mid-night oil and generate money, adds the findings of the survey.

The survey conducted in four weeks in February 2010, in which parents were randomly picked up by ASSOCHAM ASDF team in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangaolore, Kolkata, Kota, Pune, Chandigarh, Jabalpur , Madras and Hyderbad. More than 80 percent of parents want their wards to get enroll for medical, IITs, MBAs, LLBs, but resource constraints come on their way. The sample size of parents interviewed by the ASSOCHAM comprised over 4,000 and locations chosen for picking them up mostly was outside school premises in above cities.

Releasing its finding, ASSOCHAM Secretary General, Mr. D S Rawat said that after Medical/ IITs/ MBAs, the coaching institutions grooming aspirants for civil services, banking and life insurances, CA, CS are found to be in the second best raking in enrolling candidates.

For most parents with children at the threshold of a career, the main expense is a professional course. Even preparatory classes for IIT, medical college or GRE exams are expensive. IIT prep classes, for instance, cost between Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh, while medical entrance coaching could set you back by anything from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh.

Some really bright children do manage to get through without help, but the booming tuition shops tell the story of a huge demand. The costs of professional degrees/ diplomas are the biggest costs in this age group.

The active involvement of coaching centres in trying to beat the system is alarming. A few decades ago, only "weak" students were expected to take private tuition and were looked down upon by merited students for whom formal teaching in the class supported by self-study was sufficient to do well in the examinations, said Mr. Rawat.

Today, almost all Plus Two students take private tuition. 85 percent said that for IIT/Medical mandatory to attend coaching centres. More than 70% of students are from metros where coaching facilities are good, leaving the students from rural and semi- urban areas at a great disadvantage.

Ninety percent said that private tuition is a necessity to succeed in entrance tests. Formal school education has taken a back seat.

The coaching industry has become highly professional and corporate, with many institutes operated by IIT graduates. Services of retired IIT professors and even current IIT students are used, with lucrative compensation.

There are entrance tests for admission to popular centres. A few cities have become famous for such coaching centres and students, often with parents, shift to those cities for two years. A whole new flourishing service industry has been evolved, perhaps unique to India.
Some coaching centres have deals with private schools that admit their students; the students are given mandatory attendance, without attending classes, at a price. The students attend the coaching centres on full-time basis, reveals the survey.

The Chamber's estimate of size of the coaching class industry is based on about 6-8 lakh students attending these classes every year at an average cost of Rs.1.5 lakhs per year and average cost of each student is 1.5 lakh, the annual turnover of the coaching industry is a staggering Rs.12,000-15,000 crore totally spent by parents.

Tuitions have become a craze these days, especially in the large cosmopolitan cities. So much so that the students even miss their regular classes to attend their tuition classes. In many cases, those not taking tuitions consider themselves inferior. They are even considered foolish by their fellow students.

There are many other contributing factors for the phenomenal growth of tuitions in the country. Many parents feel that tuitions make students regular and punctual and make them busy in their studies. "Tuitions have become a stepping stone for success in the competitive examinations.

Instead of spending time watching serials on the television, while attending tuition classes, students are at least spending their time well in studies", said 65% of parents.
The teachers are also no longer shy in mentioning that they take tuitions. In fact, many think themselves as better teachers because they are able to attract a large number of students in their tuition classes at their homes.

Majority of parents also feel that tuitions enable them to finish their courses of study ahead of time even before they join college. They thus get a chance to revise the syllabus in their regular college classes. The students who are shy to ask questions in their regular classes can remove their doubts in the coaching classes and avoid failure in life.

The survey also highlights that the sufferers are the poor students who remain behind in studies mainly because their parents cannot afford the

Teachers are charging thousands of rupees per subject for teaching only one subject for a period of two to three months. True indeed, these teachers earn in two to three months more than what they earn in their jobs in a year. In other words, the tuition classes have now become more of a hard sell business rather than a coaching class. (editor@thesynergyonline.com)

ONE CHILD COMMITS SUICIDES EVERY SIX HOURS

Thesynergyonline Education Bureau

NEW DELHI, FEB 05 :
IT is bizarre that India which produces among the largest pools of skilled manpower and leaves its footprint across the globe also has the dubious distinction of being the suicide capital of the world. With a reported 4000 suicides a year by students alone, alarm bells have been ringing prompting Union HRD Minister recently to reiterate that examination system needed reforms to ensure students were not overstressed.

The exam season is approaching and there are murmurs of much-needed intervention by stakeholders. Academics, psychologists, nutritionists, fitness experts and media came together this Friday to find out ways and means to ensure that students don't have to bear the burden of stress and anxiety, particularly during the build up to exams.

"The exam time is a time when stress levels go up to an extreme extent. While little amount of stress is essential for effective study and memory, too much of it may affect memory and cause mental blocks during examinations. And of the commonest problems students face during the build up to exams, declining energy levels and loss of concentration figure prominently," said Dr.Jitendra Nagpal, Consultant Psychologist, Vimhans Hospital

Added Dr. Dipika Malik, renowned Dietician and Executive Director of Life Century, "Sustained levels of stress also affect immunity levels leading to weakness and sickness. An unhealthy body causes a loss of focus because the sense organs constantly impinge on the brain to address physical health issues first."

"The situation worsens when environment factors like temperature fluctuations (observed primarily in the month of February and March) are at play. It is therefore necessary to ensure that immunity levels are strong enough. Role of micronutrients is essential at this time of the year as they help in building body immunity and in increasing concentration and attention levels," he added.

"The exams time is a time when both mind and body are tested, as both go through a lot of stress and anxiety. Both are equally important for a successful performance. You have to maintain your body's internal strength( to take on the long hours) and also your attention and concentration to study well," said Syed Sultan Ahmed, moderator of the workshop, aimed at creating awareness on the concept of "Healthy Mind and Healthy Body".

He also expressed his concern on the rising number of suicidal cases. According to him, every ninety minutes a considerable number of students try committing suicide. Of them, one succeeds every six hours. (editor@thesynergyonline.com)