Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday proposed that the name of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) should be changed to the Ministry of Education. Manish Sisodia, who is also the Education Minister of the Delhi Government, asked the Central Government to increase the Budget for education and proposed extension of the Right to Education (RTE) Act to children who do not fall in the six to 14 years age bracket.
Sisodia’s proposals came during the meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) which was attended by Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and Education Ministers of many States.
“It is unfortunate that there is no Union Education Ministry in our nation. We currently have an HRD Ministry. The name of HRD ministry should be changed to Education Ministry as the HRD is just a part of it,” said Sisodia.
In the meeting, Sisodia also proposed extension of Right to Education (RTE) Act to children, who do not fall in the six to 14 years age bracket. The RTE Act provides free and compulsory education to all children in the age group of six to 14 years as a Fundamental Right.
Sisodia reiterated his demand for complete scrapping of “no detention policy”.
Under the no-detention policy, the students up to Class 8 are automatically promoted to the next class without being held back even if they do not get a passing grade in their examinations.
“No Detention Policy was implemented without any preparation. Textbooks were not changed, teachers were not trained and neither were any changes made in the BEd programmes before this policy was implemented,” he said.
During the meeting, Sisodia proposed increased focus on early childhood learning and called for setting up of a world class university for the training of teachers.
The Minister also called for strict regulations restricting engagement of teachers in clerical work such as completion of family registers and survey for voter cards data, among other such things.
During the meeting, Sisodia proposed increased focus on early childhood learning and called for setting up of a world-class university for the training of teachers. The Minister also opined that the no detention policy was implemented without any preparation.
“As a nation, we have to accept that Government schools are the solution and not private schools. We need a roadmap at the national-level for children from age 3 to 6 as well.
“There is also a need for a roadmap to connect skill education with higher education and focus on pre-primary and early childhood learning,” said Sisodia. He also recommended that the States should cut short syllabus and curriculum.
“Cut your syllabus and curriculum. Just set goals of education. let teachers and principals develop larger part of curriculum and timelines,” he added.
“There is no dearth of talent in teachers of Government schools but they are bound by too many formalities. Till the time, principals and teachers do not feel liberated a bit, till they don’t feel they have independence to do things their own way, big changes in education won’t be possible,” said Sisodia at the meeting.