EducationWorld September 05

The headlines-grabbing former chief election commissioner T. N. Seshan, still remembered as the watchdog of political correctness who sent shivers down the collective spine (if any) of politicians during his tenure as CEC, is alive, well and now an educationist in his new avatar as chairman and dean of the MIT School of Government (MITSOG), Pune. Sponsored by the Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Pune (estb. 1983), the flagship institution of the Maharashtra Academy of Engineering and Education Research, Seshan claims MITSOG is the first institution in Asia to offer formal education in social and political leadership to acquaint aspirants with the perils, pitfalls and trapdoors of Indian politics. The school which commenced classes on August 15 with a first batch of 60 students has roped in the executive director of Pune’s MIT, Rahul Vishwanath Karad as its executive dean and boasts an impressive visiting faculty comprising several hardy perennials. These include L.K Advani, Mani Shankar Iyer and Margaret Alva, and promising young achievers like Rahul Gandhi, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Milind Deora, Navin Jindal, Sachin Pilot and Akhilesh Yadav. Modelled on the lines of Harvard University‘s John F. Kennedy School of Government, MITSOG’s one-year postgrad residential diploma course is split into three semesters, each of 115 days with nine core compulsory subjects to choose from, including the Constitution of India, the five-tier structure of government, budget and finance, the Indian economy and communication (with special emphasis on public oratory and management). Optional subjects include planning, the legal system and corruption. Not that students will be poring over voluminous texts day after day. According to Seshan the stress is on practical training and national and international study tours, the cost of which is included in the Rs.2.75 lakh per year fee package. However, there’s no campus placement or recruitment. All the institute promises is to churn out knowledge driven leaders of tomorrow whose governance will help professionalise Indian politics. With disciplinarian Seshan having designed the curriculum, there is a possibility of the emergence of a new class of politicians. At least they will lead the public up the garden path with greater finesse and refinement. Departure from tradition Academics in the wild east state of Bihar (pop. 86 million)- India’s most backward province by every known yardstick- are not known for their scholarship. But they are reputed for their innovative skills, especially in matters related to examination scams, fudging mark sheets and treading untrodden ways. This perhaps explains why the underground Ghorasahan University is sited in Bihar’s Champaran district near the Nepal border. Its distinguished alumni have made their mark as far afield as Delhi, Chennai, Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. The Bihar Police stumbled upon Ghorasahan University earlier this year when they arrested an evidently not-so-successful graduate, one Ganga Sagar Sah in Delhi with a cache of over 100 stolen mobile phones. Preliminary police investigations (which will be heard of no more) indicate that the university has been operational for three years during which 200 students have graduated with degrees in pick pocketing and thievery.…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

Punjabi diaspora transforms cheerful land of five riversLast year an estimated 130,200 foreign and 248,000 domestic tourists touched base with India‚s most prosperous state measured by per capita income and motorcar ownership The great Punjabi diaspora which has scattered the people of this land of five rivers to all parts of the globe ‚ USA, Britain, East Africa and the Far East ‚ has transformed Punjab into a tourism destination. Large numbers of indus-trious Punjabis who have made good abroad, are increasingly visiting the land of their forefathers and inspiring friends and relations abroad to do likewise. Last year an estimated 130,200 foreign and 248,000 domestic tourists touched base with India‚s most prosperous state measured by per capita income (Rs.25,652). Punjab also has the highest per capita ownership of cars in India, including that of the luxury sedan Mercedes Benz! Yellow mustard fields are supplemented by misty blue mountains and religious sites steeped in history. Moreover this northern state (pop. 24.2 million) was for long the seat of royalty, the legacy of which is preserved in its beautifully constructed palaces. There are museums galore here and places of religious interest such as the world-renowned Golden Temple in Amritsar, patinated with 24-carat gold leaf. For lovers of the great outdoors as well as wildlife enthusiasts there are tours of numerous sanctuaries, habitats of rare migratory birds. And because the state borders Pakistan, it offers several posts from which a visitor can take a peep into historical swathes of land which were once part of India.ChandigarhPunjab‚s well-planned capital has a cosmopolitan character. Designed by renowned French architect Le Corbusier, it is a splendid mƒ©lange of green parks, landscaped gardens, azure lakes, glitzy shopping malls, designer homes and tony eateries. The city‚s unique Rock Garden ‚ designed by talented artist Nek Chand ‚ attracts hordes of tourists all year round. Lake Sukhna ‚ with its numerous entertainment possibilities such as rowing and boating ‚ is a favourite rendezvous. It has also been the venue of several national and international rowing championships. Chandigarh‚s Rose Garden ‚ a riot of psychedelic roses from all parts of the world ‚ is a sight for sore eyes. Built on a sprawling 12-acre plot in the heart of town, it also contains a massive greenhouse and is a visitor‚s delight. Chandigarh also buzzes with shopping malls which offer everything from designer clothing to fancy footwear, handbags, handicrafts and consumer durables. Street food in the city can be an epicure‚s delight with all kinds of cuisine ‚ from north Indian to Greek and Japanese.Accommodation. Top-end: Hotel Sunbeam (Rs.1,095-1,495), Hotel Piccadilly (Rs.1,838-2,165), Hotel Mountainview (Rs.1,950-2,450). Mid-range: Hotel Jullundur (Rs.300-550), Hotel Alankar (Rs.500-800), Hotel Amar (Rs.300-600). Budget: Panchayat Bhavan (Rs.200-500), Hotel Divyadeep (Rs.250-500), Satyadeep (Rs.200-300).AmritsarGolden Temple: Punjab‚s most famous landmarkAmritsar or ‚Ëœthe holy pool of nectar‚ derives its name from the famous pool which surrounds the Golden Temple. Once considered an eminent city of the Orient during Maharaja Ranjit Singh‚s reign (1770-1839), Amritsar (pop: 1.2 million) has successfully retained its spiritual…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

Notwithstanding the overwhelming weight of informed academic opinion having turned against the varsity affiliation system, university managements across the country continue to expand the ambit of their operations by recklessly affiliating common and garden varieties of colleges with dubious and suspect antecedents. Vidya Pandit reports from Lucknow Despite over two decades of debate since the National Policy on Education (NPE 1986) first mooted the idea of discarding the university affiliation system — a distinctive characteristic of tertiary education in the Indian subcontinent — and replacing it with a network of academically and financially autonomous colleges designing their own curriculums and awarding institutional degrees, the ancient regime shows no signs of this widely desired metamorphosis. On the contrary with new colleges mushrooming cross-country in response to the rising demand for tertiary education, the huge number of colleges affiliated with India’s major universities has transformed them into the largest in the world.  Thus Andhra University has 405 affiliated undergrad colleges; Bangalore University 400; Osmania 390 and Bombay University 300 (see box p. 59). Quite clearly supervising the operations, conducting examinations and awarding degrees to students of such large numbers of affiliated colleges stretches the resources of parent universities to the limit, leaving little time for them to supervise postgrad education and undertake research studies which should be their first priorities. “The affiliating system of colleges was originally designed when their number in a university was small. The university could then effectively oversee the working of the colleges, act as an examining body and award degrees on their behalf. The system has now become unwieldy and it is becoming increasingly difficult for a university to attend to the varied needs of individual colleges. The only safe and better way to improve the quality of undergraduate education is to delink most colleges from the affiliating structure. Colleges with academic and operative freedom are doing better and have more credibility,” comments a concept paper Tenth Five-Year Plan in Higher Education authored by Dr. Arun Nigavekar, chairman of the University Grants Commission in 2003. Yet it’s a telling commentary of the extent to which the higher education system has become change resistant that despite the overwhelming weight of informed academic opinion having turned against the varsity affiliation system, university managements across the country continue to expand the ambit of their operations by recklessly affiliating common and garden varieties of colleges with dubious and suspect antecedents. And perhaps nowhere else in the subcontinent is the abuse of the varsity affiliation system more apparent than in the Hindi heartland state of Uttar Pradesh — India’s most populous (166 million) and arguably most lawless, state. With its 35 universities which cater to 1.1 million students, UP has engendered some of the most glaring misuses of the affiliation system. The latest of these which is rocking the state capital Lucknow, is the consequence of an innovative interpretation of the Uttar Pradesh Universities Act, 1973 which has enabled university managements to rake in millions through the promotion of off campus education centres. It is notable…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

One of the fastest growing industries in the new post liberalised Indian economy is the beauty and cosmetic products business. Most of the world’s major cosmetic companies including L’Oreal, Amway, Avon, Max Factor, Revlon among others have planted their flags in India and are giving the country’s top cosmetics company Lakme a run for its money. For health and lifestyle reasons I have never been an important customer of beauty and cosmetic product companies. I am only too aware of the false glow of the beauty business, numerous potentially harmful chemicals and additives which are incorporated into the superbly packaged make-up compacts, eye-liner bottles and lipstick cases. However there are moments and occasions when a deft touch of eye-liner or lipstick could prove to be a girl’s best friend. For the past several months I had been reminding myself that I needed to buy eye-shadow to brighten up my face that often looks, on some days, pale and fatigued. That’s because my work keeps me in Mumbai for a major part of the year and my lungs are unable to handle the pollution. So if I want to look “healthy and alive” for business reasons, a little makeup to brighten up my eyes wouldn’t hurt, I reasoned. While visiting a glitzy department store in south Mumbai, I made straight for the cosmetics counter. The mauve shade offered by Lakme didn’t have the desired effect. The L’Oreal was better, and although priced three times higher, I bought it. However the purpose of this column isn’t to proclaim the merits of one brand over the other. Having been in the natural nutrition business for ever so long, I am well aware that beauty comes from within. When one is at peace with the world, well rested and happy, relaxed good health is the natural outcome. Let me back track a bit. When I was younger, not only did I find lipsticks too obvious, too made up, I did not want to sneak chemicals into my body via lipstick. I remember my husband standing at the door, sending me back indoors to dab on some colour when we were going out. He wanted me to look older and wiser. That’s when I discovered herbal lipsticks made from kokum, honey, ghee and bees wax which I could safely use. I’m comfortable in the knowledge that the herbal lipstick is a conditioner rather than a mix of chemicals. Unfortunately the colours used in most lipsticks are chemically treated and tend to be carcinogenics such as rhodamine B (purple), tartrazine, erythrosine, eosine (red). At that stage in my life, I wasn’t aware of the heavy chemicalisation of cosmetics or food products. It was my intuition that prompted me to give them wide berth. Now older and wiser I know that most cosmetics contain heavy doses of chemical concentrates. A revealing cover story in the Delhi-based weekly Tehelka (June 4) did a thorough hatchet job on the oils and soap industry and highlighted how corporates in these industries use…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

Letter from London Olympics euphoria The weather in London has really heated up at last, just in time for the end of the academic year. There are plenty of things to think about in the last month of the break, not the least of which is the successful Olympics 2012 bid which cheered us up briefly before the terrorist attacks on London’s public transport system. Evidently research grants and job opportunities in ‘Olympic subjects’ are set to explode. Opportunities will arise not only in the field of sports science, already a popular area of study, but in a wide range of other fields connected with the staging of such a mega event. The most obvious are subjects such as events management, tourism, urban regeneration, environment and cultural studies, all of which are expected to receive a cascade of research funding. Most of these subjects have thus far not been regarded as serious areas of study; however they are crucial to the successful hosting of Olympics 2012. Prof. Mahoney, chairman of the British Association of Sports and Exercise Sciences and dean of Wolverhampton University’s School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure, hopes the government will step up investment in sports subjects to create well qualified graduates able to organise and manage the games. Comments Ian Henry, co-director of the Centre for Olympic Studies and Research based at Loughborough University: “There’s a lot of potential income and prestige in sports related education. People are keen to be associated with the (host) country. It will allow us to put together a high-quality network internationally.” In countries which previously hosted the Olympic games student numbers for sports related subjects increased substantially. In China for example, there’s been a sharp increase in students applying for such courses as the Beijing Olympics 2008 draws near. Consequently universities in the UK are already anticipating a rise in applications for games related subjects. Undoubtedly Olympics 2012 is a wonderful recruiting bait offering real opportunities to graduates at the end of their studies. Debi Hayes, head of marketing and operations at Greenwich University’s Business School believes hosting Olympics 2012 will enhance the student experience, and encourage the development of links with local businesses and groups involved in the huge task ahead. “This will be very appealing for those working for the Olympics. Those with events management degrees will have great opportunities.” Universities equipped with contemporary sports facilities and games accommodation are seizing the opportunity to earn additional income by offering training facilities for athletes who could start training as early as 2008. Other institutions such as the department of sports and exercise medicine at Queen Mary’s, University of London, will provide clinical support for the British team and other athletes. Such examples go to show that British universities and academia are becoming increasingly excited by the prospect of the London Olympics 2012.    (Jacqueline Thomas is a London-based journalist/ academic)   China Student rush for party membership More students than ever are members of the Communist Party of China, figures released on…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

It is time for a new approach to high school, redesigning the American high school to one that challenges students and gives them new opportunities to transition to college or careers. In the National Governors Association we have identified ten steps governors (and/ or state governments) can take to quickly put states on the path to redesigning the American high school. These steps will hopefully lead many states to system-wide reform. 1. Create a permanent education roundtable or commission to foster coordination between early childhood, K-12 and higher education. Consolidation of educational governance would require many states to change their constitutions. However, governors can issue executive orders or support legislation creating an education roundtable or commission with clearly defined responsibilities. 2. Define a rigorous college and work preparatory curriculum for high school graduation. A rigorous high school curriculum improves high school achievement, reduces college remediation and encourages college completion. Reward schools that voluntarily change their curriculum and adopt it as a graduation requirement with a “Governor’s Merit High School” recognition program. Engage foundations and corporations to co-sponsor the recognitions and rewards. 3. Challenge business, education, parent, community and faith-based organisations to support initiatives that improve college awareness. Fewer than half of economically disadvantaged students receive college aid information. This mirrors gaps in college participation and completion between low-income and high-income students. Statewide initiatives such as “College Goal Sundays” and “College Access Networks” can broadly share information on college entrance requirements and financial aid applications. 4. Conduct college and work-readiness assessments in high school. High percentages of high school graduates are entering college in need of remediation. States are expending tremendous resources on remedial courses instead of college-level coursework. States can require all students to take a college readiness test in high school. 5. Create statewide common course agreements so that college-level work in high school counts towards a post-secondary credential. The promise of saving money on college tuition by getting a jumpstart on courses while in high school is meaningless if a college doesn’t accept earned credits. States can promote common course agreements that stipulate which core college-level courses taken during high school are accepted at any postsecondary institution so that all credits count towards a degree or industry certificate. 6. Provide financial incentives for disadvantaged students to take rigorous AP (advanced placement) exams and college–preparatory and college-level courses. Financial incentives can motivate students to think beyond high school and make college seem like an affordable option for their future. States can make an early (grade VII) financial aid commitment to students who agree to take the rigorous college-prep curriculum. States that pay tuition for college-level courses at community colleges, or provide scholarships for students attending college while still in high school, see higher rates of program participation. 7. Expand college-level learning opportunities in high school to minorities, English language learners, low-income students and youth with disabilities. Data indicates these students are less likely to take advanced placement courses, enroll in college courses while still in high school or sit for industry-recognised certification exams. States can increase AP…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

The winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service for this year is Dr. V. Shantha, executive chairperson of the Cancer Institute (CI) in Adyar, Chennai. The award presented to her by the Magsaysay Foundation on August 3, saluted her “untiring leadership of the Cancer Institute (Women’s Indian Association), a centre of excellence and compassion for the study and treatment of cancer”. This good news has spread joy and excitement among the CI hospital staff and their dynamic leader Dr. Shantha, for whom the individual and the institution has always been one homogeneous entity. “The award is international acknowledgement of the work the entire team at this institute has been doing all these years. It has given the institute considerable prestige and a much-needed image boost. I hope it will translate into greater support in terms of funds and committed researchers,” says the 78-year-old Shantha, who signed up with Cancer Institute before the first brick was laid at the Adyar centre. An alumna of Madras Medical College, Shantha graduated in 1949, acquired a diploma in gynaecology and obstetrics in 1952 and completed her Masters in medicine (MD) in 1955. Immediately afterwards, she joined the then fledgling Cancer Institute established in 1955 as an autonomous, charitable comprehensive cancer care centre, as its first resident medical officer. Since then she has laboured relentlessly with Dr. Krishnamurti (son of Cancer Institute founder Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy) to make cancer care affordable and available to everyone irrespective of social standing or economic status. Simultaneously the institute has grown from a cottage hospital of 12 beds in 1955, to a massive 428-bed hospital inclusive of 297 general beds made available to patients treated free of charge. “There has been phenomenal medical advancement in cancer care and treatment in the past half century and this institute was the first in India to introduce oncology and a multi-disciplinary approach to cancer treatment,” says Shantha who was also responsible for the recognition and practice of medical oncology as a speciality and established a separate medical oncology division at the Cancer Institute in 1970. In 1984, the Dr. Muthulakshmi College of Oncological Sciences which was the first to offer the super speciality course in surgical and medical oncology in India, was established within the institute. Today it trains three students in each speciality. Shantha also helped with the promotion of the first Hospital Tumour Registry and the first pediatric oncology unit in the country in 1960. Half a century later, Shantha shows no signs of slowing down. To this day this indefatigable oncologist examines patients three days a week; operates on one day and utilises the rest of her time reading, writing, lecturing, doing PR work, fund raising and creating awareness about common cancers. “A cancer patient needs a lot of care and compassion and a committed doctor who empathises with her patients,” says Shantha who has reserved her gentle side for patients while driving herself with complete discipline, honesty and integrity. Hemalatha Raghupathi (Chennai) Tourism education pioneer Bangalore-based educationist Dr. Shaji…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

Your Counsellor RepliesI‚m a class XI student and a regular reader of EducationWorld. I would like to join the Indian Air Force (IAF). Please advise.Mahesh Khupse, PokhrapurTo join the IAF you need to be admitted into the National Defence Academy (NDA) ‚ the ‚Ëœcradle of Indian military leadership‚ ‚ located in Khadakvasla, Pune. The academy is one of the few defence training institutions in the world which offers joint services training i.e. combined training for the army, navy and air force. Admissions into NDA happen in January and July. Over 150,000 students apply every year and of the 80,000 who write the entrance exam, only 10,000 qualify, out of which only 300 are admitted into NDA. Males within the age group 16-19 years who have passed class XII or equivalent are eligible to write the entrance examination conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission‚s Services Selection Board. After graduating from NDA, air force cadets proceed for a further year‚s training in the Air Force Academy, Hyderabad. On completion of this course, cadets are awarded the President‚s commission and inducted as officers into the IAF. For details log on to www.nda.nic.in. I want to become an airhostess after finishing my BA next year. Is it necessary to join a training academy before applying for this job?Carol D‚Souza, Panjim Aspiring airhostesses don‚t require specialised training. Most airlines prefer to train them in-house. Look out for ads and notifications of major airlines for cabin crew in your local newspapers. Keep passport-sized photographs and an updated resume handy so you can immediately respond either in person for a walk-in interview or send in an application. The typical requirements for an airhostess‚ job are normal eyesight, pleasing personality, self-confidence, poise, clear complexion and good communication skills. Moreover you should be between 18-27 years of age and above 5‚3″ in height. Fluency in Hindi and English is essential, while a graduate degree is not mandatory. Experience in customer service, hospitality or allied industries will work in your favour. Selection includes a general proficiency test and a group discussion followed by a personal interview.After completing Plus Two (arts) I would like to read for a law degree. Please provide information on degree programmes offered in this field. Can I pursue a company secretary‚s (CS) course simultaneously with my law degree?Neerja Kamath, MumbaiThe five-year integrated B.A.LLB (Hons) offered by the University of Mumbai is the best option for you. The degree programme covers all aspects of law including family, property, company, constitutional, and labour law. It‚s a good idea to study for a CS diploma while reading for the law degree. It will help you carve out a career in corporate law and allied fields. I‚m a second year engineering student. Please tell me about the Engineering Services Examination (ESE).Prakash Chavan, PuneIf you have an engineering degree and are between 21-30 years of age you can write the ESE. Part 1 of ESE is a written examination, comprising two sections: section I consists of objective questions and…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

Respectable socially valued professionWith the number of people suffering from mental and emotional health problems having multiplied exponentially, career opportunities for trained psychiatrists are excellentIn contemporary high-pressure society where stress is ubiquitous, a growing number of people ‚ from teenagers to geriatrics ‚ are experiencing difficulty in managing and coping with competition, rejection, loneliness, changing gender equations, altered lifestyles etc. Continuous stress plays havoc with the brain and body systems and has resulted in a huge increase in people suffering from mental and emotional health problems. Not surprisingly career opportunities in mental healthcare ‚ especially in psychiatry ‚ are multiplying rapidly. According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, one of four people in the world will suffer from mental health problems at some point of time in their lives and mental health disorders are expected to rank second in the list of killer diseases by 2020. Therefore a whole new world of opportunities comes-a-knocking for psychiatrists at a time when the social stigma attached to this career has evaporated.To practise psychiatry, one has to first qualify as a medical practitioner (MBBS) and specialise in mental health with either a DPM (diploma in psychological medicine) or a Masters in medicine (MD). Most medical colleges in the country offer psychiatry as a specialisation. Within psychiatry too, there are several sub-specialisation options such as child, community, forensic, geriatric, rehabilitation, military and biological psychiatry. The latest addition to the list is sports medicine psychology for which there‚s rising demand.For those with an interest in human behaviour and psychology who are not medical professionals but choose careers in the field of mental health, the best option is to train as psychologists or counsellors. Societal demand for their services is also growing.With the number of patients rising rapidly, psychiatry is a financially rewarding career. In Mumbai, fees for each visit ranging between Rs.500-800 are de rigueur.Chhabria: multi-skilled approach”Despite lingering vestiges of the stigma associated with this profession, career prospects for psychiatrists are bright. The knowledge, facilities and medication are highly sophisticated and easily available in India today,” explains much-sought-after psychiatrist Dr. Anjali Chhabria, who runs her clinical practice in Vile Parle in suburban Mumbai, where a stream of patients visit her every morning. Chhabria was intrigued by human behaviour and psychology while still in school. In 1985, she was awarded an MBBS by Grant Medical College, Bombay. Following a year‚s internship, she secured admission in the two-year diploma course in psychological medicine of Mumbai‚s K.E.M. Hospital from where she graduated in 1989. This was followed by an MD in psychiatry from Nair Hospital in 1990. “I specialised in psychiatry against my parents wishes as it was not considered a socially acceptable career for women in those days, with most teaching hospitals preferring to admit only male psychi-atrists. Many people tried to dissuade me but I was adamant,” she recalls.The first job Chhabria landed after being awarded an MD in 1990 was in the special clinic of the School of Mental Health at Nair Hospital where…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

A special committee chaired by Union minister of state Kapil Sibal to give teeth to the Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2004 has recommended that 25 percent of pre-primary and class I students in India’s globally respected private schools should be from disadvantaged groups. Dilip Thakore reports Submitted to the Union ministry of human resource development on June 30 this year, the implications of the revolutionary recommendations of the Report of the CABE (Central Advisory Board of Education) on Free and Compulsory Education Bill and Other Issues Related to Elementary Education have obviously not yet impacted themselves upon the boards of management and teachers of India’s 75,000 private schools which have an estimated 8 million of the country’s best and brightest students on their muster rolls. When the under-debated recommendations of the special CABE committee chaired by Union minister of state for science and technology and ocean development Kapil Sibal to give teeth to the Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2004 are absorbed by private school managements and the nation’s powerful middle class for whom high quality private school education for their children is a God-given fundamental right, a violent round of protests and litigation are inevitable. Constituted by Union minister of human resource development Arjun Singh to “suggest draft of legislation envisaged in a new Article 21A of the Constitution” ( viz, “the State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years in such manner as the State may, by law determine”) enacted following the 86th amendment to the Constitution in 2002, the Sibal Committee’s report makes several important recommendations which if approved by the HRD ministry and Parliament are likely to radically transform elementary education in India. “Right to education also implies that it is the State’s obligation to remove whatever obstacles — social, economic, academic, linguistic, cultural, physical etc — which prevent children from effectively participating in and comple-ting elementary education of satisfactory quality,” says the committee’s report while elaborating the principles which guided its deliberations. Accordingly the committee has recommended that the Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2004 (FCEB 2004) which when enacted by Parliament will give effect to the proposed Article 21A, should confer the right to “full-time education of satisfactory and equitable quality in a formal school” upon every child (defined as a boy or girl between six-14 years of age in the Bill) who should be “enabled to complete elementary education”. Moreover taking cognizance of the reality that “one major reason why it has not been possible to universalise elementary education all these years is the dysfunctionality of the delivery system”, the committee has recommended several provisions for “greater decentralisation and accountability” of the elementary school system to be incorporated into the Bill (see box p.28) However the recommendation of the Sibal Committee which is certain to generate storm within the inner councils of India’s private schools as well as within the drawing rooms of middle class India is one which endorses and expands s.35 of FCEB 2004. This section of the proposed Bill…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

It’s yet another one of the many paradoxes of India that despite a massive (though not nearly enough) population of 5.5 million teachers I don’t recollect any serious career counselling/ guidance on how to become a teacher. I am disappointed with teaching myths and misinformation due to which career counsellors don’t encourage young people to enter this vital profession. The socially adverse fallout is that many high performers who could become very good teachers enter other professions, never getting to know their true calling. I am certain that if I were to conduct a career guidance session for a school, the principal would not encourage me to talk about teaching as a profession. However I am not particularly discouraged because wherever I go I find many high quality professionals who have chosen to teach. Unfortunately there are also quite a few who think of teaching as just a job and want to get away by doing as little as possible. I am also disappointed that (good) teachers don’t get paid well. But on the positive side there are hundreds of thousands of teachers who enjoy their work and discharge their duties diligently. There are numerous myths about the teaching profession and teachers which we should address. Among them: Those who can’t do, teach. Wrong. To teach well you need to know your subject and its application thoroughly. Women are more suited for this career. Erroneous. Gender is of no relevance. A good teacher is a good teacher irrespective of gender. Anybody can be a teacher. Partially true. Minimally qualified people can land a teacher’s job. But to be an effective teacher special qualities are required. Appropriate qualifications make for good teachers. Teachers’ training, a B.Ed degree support understanding of teaching but there’s more to teaching than degrees. A teacher’s job is not strenuous. Wrong. Good teachers work round the clock. They spend time learning their subjects, evaluating exam papers, preparing report cards and supporting students in various ways. They also continuously work on updating their own knowledge. Quite clearly the teaching profession is not for everyone. Prior to plunging into this profession, a degree of self-examination and self assessment is advisable. Here are some pointers: If you want to make a difference to the nation’s future choose to be a teacher; if you like interacting with children become a teacher; if you like long holidays which offer you a chance to do something totally different, be a teacher; if you believe in continuous learning be a teacher. Moreover becoming a teacher may support your passion — dance or painting; sculpting or photography; research, astronomy or theatre. But once having chosen this career path, put your heart and soul into it. Expectations of children are high and they are often let down by their teachers. Knowledge with regular updating is essential but the key is to relate (and teach) sincerely from the heart. It’s a peculiarly Indian phenomenon that despite the lives of all successful professionals having been shaped by teachers, few people seriously consider becoming teachers. Young…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

Blessed with movie star looks, proven talent and the musical tradition of Gwalior’s Bangash gharana, sarod titan Amjad Ali Khan’s younger son Ayaan Ali Bangash seems all set to scale new heights in the world of instrumental classical music. A self-confessed “average student” of Delhi’s Modern School, Ayaan Ali Bangash (26), says his passage through Delhi University as a distance learning (correspondence) student was profitable. “I was never the type to pore over books but fared well academically and acquired valuable life skills,” he says. And the proof’s in his curriculum vitae. He’s already an accomplished sarod player, composer, author and entrepreneur. Given the benefit of a liberal, holistic education, this budding sarod maestro voluntarily works hard to achieve his personal goals. Currently his musical oeuvres include seven joint albums, including three solos: Sarod For Harmony, Live At Carnegie Hall and Strings Attached recorded with renowned cellist Mathew Barley at the Royal Festival Hall, UK in 2003. Moreover he has participated in 150 live concerts, produced a lounge music album, written a coffee-table book on his father (Abba: God’s Greatest Gift To Us) together with his brother, Amaan (27). Winner of many young achiever awards, the multi-faceted Ayaan Ali Bangash is now broadening his horizons by composing popular film music. The recently released Hollywood feature film American Daylight includes three tracks by the Bangash brothers in its 12-track album which features compositions by well-known transnational musicians such as Elton John and John Baez. Next on Ayaan’s agenda are compositions for two Bollywood films with big-time directors. He is also helping his family set up an Amjad Ali Khan Centre For Perfoming Arts in Chicago, scheduled to become operational this winter. A family venture to be managed by the Bangash clan, the centre will train novices and professionals in the nuances of classical music. “The idea,” explains Bangash, “is to make performers out of musicians.” This promising musician has useful words of advice for Indian youth. “We are capable of achieving a lot provided we remain focused, manage our time well and work hard,” says the young maestro who packs in a gruelling practice schedule each day despite frequent national and international travel. “Regrettably there’s no short-cut to success. Determination and talent are vital in any field of endeavour,” says Bangash. Play on. Neeta Lal (Delhi) Vishala Mishra    A class XI student of Chennai’s well-known Padma Seshadri Bal Bhavan School (PSBBS), Vishala Mishra has added another feather to her already crowded cap by winning the prestigious National Bal Shree Award for Innovative Science for year 2005. In April she received the award from President A.P.J Abdul Kalam in Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi. The Bal Shree Award is given to children who excel in any one of four categories: performing and creative arts, innovative science and creative writing and comprises a three-tier selection process. Two students each from around 30 schools in Tamil Nadu participated in the first selection round held in Chennai in June 2004. Of them only 23 were short-listed for the second round held in Pondicherry in October last…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

India’s feudal culture and nanny state have inflicted grave damage upon the education system. At the primary level, the problem is poor enrollment and high dropout rates; at the secondary stage, the system has mutated into a Darwinian struggle in which students and their parents are routinely hassled and humiliated by high-handed teachers and malevolent administrators. Higher education is a cesspit of politics and corruption compounded by quotas and capitation fees. As such, the higher education system transformed into a gulag from which many middle class youth escaped in the 1960-70s to the United States. Those who stayed behind became cannon-fodder for political parties. The luckier ones got PWD-type jobs or were recruited by the public sector to fill quotas mandated by the government. What is left unsaid is that those who visited such horrors upon the higher education system had their own children safely ensconced abroad in Oxbridge, Harvard and Yale. However, there is a positive side to the migration of the middle class intelligentsia to points west, especially the United States. In the early 1980s, cataclysmic events saw the emergence of Rajiv Gandhi as the leader of the Congress party. He was just 40 years old when he became prime minister. He talked sense about the economy and foreign policy. Many of us who had escaped from the gulag began to take another look at India. That was the start of India’s transformation from the world’s basket case to the country most likely to succeed in the 21st century. It set off an economic boom that was magnified by Manmohan Singh’s massive economic reforms programme in 1991. Freed from the dead hand of socialism, the economy took off, empowering the existing middle class and expanding as never before. This set off a huge challenge to the elitists who controlled all aspects, not just the economy but culture, education, almost every dimension of public affairs. In the realm of higher education, several things happened. The upper middle class found it was affordable to send their children to undergraduate schools in the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia. More important, universities in these countries found they could offer courses in India at much lower prices and so tap a huge market of students who had a hard time getting into the better local colleges and universities. Sensing a rent opportunity, many politicians started up colleges and universities with state subsidies, offering mediocre education at inflated commercial prices. In Karnataka, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and elsewhere, colleges and universities promoted by politicians and lobbyists sprouted in response to market needs. Many ministers in various state governments, especially Maharashtra and Karnataka, were complicit in such scams. So were many businessmen except they focused on tying up with dubious foreign institutions to attract those in the middle class who could not or would not, send their children abroad. The chaos in the higher education system has drawn the attention of reputed colleges and universities in the United States and United Kingdom. Well aware of the prowess of…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

The B.M. Birla Science Centre (BMSC), Hyderabad, the University of Udine, Italy and the International Institute for Applicable Mathematics and Information Sciences invite applications for Masters in information technology and its Ph.D programme (with or without fellowships). The eligibility criteria for the Birla Science-Udine Master’s programme is a degree in engineering/ technology/ or any equivalent degree in science and computer applications. For the Ph D programme, students with M.Sc in computer science/ mathematics/ physics/ M.Tech/ ME/ MCA from any recognised university are eligible to apply. The award of fellowships follows an agreement signed in March 2005 between BMSC and University of Udine, Italy, to establish an International Institute of Applicable Mathematics and Information Sciences. The objective of the institute is to enable budding Indian researchers to practice doctoral work in Europe and to pursue postgraduate training in informational sciences. BMSC and the University of Udine have established hubs in Hyderabad and Italy. Manipal AcuNova’s new research centre Manipal Acunova, a Bangalore-based biotechnology and clinical research firm has established its Manipal AcuNova K.H. Clinical Research Centre in Manipal (Karnataka). The centre will undertake research on generic drugs , new drug delivery systems and new chemical entities. The ambit of research activities will include pre-clinical studies, bio-availability, bio-equivalence, pharmacokinetics and clinical data management. Clinical studies will be conducted in areas such as oncology, infectious diseases, endocrinology (diabetes), neurology and dental science. The centre was inaugurated by Dr. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, chief executive of Biocon India on August 20. “With a large reservoir of scientific human resources, centres of academic excellence in biosciences, a vibrant pharmaceutical industry, and fast developing clinical capabilities, India’s biotechnology and pharma sector is poised for exponential growth and to compete globally. While the Manipal Group has always set world class standards in education and healthcare, Manipal Acunova will set new global research standards,” said D.A. Prasanna, managing director of Manipal AcuNova speaking on the occasion. Manipal AcuNova is a joint venture between the Manipal Education and Medical Group and AcuNova. The company’s clients include leading companies such as Quintiles, Ranbaxy, Biocon and Novartis among others. Manipal AcuNova has also partnered with the University of Minnesota and National Centre of Biological Sciences to conduct clinical research. IDiscoveri’s school leadership course The Delhi-based experiential learning and education consultancy firm iDiscoveri concluded its second ten-day leadership programme for school leaders in Bangalore on August 28. “The firm’s Exercising Leadership In Schools (ELS) programme prepares present and future school leaders to introduce much-needed changes in the way schools operate in India,” says Vishnu Kant, senior faculty of iDiscoveri. “ELS helps school heads to explore forms of leadership based on notions other than authority,” he adds. Designed by iDiscoveri, the programme was supported by the IT industry’s well-known Wipro Group. Founded by alumni of Harvard University, INSEAD, IIT and XLRI, iDiscoveri is a developmental education and research organisation which works in the area of school education as well as corporate executive training. The learning programmes of iDiscoveri focus on self-discovery and realisation of full potential.…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

They said it”If this is the attitude of the government‚¦ then wind up the courts and do whatever you want.”Chief justice of India R.C. Lahoti commenting on criticism over its recent order doing way with quotas in private professional colleges (August 22)”Let me say there can be a difference of opinion over the size of fiscal deficit. But no country in the world that I know of has got rich merely by spending its way to prosperity.”Prime minister Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha (August 23)”What we have learnt from the Chinese is: don‚t stick to dogmas; learn the truth from the facts.”Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, chief minister of the communist ruled West Bengal (August 23)”Reforms have widened inequity, but it cannot be done away with. However a measure of regulation must be introduced.”CPI (M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury (August 24)”For the farmer to be free from indebtedness and to be able to make adequate profit it is absolutely necessary to provide a network of modern marketing facilities.”Sharad Pawar, Union minister for food and agriculture (August 24) “Poor countries are free to do what rich countries tell them. The cost is huge. Christian Aid estimates that Africa has lost $272 billion in the past 20 years from being forced to promote trade liberalisation as the price for receiving World Bank loans and debt relief.”Mark Curtis in The Guardian (August 24)”Outcome Budget will ensure the flow of right amount of money at the right time to the right level with neither delay nor parking of funds.”P. Chidambaram, Union finance minister presenting the historic Outcome Budget (August 25)”We are a country of one billion people and we have the right to get that seat. One day, I am sure we will get it.”President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on India‚s bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

Tamil Nadu Violent reaction The landmark August 12 judgement of the Supreme Court reaffirming the abolition of the policy of admission reservations and government quotas in private, unaided minority and non-minority professional colleges, has provoked a verbally violent reaction from the Tamil Nadu state government. Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa has threatened to take the extreme step of nationalising institutions of professional education in the state if Central government legislation to restore state government mandated quotas in private, unaided colleges is not enacted pronto. “There will be no choice for the state government but to take over the entire administration of higher professional education and even the necessary assets thereof so that the principles of social justice can be firmly established,” she warned on August 16. According to her, the principles outlined in the Supreme Court order “constitute a major upheaval in the admission policy framework followed by most states”. Meanwhile the Tamil Nadu govern-ment has filed a petition in the apex court seeking a review of its judgement. Jayalalithaa has also written to prime minister Manmohan Singh to take urgent action to restore education to the state list of the Constitution so that every state can determine its own policy framework. The mercurial chief minister’s violent reaction to the seven judge bench’s judgement in P.A. Inamdar & Ors vs State of Maharashtra is hardly surprising. Tamil Nadu (pop: 62 million) has 220 private unaided engineering colleges affiliated to Anna University, two private medical colleges and an estimated 100 dental and para medical colleges. The Tamil Nadu Act 45 of 1994 provides for the reservation of 69 percent of total capacity in these institutions for scheduled castes, tribes, backward castes, most backward castes, and other notified communities. During the past decade, the number of seats available in government aided institutions has been only a small proportion of the total since most of the growth in technical and medical education has been in the private unaided segment. This year the number of seats available in government and aided engineering colleges is a mere 4,850 of a total of 78,000, of which about 40,500 were hitherto available to the state government for allocation according to the reservation policy. But when the Inamdar’s Case judgement comes into force next year, merit students in the reserved categories will have to compete for the 4,850 seats with the rest of the seats to be filled by institutional managements. According to Jayalalithaa this effectively shuts the door upon scheduled castes, tribes and MBC (most backward caste) students. “Opening these seats up again for government quotas ahead of the next state assembly elections scheduled for 2006, will translate into a huge bonus in terms of the non-urban and minority votes for the chief minister. That’s why the Tamil Nadu government has filed a petition in the apex court seeking a review of the Supreme Court judge-ment,” says D. Victor, former director of collegiate education in Tamil Nadu and currently director of the Chennai-based Academy for Quality and Excellence in Higher Education. Understandably, the…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

Congratulations to EducationWorld and Infosys for initiating the EW-Infosys Young Achievers Awards (EW August). It is befitting that two forward looking pioneer organisations have got together to recognise and encourage young talent across the country. Though you sound surprised that Infosys provided the “sole affirmative reply” to EducationWorld’s proposal to institute the young achievers awards, I am not at all surprised by the lukewarm response of Indian industry. The truth is that the over-hyped leaders of Indian industry are not at all aware of the connection between the country’s crumbling education system and the miserable productivity and bad manners of their companies. They seem to believe that it is easy to fool the public by making politically correct noises about the importance of education and throwing a few crumbs into education initiatives. And even for the little they do, they want big tax breaks. Perhaps the new IT companies- Infosys and TCS (which sponsored your search for India’s best teachers) led by enlightened leaders such as N.R. Narayana Murthy and F.C. Kohli and S. Ramadorai are exceptions to this rule. But the great majority of India’s businessmen, whom you hyped up into great business heroes in your previous avatars as editor of Business India and Businessworld, are greedy, selfish people given to conspicuous consumption and self-promotion. I hope your cover story on the Infosys-EducationWorld Young Achievers Awards will shake them out of their slumber and prompt them to do something worthwhile to raise the abysmal standards of Indian education. K.M. George  Thiruvanathapuram Also read: Scientists bag Infosys-Educationworld Young Achievers Awards 2006 Curious anomaly I read your special report feature “Runaway coaching schools boom: boon or bane?” (EW August) with great interest. The arguments for and against coaching schools which move heaven and earth to get their students into India’s top education institutions such as the IIMs, IITs and medical schools are cogently and clearly presented. Though as contended by Dr. Natarajan, coaching schools serve a useful purpose, there is no doubt in my mind that at best, they are a necessary evil. Because they are essentially money-making enterprises accessible only to the affluent classes, they effectively shut out the poor majority from the highly subsidised IIMs, IITs and best colleges of undergraduate education. Thus we have the curious anomaly of children of the relatively rich grabbing all the seats in the best institutions of higher education, not necessarily because they are meritorious, but because they can afford to enroll in coaching schools. The obvious conclusion is to upgrade government schools so that rural students have a chance of entering the best institutions of higher education. Patricia Mathur Delhi Interesting reading The August issue of EducationWorld was full of interesting reading as usual. I particularly enjoyed the expert comment page which featured excerpts of your address to the National Governors Association in Des Moines, USA. The address was very statesman- like and rich in detail. I’m sure it will be remembered. Dr. Glenn Christo Bangalore Pleasant surprise I have been a reader of EducationWorld since the past year. I was pleasantly surprised to read…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

The passage of the national rural employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) by Parliament on August 23 has divided informed public opinion in the country right down the middle. On the one hand proponents of the Act believe this legislation which guarantees 100 days of employment at the minimum daily wage of Rs.60 to every rural adult (one per family) who applies for it, is a long overdue gesture of solidarity with the nation’s rural population which has been almost completely bypassed by the boom conditions which the Indian economy has been experiencing following the liberalisation and deregulation initiative of 1991.  On the other hand not a few respected economists and intellectuals believe that the Act which will involve a payout variously estimated between Rs.40,000-60,000 crore per year at a time in the history of the nation when the consolidated national deficit (Centre plus states) is approaching the danger 10 percent of GDP plimsol line, could well bankrupt the Central government and uncork the genie of inflation. Suffice it to say that when the law is extended to the entire country, it may complete the (Central) government’s descent into bankruptcy, warns the well-known economist-journalist Prem Shankar Jha writing in Outlook (August 15).  There’s no denying that such apprehension is justified. The track record of the Central and state governments in project completion and implementation during the past five decades since independence is abysmal. Therefore there’s every possibility that the huge annual outlay NREGA will require could disappear into a black hole without the economy having anything to show for it with the rural poor whom the legislation is intended to benefit hardly any better off.  Nevertheless precedent has to be weighed against the potential of NREGA nor does a predatory bureaucracy justify a safety-first response. Given the hard reality that rural India continues to languish in unimaginable deprivation and despair, inability to devise ways and means to deliver an embarrassingly modest package of 100 days work per year per family at the minimum wage is a shameful admission of failure of the Indian state and society in general.  Past experience of the mismanagement of the National Food for Work Programme, the public distribution system and other poverty alleviation programmes has proved that their failure is rooted in careless policy implementation rather than formulation. Given political and societal will it is perfectly feasible to design and introduce systems to maintain strict and verifiable records of people registering for employment, eliminating on-site bureaucratic discretion and facilitating free public access to employment registers. Moreover recent experience in rural Rajasthan has proved that on-site local community and NGO (non government organisation) supervisory-cum-appellate committees can ensure that the twin objectives of creating rural employment and building rural infrastructure are attained.  Advancement of the argument that pitifully minimal poverty alleviation programmes which are moral imperatives should not be essayed because they have failed in the past due to official corruption and middle class indifference, is unacceptable defeatism. Faint-hearted intellectuals who argue to the contrary are exhibiting excessive pessimism. …

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda

For several reasons August 2005 is likely to prove a watershed month in the history of Indian education. On August 12 in Inamdar vs. State of Maharashtra (Appeal 5041 of 2005) a seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India upheld a previous judgement of an 11-judge bench of the apex court in T. M. A Pai Foundation vs. State of Karnataka & Ors (2002 8 SCC 481), in which it had ruled that the practice of state governments appropriating 50-65 percent quotas for ‘merit’ and other government sponsored students for admission into private unaided colleges of professional education (at tuition fees determined by their own committees) is illegal.  Despite the learned justices of the apex court having delivered detailed, logical and commonsense reasons why state governments cannot interfere with the right of citizens to establish and administer education institutions of their choice, the political class long accustomed to appropriating and passing off substantial capacity in privately promoted, financially independent colleges of professional education (medicine, engineering, business management etc) as their own, are up in arms against the judgement in Inamdar’s Case. In Parliament as well as in all the state capitals there’s unanimous demand for legislation (see pages 9 and 12 in this issue) to overrule the court’s verdict, prompting an angry outburst from Chief Justice Lahoti and a possible confrontation between Parliament and the judiciary.  By a curious happenstance, the Supreme Court’s historic judgement has coincided with the release to the public of the report of a CABE (Central Advisory Board of Education) committee constituted to give teeth to the Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2004. This Bill was drafted to give effect to the landmark 86th amendment (2002) to the Constitution which made it mandatory (under the provisions of a new Article 21A) for the State to provide free and compulsory education to all children in the age group six-14. Chaired by Union minister of state for science and technology and ocean development Kapil Sibal who is a heavyweight Supreme Court counsel in his own right, the committee has inter alia recommended a reservation of 25 percent of pre-primary and class I capacity in all schools — including private schools — for children from ‘disadvantaged groups’ and deprived households in the neighbourhood. In effect the Sibal Committee has recommended a government quota in private, financially independent schools.  Is this recommendation the thin end of a wedge which will enable incremental government interference in the administration and operations of India’s estimated 75,000 private schools which have attained global reputation for delivering high quality secondary education? That’s the subject matter of our cover story set against the backdrop of the apex court’s historic August 12 judgement.  And in the special report feature our Lucknow-based correspondent Vidya Pandit highlights the dangers posed to higher education by India’s archaic system of colleges being affiliated to parent universities which have ballooned to unmanageable proportions.  This issue of EducationWorld is also historic for us. With our circulation and readership having risen substantially, we can now…

Already a subscriber

Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now

Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda