Sargent Report-1944 Part-3

<<Sargent Report-1944 Part-2 Other Suggestions The report has touched some other branches of education also. These are as follows: A. Adult Education : The role of adult education, according to report is to make every possible member of a state an effective and efficient citizen. It is very much essential for the success of the ideal democratic way of life. The problem of adult education in India connotes adult literacy. The normal age range of adult education should be 10 plus to 40. This scheme envisaged two types of education for adults— general education and technical or vocational education. Separate classes should be organised for boys and girls between ten to sixteen years of age. In order to make adult education interesting, it is necessary to use visual aids, mechanical aids such as pictures, charts, cinema, gramophone, radio, folk dancing, music etc. B. Training of the teachers : There should be an army of trained teachers for the rapid progress of education and the successful execution of the plans of education. For graduate teachers Sargent Committee recommended to impart training to them by training colleges. For the training of undergraduate teachers, there should be three types of training institutions— pre-primary, basic and high school. Teachers for technical and industrial education may be taken to the institutions for the purpose and other industrial courses. Refresher courses should be started for all the categories of teachers. Free training should be provided in training colleges and schools. In order to attract proper type of persons to the teaching profession, the report proposes to revise the scales of pay to be given to all grades of teachers, particularly to the teachers at the primary stage who are paid very low salaries at present. C. Health Education : The Sargent report suggested that in order to look after the health of       school Children health committee should be set up in schools. Every student should be medically checked up and if any defect is found appropriate follow-up measures should be taken. Minor treatment can be provided in school clinics. Physical training should be compulsory. D. Education of the Physically Handicapped : Provision for special education should be made for physically handicapped and mentally retarded children. Here the educands may engage themselves in such productive activities that may be of use to them in the future life. E. Employment Bureaus : The scheme made the following recommendations in this regard in order to provide the students with requisite employment— (i)Under the control of the education department a number of employment bureaus should be established. (ii)Universities should have their own employment bureaus. (iii) These bureaus should discharge the following functions— (a) contact with educational institutions, (b) advise the outgoing students about openings for employment, (c) contact with employers and arrangement for trade apprentices. F. Administration of Education: For proper implementation of the new schemes of education at all India level a strong department of education should be set at the centre. The state should also have their department of education. More cooperation and coordination needed between the centre and the states for successful implementation of a National System of Education. The report indicated that the implementation of the whole scheme would involve a total expenditure of Rs. three hundred crores every year. EVALUATION OF THE SARGENT REPORT  We have already discussed the suggestions given by the Sargent report in all aspects of education in India. Now we will make an attempt to evaluate the report. The Sargent report had been the outcome of the experience of the British Government that in education, India was behind the other advanced countries of the world. The chief merits of this report are discussed below— This was the first comprehensive scheme embracing all aspects of education— pre-primary, primary, high school and university education. Technical, vocational and professional, all types of education had been given attention by way of providing useful          suggestions for their improvement. Secondly, it recommended the provision of equal opportunities to all the students at various stages of education. Thirdly, due importance was given to the teaching profession. Recommendations were made for the improvement of the salary scales and the service conditions of the teachers. Fourthly, for the first time the attention of the Government was drawn towards the education of the handicapped. Fifthly, the report gave importance on providing education in such a manner as to make one self depended. It foresaw the importance of the employment problem in the country and thought that education could be instrumental in solving it. Let us examine the shortcoming and defects of the report— The report is criticised on the ground that it was not an original report. It was only a patch-work of the recommendations of different committees. The report outlined an educational development in India which would require 40 years to be implemented. This time limit did not satisfy any ardent educationist. An acceptable plan of educational development in India had been spread over a much shorter range of time, not exceeding 15 years. It had been pointed out that it would be wrong to call it a national scheme of education because it was only a copy of the pattern practised in England. This pattern could not serve as a model to India because the social, political and economic conditions in the two countries are vastly different. The proposal for selective admission in schools, colleges and universities was undemocratic. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATION It is necessary for us to see how the recommendations of the Sargent Committee was implemented. The Government of India accepted the recommendations of the report in principle and tried to implement some of them in the following manner— In 1945 an education department was established at the centre to increase administrative efficiency. According to the recommendations of the committee 40 crores of rupees were given to the provincial Governments for implementing certain aspects of the scheme in their areas. The Provincial Governments were advised to make five year plans for education. In 1946 these plans were made in some provinces. l It was decided that the scheme should be implemented within 16 years instead of 40 year. According to the recommendations of the committee University Grants Committee was constituted in 1945 which later on became University Grants Commission in 1956. The aim of providing compulsory and free education to children between 6—11 years of age was accepted. Efforts were made for adult education and also for improving the economic condition of teachers. The committee of polytechnic school and the All India Technical Education Committee were established in Delhi.

Lets Sum Up

In technical and vocational education the committee suggested for full time and part time instruction in order to fulfil the requirements of all different categories of the skilled workers, such as, chief executive, research workers, foreman, craftsman for industrial occupations etc. Beside, the report suggested different measures to improve adult education, the training of teachers, health education, education for physically and mentally handicapped and for establishing employment bureau etc.

We have evaluated the recommendation of the committee and discussed the merits and demerits towards the end of the unit and also how far the recommendations were implemented.