Chapter II A Perspective on Pedagogy

2.0 Pedagogical Renewal Process
Under DPEP and SSA, Gujarat has been immensely successful in revising the pedagogy. Wider consultations with teachers, professionals from universities, colleges and NGOs have ushered in decentralization in the pedagogical renewal process. Efforts have been made to replicate such consultation process at the district level as well, where DIETs are consulted. They have been empowered to identify the training requirements at district level and, also, plan and implement training programmes accordingly. Creation of resource centres at the Block and Cluster levels has replaced the earlier administrative type of inspection system in Gujarat. There is a greater emphasis now on follow up of teacher training and support visits by BRC and CRC co-ordinators wherein teachers receive academic counseling and are assisted in their efforts to cope with the changing teaching/ learning situations.

In the above context, concrete steps have been taken in terms of development of new textbooks, curriculum review, orientation of teachers towards new pedagogy, which can be broadly defined as child - centered, activity based and joyful teaching/learning. The State Resource Group (SRG) for pedagogy has been playing an important role in the pedagogical renewal process. Block and Cluster Resource centres have been operationalised. The TLM grant and school grants are made available to all schools in the state under either DPEP or SSA.

2.1 Textbooks
Under DPEP, the new textbooks for Std.I, Std.II, Std.III and Workbooks for Std V have been designed and developed according to the pedagogical renewal process and introduced in the state following the Three-Tier try-outs. These textbooks provide activity based teaching and stimulate self-learning in children. By stimulating their imagination, curiosity and participation, the textbooks nurture the creativity of the children.

2.1.1 New textbooks for Std. I, II & III
After carrying out several rounds of trial and revision, the new textbooks for Std.I were introduced all over the state during the year 2000-2001. The books are generating good response from the teachers and students.

The new textbook for Std. II were introduced in all the schools of DPEP districts in the year 2000-2001. After receiving the feedback from teachers, academicians and pedagogic experts, and incorporating the necessary changes, the new textbooks for Std.II have been introduced all over the state from academic year 2001-2002.

The new textbooks for Std. III, prepared by Gujarat State Board of School Textbooks (GSBSTB) and reviewed by Gujarat Council of Educational Research and Training (GCERT), were put into trial in 2000-2001 in those 400 schools of DPEP districts where the text books of Std. I & II were tried out. From June 2001, these new textbooks were introduced in all schools of the three DPEP districts after incorporating the feedback following their trial in the earlier phase. They were introduced all over the state in June,2002.

2.1.2 English Workbooks for Std. V
From the academic year 2001-2002, English has been made a compulsory subject in Std.V. in all the schools of Gujarat. In view of this, a total of 6000 master trainers from non-DPEP districts were imparted training on new English workbooks and a set of 80 flash cards. This was followed by training of 22000 primary teachers from non-DPEP districts in March 2001. All the teachers were provided English workbooks and sets of flash cards during training. Copies of English workbook (Part I & II) have been provided in schools of three project districts. These workbooks and flashcards will focus on improving listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, will be integrated fully into Class V syllabus.

2.1.3 Preponement of DPEP IV Conclusion
As per Government of India directive, conclusion of DPEP IV is preponed to June 2005. The Operation Research Group (ORG), Vadodara was assigned the evaluation of the performance of DPEP (implemented from 2000-2005). It is reported that most of the objectives have been achieved, as shown below :

1. Improvement in overall achievement of students : 
Performance of Class - III Students was much lower than that of Class - I both in language and mathematics

  • In Class I performance of students was better in Mathematics (Mean score 65.6%) as compared to language (mean score 61.5%)

  • In Class III students performed slightly better in Language (mean score 44%) as compared to mathematics (mean score 35.6%)

  • Compared to the baseline the performance of students of Class I as well as Class III in the terminal survey has improved in Language and Mathematics tests.

2. Decrease in Drop out rate
As compared to 2001-02 the percentage decrease in drop out rate of children in 2004-05 in Project districts was found as under.

  • Kutchh : 24.46% (Overall), 26.13% (Boys) & 21.80% (Girls) 

  • Surendranagar : 32.70 % (Overall), 28.30%(Boys) & 36.89% (Girls)

  • Sabarkantha : 34.53% (Overall), 33.09% (Boys) & 35.98% ( Girls)

3. Universal Enrollment : 
(a) Near Universal Enrollment has been achieved with NER of 95.69 during 2004-05. 
(b) The improvement in Girls to Boys Enrollment ratio in Project districts was found as under. 

  • Kutchh : From 800 (2001-02) to 855 (2004-05)

  • Surendranagar : From 809 (2001-02) to 860 (2004-05)

  • Sabarkantha : From 847 (2001-02) to 867 (2004-05)

2.1.4 Free Text Books for Std. VIII
All children in Std. I to VII are provided with free textbooks by the State Government. Under SSA, free textbooks of Std. VIII are provided to all girls and, also to all the boys belonging to SC and ST in Gujarat. During the year 2004-05, free text books for Std. VIII were provided to a total of 2,09,994 pupils comprising girls and SC/ ST boys.

2.2 Position of BRC & CRC Co-ordinators
The position of the BRC/CRC Coordinators appointed in all the districts is as under :

Details of BRCs & CRCs in Gujarat

Sr. No Name of the district Total No. of BRCs No. of CRCs Sr. No. Name of  the district Total No. of  BRCs No. of CRCs
1 Ahmedabad 11 140 16 Narmada 4 70
2 Ahmedabad Corp - 43 17 Navsari 5 84
3 Amreli 11 121 18 Panchmahal 11 166
4 Anand 8 125 19 Patan 7 69
5 Banaskantha 12 200 20 Porbandar 3 34
6 Bharuch 8 102 21 Rajkot 14 149
7 Bhavnagar 11 145 22 Rajkot Corp - 23
8 Dahod 7 95 23 Sabarkantha 13 214
9 Dang 1 32 24 Surat 14 218
10 Gandhinagar 4 57 25 Surat Corp - 33
11 Jamnagar 10 144 26 Surendranagar 10 135
12 Junagadh 14 164 27 Vadodara 12 210
13 Kheda 10 187 28 Vadodara  Corp - 16
14 Kutch 10 176 29 Valsad 5 103
15 Mehsana 9 96   Total (1-29) 224 3351

2.3 Vidhyasahayak Recruitment & Training
The recruitment of Vidhyasahayaks, under the Vidhyasahayak Scheme of Government of Gujarat, is taking place in phases. During 2004-05, a total of 15,468 Vidhyasahayaks were recruited in Gujarat and, subsequently, given induction training. The Master trainers (MTs) trained in the previous year, imparted competency-based training to Vidhyasahayaks at the BRC level during the current year. The new Vidhyasahayaks were oriented on new methods and techniques of activity based joyful teaching learning processes. They were oriented on DPEP in DPEP districts while all were trained on SSA and their role and functioning in these projects.

Under the Vidya Sahayak Yojana, a total of 82,148 Vidya Sahayaks have been recruited in Gujarat since its inception in 1998-99.

2.4 Teacher Training
Teachers’ training has followed a more interactive and a two-way process rather than the earlier one-way, lecture-based communication. In such a training, instead of lectures, the trainer attempts to create experiment for the participants such as, doing an activity, a role play, reading a text or performing specific task or exercise and analyzing that experience in the training programme itself. Thus, there is a more experimental training replacing the earlier training where the trainee had no role to play.

2.4.1 Teacher Training Under DPEP
Under DPEP, training on various pedagogical aspects was organised for teachers of Std. I to V in the project districts. Teachers were trained for a total of 90995 man-days in the districts of Kutch, Sabarkantha and Surendranagar. Themes of training were Integreted Multigrade Teaching, preparation of TLM, orientation of teachers, VEC, MTA & PTA on their role in enrolment and retention of children in DPEP, regular attendance, remedial teahcing and gender education.

The districtwise details are as under:

No.

District

No. of Man- Day for
Teachers Training

1

Sabarkantha

56,201

2

Kutch

11728

3

Surendranagar

23066

 

Total

90995

2.4.2 Teachers Training Under SSA
Under SSA, teachers training is organised at district level by the respective DIETS who have been empowered to identify their pedagogical and teachers training requirements and plan for them accordingly. For the purpose, grants are released to them under SSA. During the year 2004-05, teachers training for a total of 15,55,926 mandays was organised in Gujarat comprising 9,06,785 man days trainining by District Project Offices and 6,49,141 man days training by DIETs. 

The teachers were trained on various aspects of modern pedagogy, viz. preparation of child centered and contextual TLM, effective teaching of Hard Sports of all the subjects, New Textbooks, school level management of educational planning and implementation of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in all the districts and Municipal Corporation Areas of Gujarat. The training programmes were conducted by respective District Project Offices at the BRC level, while DIETs conducted the training at both BRC and CRC levels.

The detail breakup is as under.

Teachers Training Under SSA (Year 2004 - 05)

No.

District

No. of Trainers DPC (Mandays)

No. of Trainers DIET (Mandays)

Total (Mandays)

1

Ahmedabad

56682

13744

70426

2

Amreli

51946

11951

63897

3

Anand

64436

42456

106892

4

Bharuch

16116

10732

26848

5

Gandhinagar

0

44255

44255

6

Kheda

71685

59622

131307

7

Mehsana

0

42416

42416

8

Navsari

40577

10264

50841

9

Narmada

14884

6548

21432

10

Patan

36250

27977

64227

11

Rajkot

17066

8412

25478

12

Surat

80815

16224

97039

13

Vadodara

58918

67217

126135

14

Valsad

43968

11560

55528

15

Banaskantha

55169

60522

115691

16

Panchmahal

96800

104099

200899

17

Dahod

69003

18300

87303

18

Dang

5480

0

5480

19

Porbandar

2947

0

2947

20

Ahmedabad Corp.

2589

20072

22661

21

Vadodara Corp.

6773

11642