The Hindu : Karnataka News : CABE endorses education qualification framework

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Karnataka

CABE endorses education qualification framework

Jeevan Chinnappa

Regional skills to be identified for area-specific courses

Education Ministers of States to develop roadmap for implementation of the framework
CABE to urge free and compulsory education for secondary school students

Mysore: The Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), the highest advisory body to the Centre and State Governments in the field of education, has unanimously endorsed the need for establishing a National Vocational Education Qualification Framework (NVEQF), providing for a nationally recognised document with vertical and horizontal mobility for youth to move between general and vocational education streams.

This was one of the resolutions adopted by the CABE at its 58th meeting in New Delhi, chaired by Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on June 7.

The Education Ministers of States would develop a roadmap for implementation, incorporating the requirements and concerns of all States, according to director in-charge of the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) here, Rajesh Sachdeva, who presented a paper at the meeting.

Prof. Sachdeva said that he also had the privilege of presenting the Government's position on the protection and promotion of endangered languages and the development of a scheme for languages not included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution on the occasion.

Curriculum

The State governments whose Education Ministers were present at the meeting were urged to identify regional and local skills and develop curriculum content to feed the NVEQF. Courses chosen should be area-specific to be implemented through plans devised by the States, which would be later woven into a national grid.

Mr. Sibal urged the States to play a greater role in the NVEQF as the level of diversity in skill development in States would best be addressed by them alone.

CABE members expressed appreciation for the earnest efforts in implementing the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. Significantly, they agreed to urge the Government to extend free and compulsory education to the secondary sector.

It was felt that every child in the country, irrespective of gender, caste, class and community must have the right to at least 10 years of formal schooling. With this in view, a decision was taken to constitute a CABE committee comprising Ministers, members of civil society and educationists to formulate the draft legislation in three month's time. It would be later discussed with all stakeholders such as students, teachers, teacher associations, parents and community members.

Unfair practices

The rise in the adoption of unfair practices in the school education sector figured prominently at the meeting, with members unified in their resolve to put an end to such developments. A bill had been introduced in Parliament to prohibit unfair practices in the sector of higher education, and a similar proposal was also needed in the school education sector, members felt.

The recommendations of the Conference of Vice-Chancellors held on March 25 and 26 were presented before the CABE on the occasion. After deliberation, a decision was taken during the meeting to constitute a separate CABE committee to usher in University reforms within a period of three months.

All State governments were requested to examine the recommendations of the conference and send their views and comments to the CABE committee. The Union Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs, Ajay Maken, who was present, pointed out that physical education and sports should be integrated with academic curriculum.

Linguistic diversity

CABE underscored the need for preservation of the linguistic diversity and resolved that measures be taken to protect and preserve endangered languages in the country in the 12th Plan period by formulating appropriate schemes. The meeting was also attended by the Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development D. Purandeswari, Member (Education) of the Planning Commission Narendra Jadhav, education Ministers from 26 Statesacross the country, educationists, authors, and linguists.

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