New Delhi: On Friday i.e. January 14, 2011, the Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari, released the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) - 2010, at a function.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that in order to enhance the ‘quality agenda’ in the education sector, ASER would provide a trustworthy as well as scientific process of sampling and measurement through a nation-wide scale. He further added that we need to attract children towards going to school and learn significant academic outcomes by utilizing qualitative efforts in our educational system. Moreover, he stated that our public policy can cope with this challenge if we throw light on quality improvement in teacher training along with the development in curricular materials.
Appreciating the endeavors of the organization ‘Pratham’, the Vice President said it has certainly taken up the annual exercise of assessing and evaluating the outcomes of education of our children, from each corner of our country. The organization has realized us that education to each and every child is not only the onus of the government but citizens do have the duties to make way for the quality education in India.
At the function, Ansari stated the example of the World Education Forum, held in April 2000. It recognized that education is a fundamental human right and it plays a vital role in effective participation of the masses in the societies and economies of the 21st century. By expanding his views, Ansari said that India had marked a positive beginning with the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009. The Act directs the constitution of School Management Committees comprising of parents, teachers and local educationists, elected representatives of the local authority to keep observing the working of the school as well as maintenance of approved norms and standards.
He concluded with a hope that the statutory endeavors, along with Civil Society organizations like ASER and Pratham, would allow parents and the local community to play an important role in the functioning of educational outcomes.
