In the words of a recent official
report by the Government's Primary and Mass Education
Division (PMED), the non-formal education (NFE) system
caters to:
'Those children who cannot or do not get enrolled in
primary schools, those who drop out of schools, the
adolescents who relapse into illiteracy or those young
and adult people who have never benefited from any
schooling'.
The Fifth Five-year Plan (1997-2002)
states that:
"The purpose of non-formal education, besides empowering
the learners with skills related to literacy, numeracy
and communications as well as internalizing
socio-cultural traits, should extend to such areas as
emotional and physical well-being, self-actualization,
creative and aesthetic expression, basic technological
skill and orientation, entrepreneurial traits and
leadership skills."
In one of its strategies, The Fifth Five-Year Plan
refers to the expansion of non-formal education and the
involvement of other agencies, NGOs and private
organizations:
" There will be a multi-directional approach to combat
illiteracy. Non-formal education will be expanded along
with strengthening the Government Mass Literacy Centres,
mobilizing NGOs and utilizing the skill
development/income generating efforts of the agencies
outside of the Ministry of Education. NGO and private
organizations will be involved in a bigger way for the
improvement of primary education, which will include
setting up of Ganobidyalas at the village level."
The recently approved National Education Policy 2000
(unofficial translation) articulates a number of
statements that can later on be developed into a
coherent framework on non-formal education. It states
that
"...mass education will branch out in two directions in
accordance with the age of the learners and subjects of
learning; adult education and non-formal education."
It further states that:
The aims of adult education are to offer people the
skills of literacy, reading, writing, numeracy; to
inspire them with human virtues and to raise awareness
in them about health and the environment. Non-formal
education is complementary to formal education. Through
this the children outside schools and the dropouts will
have access to basic education. They will also receive
some practical skills, which they can apply in real life
situations as and when necessary. NFE graduates can be
enrolled in appropriate classes of the formal schools.
Adult Education will include literacy, cultivation of
awareness and development of professional skills.
Opportunities will be created for all illiterate men and
women of the country giving preference to those between
15-45 years of age.
Teachers will be specially trained for the imparting
of adult education. Excepting courses on literacy, the
duration, subject, teaching learning methods, the
qualification of teachers and the learning process of
other courses will be determined by the needs of the
local people, availability of resources, and nature of
professional groups. The national committee on the
Curriculum of Mass Education will prepare the curriculum
of appropriate subjects of other branches in view of the
needs of vocational and technical education, health,
nutrition, family welfare, agriculture, forest and
environment, fisheries and livestock.
Opportunities of Continuing Education for literacy
participated in by Government and non-government
organizations and civil societies can remove illiteracy
within a short period from the country. They will apply
various methods, materials and processes and mobilize
the target population. So, a realistic campaign of such
nature will be encouraged.
Literacy programmes can be conducted in the distance
education method through electronic media like radio and
television.
All activities in the area of mass education will be
coordinated. To do this the Directorate of Non-formal
Education will be turned into an institution of
Continuing Education and Skill Development. This
organization will be centrally responsible for
conducting the public programme of mass education and
will arrange financing. It will also coordinate the
non-governmental initiatives in mass education.
The roles of various ministries, departments and
national media in the extension of mass education will
be coordinated.
Legal framework will need to be drawn to implement
the constitutional commitment for the extension of mass
education and non-formal education." |