CBSE to Include Practical Exams in CCE

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February 7, 2012

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is planning to introduce a continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) schedule in practical exams for class XI and XII. The current practice of having year-end practical examination will converted into periodic assessment with each evaluation accounted for when the final marks are given. According to CBSE, “The problem with termend practical exams is that students focus only on the theory part of the exam while ignoring the practicals.”

‘The plan is to make the exercise periodic and evaluate students probably on a quarterly basis. The CCE is a means to record how much students have learnt in their practicals on a continuous basis. This is primarily to focus on the importance of practical exams, which are not taken seriously by students during the whole year,” said CBSE consultant R P Sharma quoted in the Times of India
A group led by CBSE consultant R P Sharma is working out the modalities to implement the CCE system as the Board is likely to introduce this system for Class XI from the 2012-13 academic session and in class XII from 2013-14.

Students will have to identify various topics and complete research or project work which will be evaluated during the assessment period just like any other term-end exam. Apart from school teachers, an external teacher from the CBSE will monitor the process.

New Version of Aakash Tablet to Hit Soon

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February 7, 2012

While attending a function in Bangalore, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said that the new version of the low cost Aakash tablet PC will be completely indigenous and its production base will be diversified. He further stated that an eco-system will be created for the development of the Aakash tablet in the country.

According to sources, the tendering process for rolling out of the new version of Aakash will be handled by the Department of Information Technology (DIT).

“We are now going to diversify production base and indigenise Aakash tablet. We are planning to create eco-system for end to end development of Aakash in India. This will create enormous opportunities for R&D institutions, developers, electronic production houses,” Kapil Sibal said.

The HRD ministry requires 220 million Aakash tablets in the coming years to fulfil its promise of provide a tablet to every college and university student.

Sibal also said that the IITs and ITI will be involved in the development of the Aakash tablet. As of now, IIT-Rajasthan has been spearheading the project. But very soon, IIT-Kanpur, Madras and Mumbai will join the project. Sibal believes the tablet will help boost the government’s another ambitious project – the Unique Identification number (Aadhaar).

“Aakash and Aadhaar can be used to resolve many of the issues. Apart from a law, we need an ecosystem to reduce the possibilities of corruption,” said Sibal.

It is believed that the involvement of public sector enterprise and indigenisation of will bring down the cost of the Aakash tablet. The current cost of the Aakash tablet is Rs. 2,276 for one lakh units. The price could come down to Rs. 1,500 if numbers increase to one million.

U S Education Expo to Kick Start in Chennai

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February 6, 2012

The U.S. currently hosts over 5,65,000 foreign students. In addition to the opportunity to network with U.S. admissions counselors, the ‘American Education Expo’ will also feature a Scholarship Fair hosted by universities that are present. Here , information on merit-based scholarships will be made available, students should bring multiple copies of their report cards, transcripts and TOEFL scores to find out their eligibility for scholarships. This year the universities are offering upto $1 million in Scholarships.

The fair will also provide information on community colleges in the U.S. Besides enabling easy transfer of community college credits to four-year universities. According to the organizers beginning at a U.S. community college can significantly decrease the overall cost.

UAE Witnesses Strong Demand for Vocational Courses in Aviation, Hospitality, and Fashion

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February 6, 2012

GETEX 2012 has announced that it is expanding the focus of the “Occupational Education” segment to complement ongoing initiatives by the UAE Government geared at broadening the career prospects and developing specialized and industry-ready courses for UAE students. This is in support to the establishment of government-led organizations such as the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical & Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET), National Institute of Vocational Education in Dubai (NIVE), Abu Dhabi Vocational Education & Training Institute (ADVETI) and National Qualification Authority (NQA) in Abu Dhabi which underline the growing importance of vocational and occupational training to the socio-economic development agenda of the UAE.

According to a study by GETEX, demand for vocational and occupational education in the UAE has been growing in recent years, particularly for courses that offer opportunities to make an immediate entry or advancement in careers in key industries such as aviation, hospitality, fashion, nursing, teaching, creative arts and public service. Moreover, vocational training presents several benefits to individuals, including improved employment opportunities, better earning potential, greater job satisfaction and improved interaction in the workplace.

GETEX 2012 will run from 19th to 21st April 2012 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, gathering more than 500 institutions and no less than 2,500 academic, vocational and training programmes on offer. More than 30,000 visitors from across the Middle East are also expected to attend GETEX 2012.

Anselm Godinho, Managing Director, International Conferences and Exhibitions (IC&E), organizers of the event, said: “The UAE government has been aggressively implementing initiatives and strategies to enhance the state of vocational and occupational education in the country. This is a very encouraging development that will create a positive impact in efforts to produce a high quality workforce. These initiatives serve as a huge incentive for us to promote vocational courses as a viable option of higher education at GETEX 2012.”

“Complementing the government’s efforts to enhance the technical proficiency of UAE nationals, GETEX 2012 will offer several options of occupational courses, particularly for those who want to pursue a job-oriented programme leading on to a rewarding career” added Godinho.

An exhaustive number of academic programs will be offered by higher education institutions from all over the world at GETEX 2012. Universities from USA, UK, Australia, Canada, India, Lebanon, Turkey, Malaysia and 30 other countries will be represented at the event.

Jharkhand Government to Appoint 20K Teachers

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February 6, 2012

The Jharkhand government will appoint around 20,000 teachers on contract basis to end the shortage of instructors in state-run schools.

State human resources development (HRD) minister Badiyanath Ram said till the time government appoints permanent teachers the schools will get temporary teachers to take classes. “The appointment of teachers will be carried out by panchayats,” said Ram adding that the decision was taken at the review meeting of Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) by chief minister Arjun Munda reported the Times of India.

Tech-Driven, Multi-Career-Centric Curriculum Needed to Develop 21st Century Knowledge Economy

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February 6, 2012

Leaders from business, government, think tanks, private equity, industry associations, policy makers, entrepreneurs, and academia from around the world came together at the two-day conference, One Globe 2012: Uniting Knowledge Communities, that kick-startedin Delhi.

Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for HRD and Communications and Information Technology, Government of India delivered the keynote address at the conference. Sam Pitroda, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations along with Vikram Gandhi, Founder and CEO, VSG Capital Advisors spoke on the importance of innovation to ensure inclusive growth in a session moderated by Vikas Bajaj from The New York Times. Lt Gen AS Lamba, Vice Chief of the Army Staff (Retd), The Indian Army shared his views on role and importance of security in building knowledge communities. SEBI’s former chairman, M Damodaran, spoke on role of healthcare in economic development.

The One Globe 2012 knowledge conference covers the holistic gamut of primary and higher education, vocational training, skills development, economic development, gender and education, infrastructure, urbanization, design, technology and innovation. The conference also deliberates on need for private equity/venture capital investments in higher education, and entrepreneurship, employment and economic growth. The second day of the conference exclusively focuses on students interested in studying abroad, featuring sessions on how Indian schools can prepare students for global universities, international educational partnerships, designing successful MoUs, admission in foreign colleges, cracking standardized tests, resume building, managing visa formalities, and community colleges as a route to education at top US schools. It also outlines popular and emerging destinations for studying abroad.

Says Harjiv Singh, Founder and CEO, Salwan Media, who conceptualized this event, “India has a rich demographic dividend in the form of over half its population under the age of 25, but what we do with it depends on how, and how soon, we align our educational systems to realities of a networked world. Today, technology drives everything around us, from e-governance programs such as the UIDAI, to quality distance education delivered through Cloud-based universities, to even working remotely from home! Our curriculum needs to innovate and adapt real fast to this technology-driven environment to churn out students that don’t just have degrees but skills to get jobs in global companies. We also see an increasing trend of switching multiple careers in today’s generation, so our educators need a radical mind-shift to empower students with all-round development that helps them learn, unlearn and relearn quickly.”

Says Ron Somers, President of US-India Business Council, “In a vast country like India, reforms require deploying massive infrastructure on an economical and scalable model. With the world’s cheapest tablet, India has proven to the world that it is serious about deploying low-cost technology solutions to fast-forward its educational system reforms.”

A joint report by the USIBC and YES BANK titled, “A Global Perspective to Higher Education in India”, was also unveiled at the One Globe 2012 conference, which outlined a 10-point roadmap to ensure improvement in higher education in India. The report noted that while the share of Centre’s expenditure on education as a percent of GDP has seen an increase, the State’s share has actually declined over the years. Noting that a large number of schemes require commitment of the State governments to be able to utilize plan assistance from the Centre, it highlighted the urgent need for the States to increase their education expenditure. The report also called for improvement in access, inclusion and quality of education, correction of sub-optimal level of fees in government institutions to mobilize internal resources, better collaboration between research and academic bodies, greater collaboration with industry, need for making accreditation mandatory, 360° teacher assessment by students and peers coupled with performance-based reward system, examination reforms in sync with job market dynamics, and strengthening and universalizing ICT measures.

Jerry M Hultin, President, Poly-NYU, Jacques Steinberg, Editor of The Choice, the college admissions blog of The New York Times, and Prof. C Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor, Jindal Global University will share perspectives on a Global University and what Indian schools can do to prepare the students. The session is being moderated by Ajit Motwani, CEO, Education Business, BrainGain Mag Advisory Board.

The conference has representation from eleven foreign institutions including Rutgers University, University of Kentucky, The University of Montana, University of Oregon, George Mason University, Fort Hays State University, Northern Illinois University, Suffolk, Rollins College, Queens College CUNY, and Thomas College, brought for US-India Higher Education partnership by the world’s leading international exchange, The Institute of International Education. The conference also draws learnings from experts such as Dr. Torsten Fischer, Director, India Office of German Research Foundation (DFG), Riku Makela, India Director of FinNode, a global network of Finnish innovation organizations; Simon Cridland, Counsellor and Head of Advocacy Program, High Commission of Canada in India; and Loftus Harris AM, Special Trade Representative to the Middle East and India, The Queensland Government.

Heads of Vasant Valley School, The Sagar School, Delhi Public School RK Puram, The Heritage Schools and Guru Harikishen Public School presented views on emerging trends in K-12. Industry representation at the Conference includes Accenture, IL&FS, Dalmia Bharat Group Foundation, Centum WorkSkills, Sage Publications, Ranbaxy, Steria, Duranta Holdings, vir.mueller architects, Aspire, Saviance Technologies, Educomp Solutions, Gaja Capital Partners, Kaizen Private Equity, Datawind, Microsoft, Tata Interactive Systems, The Parthenon Group, Ozone Networks, VSG Capital Advisors, and FutureWorks. Lord Raj Loomba, Founder & Chairman of The Loomba Foundation; Amandeep Singh, Advisor, Kalgidhar Trust; and, Mohini Daljeet Singh, Chief Executive, Max India Foundation contributed to the session on philanthropy and education, moderated by Heather Timmons of The New York Times.

Jordan to have Regional Center for Space Science and Technology Education

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February 6, 2012

A Regional Center for Space Science and Technology Education of Western Asia will be opened in Jordan within the first quarter of this year, according to the Royal Jordanian Geographic Center (RJGC).

In remarks at the 10th Arab Conference on Astronomy and Space currently held in Oman, RJGC Chairman Awni Khasawneh on Monday said that the center will be established by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and will be based at the RJGC.

The goal of the center is also to develop an indigenous capability for research and applications in the core disciplines of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems, Satellite Communications, Satellite Meteorology and Global Climate, Space and Atmospheric Sciences as well as data management.

The UN-affiliated center is the sixth of its kind in the world after India’s office for Asia and the Pacific, Nigeria and Morocco’s for Africa and Brazil and Mexico’s for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Jordan’s center is distinguished for being the only center that uses Arabic language which will serve the Arab countries through a series of theoretical courses and researching applications.

Vivitek Introduces New D860 Projector for Education

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February 6, 2012

Vivitek Corporation, a leading manufacturer of environmentally innovative visual display and presentation products introduces the D860 a powerful yet budget-friendly projector designed for K-12 classrooms and higher education. The D860 high-performance digital projector offers exceptional digital images with full color dissemination having long lamp life that reduces the overall cost of operations. This DLP projector has 2800 ANSI Lumens that provides enough vibrancy, making it great to use for any venues or under any lighting conditions. The projector features native SVGA resolution, multiple connectivity options. The Native SVGA (800 x 600) sharpens the images and offers amazing details for better viewing of the audience. It also features 2500:1 contrast ratio that offers amazing color contrast for a brilliant burst of colors during projections. The D860 VGA/D-sub and Composite ports can also be used to connect to other devices, maximizing its capabilities. Add 3D-ready capabilities, and the D860 is the ideal projector for just about any multimedia/video application. Functionality, performance and value: all found in the Vivitek D860.

“Bright projectors are in high demand for classrooms with a lot of ambient light, and they help to improve learning environments for students. The D860 is not only incredibly bright, it comes prepared with a wide range of features at an affordable price, demonstrating Vivitek’s dedication to providing flexible and robust classroom solutions,” says Hemant Agarwal, Senior Director, Vivitek

“The projector is equipped with BrilliantColor Technologies by Texas and contains the unmatched 2500:1 contrast ratio for deep blacks and rich, full colors. This results in stunning color reproductions, presenting audiences with crisp and vivid images on every occasion,” he added Additional features, services and solutions of the projector are following:

Native SVGA resolution and able to display up to UXGA (1600 x 1200)
2800 lumens of brightness and a 2500:1 contrast
3D-Ready via DLP Link
DLP and BrilliantColor technologies from Texas Instruments
High-efficiency lamps that last up to 6,000 hours (in standard mode)
Connectivity options include: VGA-In, S-Video, Composite, VGA-Out
RS-232c for projector control and management

The D860 is available at Vivitek’s authorized dealers and distributors in India. The projector carries two years warranty.

State Teacher Education Plans Should Invest in Human Resource Capacity Academic Structure

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February 6, 2012

Pratham, an NGO has carried out a survey in five States viz Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand and Rajasthan with support from UNICEF and UNESCO. The study has noted that in the last two decades, impressive strides have been made in India in terms of providing school buildings, classrooms, teachers, textbooks and other facilities. These have been matched by very significant improvements in enrollment. The Annual Study Status of Education Report (ASER) study ‘Inside Primary Schools” tracked 30,000 rural children in Std 2 and Std 4 in 900 schools spread over five States of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand and Rajasthan. The Survey suggested many improvements that are required in education.

• Textbooks need urgent revisions. They need to start from what children can do and be more realistic and developmentally appropriate in what children are expected to learn, with clear learning goals and sequence.

• Systems must be put into place to track attendance, not just enrollment, and ensure regular reporting and monitoring of this attendance.

• Mother tongue instruction and programmes for language transition need to be introduced and expanded.

• Teacher recruitment policies need to assess teachers’ knowledge, but more importantly their ability to explain content to children, make information relevant to their lives and use teaching learning materials and activities other than the textbook.

• State teacher education plans should invest in human resource capacity academic structure, like Block Resource Centres (BRCs) and Cluster Resource Centres structure, like Block Resource Centres (BRCs) and Cluster Resource Centres (CRCs) and District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) to enable them to help improve teaching and learning quality via in-service training and classroom visits.

• As per the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, child-friendly education needs to be defined and measured regularly as apart of the indicators of quality education.

• Libraries with take home books for reading practice at the household level, should be monitored as part of RTE indicators. Family reading programmes could also be part of innovations to help support first generation schools goers.

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 has become operative with effect from 1st April, 2010 and SSA norms have been revised to correspond with the provisions of RTE Act, 2009 in order to ensure quality elementary education to children of age group from 6-14 years throughout the country including these five States.