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February 1, 2009

CCEA approves National Mission on Education Through ICT scheme

The new centrally sponsored National Mission on Education Through ICT has been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. The scheme, submitted by the Ministry of Human Resources Development, is expected to incur INR 4612 crore during the 11th Five Year Plan. There is a budget provision of INR 502 crore during the current financial year for the project.

The National Mission on Education through ICT has been envisaged to leverage the potential of ICT in providing high quality personalised and interactive knowledge modules over the Internet/intranet for students in Higher Education Institutions in 'anytime anywhere' mode. The interventions of the Mission are to be delivered through the one-stop education portal 'SAKSHAT', which was launched in 2006 by the Department of Higher Education.

The scheme is expected to be a major intervention in enhancing the Gross Enrollment Ratio in higher education by 5 % during the 11th Plan period and in ensuring access and equity in higher education, as also recommended by the Oversight Committee and the National Knowledge Commission.

The Mission has two major components viz., (a) content generation and (b) connectivity along with provision for access devices for institutions and learners. It seeks to bridge the digital divide among teachers/learners in higher education domain and empower those who have hitherto remained untouched by the digital revolution and have not been able to joint the mainstream of the knowledge economy. The scheme will focus on appropriate pedagogy for e-Learning, providing facility of performing experiments through virtual labs, on-line testing and certification, on-line availability of teachers to guide learners, utilisation of EduSAT and Direct to Home (DTH) platform, training and empowerment of teachers to effectively use new methods of teaching, etc.

On the one hand, the Mission would create high quality e-Content for the target groups and on the other, it would simultaneously extend computer infrastructure and connectivity to over 18000 colleges in the country including each of the departments of 419 universities/deemed universities and institutions of national importance on a single point rental basis through the Department of Telecommunications, in a manner that would permit their seamless interaction with a integrated National Knowledge Network

The Mission shall work in close cooperation and collaboration with other Missions/Schemes such as the National Translation Mission, Vocational Education Mission, National Knowledge Network, ICT@Schools, etc, to avoid any duplication and attain synergy.

It would also have a three-tier committee system to monitor and guide its functioning. The MHRD and Department of Higher Education would enter into a MoU with State governments for proper monitoring of the scheme in States.

Mumbai schools to have Language Labs

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is to set up language laboratories in 49 schools across Mumbai. The initiative comes after additional importance was stressed on improvement of oral languages in schools specially from the disadvantaged sections of society. BMC has taken State Institute of Educational Technology (SIET), Pune on board to work on improving four languages of English, Hindi, Marathi and Urdu.

The labs proposed at the cost of INR 50 lakh is primarily aimed to cater to the learning needs of secondary schools. The first lab will come up in Gildertank school as a pilot project.

Automated examinations for Anna University

Anna University has streamlined its examination processes with deployment of integrated examination management solutions (IEMS). The new system will automate complete examination cycle and also act as a solution to fight malpractices such as leakage of papers. It will develop a database of questions submitted by the faculty and generate the question paper based on them.

Under a five year agreement, the university will pay Mindlogicx INR 75 per student per examination, to be deducted from the examination fees. Each student will get a unique user ID and password to log on to the system. Mindlogicx has set up a Network Operating Centre (NOC) in the university campus and examination data center for other colleges in various districts under the university. The project is implemented in 110 colleges spread across eight districts of Tamil Nadu wherein the university and the colleges are networked through VPN.

Gujarat to spend INR 500 crore on computers for schools

The state will install ICT peripherals in 500 primary schools under BOT model. Educomp has struck the deal in the state for Computer Aided Education (CAE) programmes under the Gujarat Council of Primary Education (GCPE). The state has allocated INR 500 crore over five years to buy 1,50,000 computers, peripherals and LCDs to equip some 20,000 primary and upper primary schools in the state along with 3D multimedia educational content software, school management system and IT training to teachers across the state. The state will also get funds from the Centre to upgrade IT infrastructure in secondary schools.

IGNOU to set up a Centre on corporate training

Corporate training is now an essential component of most of the companies under the Human Resource Management work domain. The regular problem of attrition and new recruits in companies has created a need for regular training sessions and knowledge of corporate management. Keeping these needs in mind, IGNOU has launched its new initiative under the Centre for Corporate Education, Training and Consultancy' to develop programmes on corporate education consistent with the requirements of the corporate sector and industry.

The Centre will educate human resources, boost their capacity and train them on-the-job in an industry set-up. It will also develop insights into corporate management, governance practices, strategy formulation and related law, besides their delivery mechanism among others.

AMU to set up countrywide campuses

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) is poised to set up five countrywide campuses, which will take it beyond its birthplace. This, sources said, signalled that AMU was trying to reconcile its overzealous concerns about its minority status to the equally important need for growth. Last year, AMU had opened four admission test centres outside Aligarh, in spite of stiff resistance from a strong internal lobby about its minority character being diluted. All sections of AMU management – the AMU court, executive council and academic council – have for the first time unanimously agreed on the proposal to open new centres.

'It's a historic initiative,' vice-chancellor P K Abdul Azis said. Reader Arshi Khan, an elected member of the Academic Council, said, 'The university feels that it should seize the UPA government's allocations for minority institutions.' However, faculty members like Khan still feel that the expanding university should exercise 'precautions' to protect its character

NET made mandatory for teaching in higher education

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has made National Eligibility Test (NET) mandatory for teaching jobs in higher education, in a reversal of a decision it took three years ago. Those holding a Ph.D degree, however, continue to be exempted. The UGC has told universities that those already registered for M.Phil and completing the same before June 2009, shall be exempted from NET. However, NET will be compulsory for the candidates completing M.Phil degree after this date.

In 2006, the commission had exempted M.Phil degree holders from NET for appointment as faculty for undergraduate teaching. Later the B L Mungerkar Committee, constituted to review the decision, recommended that NET be restored as mandatory as the exemption was leading to deterioration in the quality of teaching.

Delhi plans INR 196 crore for inclusive education

The Education minister has announced the updgradation of 200 selected government schools for infrastructure facilities and 63 government schools to the secondary level. The state with an average per school allocation of INR 60-70 lakh aims to improve drinking water, toilet, electricity and having green boards in all classrooms. The Directorate of Education has engaged the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) and the Public Works Department (PWD) for this upgradation, under which additional rooms will also be constructed.

The effort aims to build schools that are inclusive and bring down the out-of-school ratio of students. The Department of Education informs that 24 government schools in Delhi will be turned into 'model schools' implementing policies regarding the mainstreaming of children with special needs on the Building As a Learning Aid (Bala) model. The schools will be equipped with labs for the hearing-impaired, braille books etc with trained teachers from the Rehabilitation Council of India.

Preparing Quality Workforce Industry as a Partner Providing Innovative Leadership

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February 1, 2009

This article examines the efforts of Everonn Systems India Ltd., an industry dealing with education, collaborating with educational institutions to train the younger generation to adapt to the complex demands of a work environment effortlessly. It believes, quality workforce will increase profitability and enhance the corporate image of the industry.

Fresh graduates find it difficult to make a smooth transition from college to work environment. In India there is a great shortage of skilled manpower. According to industry estimates, only a quarter of all graduates are employable and about 80% of job seekers in employment exchange are without any professional skills. With half of its 1.2 billion population aged under 25, how can India possibly be short of manpower? The problem lies in quality and not quantity of manpower (Duggal, 2005).

The major reason for the above trend is that the students are not specifically prepared by educational institutions for the demands of a work environment. Several studies indicate that enhancing the skills of the workforce is primarily achieved through education and training (Borghans, Green & Mayhew, 2001). Lee Harvey stated that the primary purpose of higher education is to transform students by enhancing their knowledge, skills, attitudes and abilities while simultaneously empowering them as lifelong critical, reflective learners (Lee Harvey, 1999). Thus universities are responsible for providing graduates with fundamental workplace skills, contributing to their achievement as a young adult. In the light of the above introduction, it was thought meaningful to explore –

The importance of different skills as per the employer's viewpoint
Identify the employability skills that the graduates are lacking from an employer's perspective
Identify the skills of the graduates which could be improved after receiving proper training
Suggest recommendations for future action with a focus on skills required for the present workforce.

Review of Literature

According to research conducted by the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills, “more than half of our young people leave school without the knowledge or foundation required to find and hold a good job” (SCANS 1991, p. xv). A review of the literature indicated that employers' dissatisfaction is not primarily with the technical skills of the young graduates however they are dissatisfied with their non-technical skills or employability skills.

According to Buck and Barrick (1987), “employability skills are the attributes of employees, other than technical competence, that make them an asset to the employer”. Sir Brian Corby (1992) says that through a systematic analysis of all the types of jobs undertaken by graduates and other trainees in their first two years of employment, the following key attributes have been identified: oral/written communication skills, listening skills, job motivation skills, attention to detail, decision making, management of time and work, job commitment and teamwork. According to Mary Ann McLaughlin (1992), the employers that were surveyed identified the need for employees to have positive attitudes and behaviour, strong communication skills and the ability to work well with others in a team environment.

According to industry estimates, only a quarter of all graduates are employable and about 80% of job seekers in employment exchange are without any professional skills

According to Donald Super (1957), there are five stages in the Theory of Vocational Development. The stage which is of interest to us is the Exploration Stage, which is between 15 to 24 years, where the individual begins to develop an awareness of occupations. The theoretical framework for the present study is Chickering and Reisser's (1993) Theory of Identity Deve-lopment. Chickering and Reisser's model focuses on the developmental tasks a student undergoes during the transition from an adolescent to a young adult and the development task he/she needs to determine before a career option can be made.

India produces 400,000 technically trained graduates a year, but many are deficient in areas of specific technical skills, teamwork, and language (Duggal, 2005). As the level of preparedness of young graduates' employability skills could affect their professional development, it is the responsibility of the educational institutions to collaborate with the employers (industry) to conceive and implement a programme which would provide the students the necessary employability skills to aid them in their career aspirations.

Hypothesis

Education does not provide the students with the necessary skills to help them make a smooth transition from college to work.
Training improves the employability skills of the candidates.
Industry and education collaboration promotes quality workforce.

Sample and Method of Study

Following an extensive review of the literature, two questionnaires were developed. The questionnaires used a four-point Likert-type scale that focused on the objectives of the research: determine the importance of different skills as per the employer's viewpoint; and identify the skills that the employers found lacking in the graduates.

The respondents for this study were (a) graduate employees (in the age group of 24 to 27 years) and (b) employers of different sectors (education, hotel industry, pharmaceuticals, marketing). The questionnaires were e mailed to 50 employees and 50 employers. Employers numbered 21 and 30 graduate employees responded to the questionnaires. 60% of the employees were Arts graduates and 40% were Science graduates. 24% of the employers were heads of a department 48% were in the managerial position; and 28% were in the director position. All the questionnaires were found useful for the analysis.

Findings

The first objective was to determine the level of importance of different employability skills as per the employer's perspective.

The rating of the skills is as follows: 4 = very important/ 3 = important/ 2 = less important/ 1 = not at all important.

Reading from the figure, we can conclude that the employers feel that all the skills have almost equal weightage ranging from important to very important.

Developing integrity: 76% of the employers had rated this ability as the most important skill and 24% had rated it as an important skill to have.

Interpersonal skills: Intrapersonal skills: 62% employers had rated ability to behave well in a social setup as very important; 57% had rated ability to persevere and not give up as very important; 52% are of the opinion that ability to work well in a stressful environment was very important and 57% felt that possessing good sense of dressing and personal hygiene was very important; however 57% rated ability to respond positively to constructive criticism as just important.

Developing purpose: 57% felt that ability to know one's strengths and weakness was very important and 52% felt that ability to set goals and priorities in work was very important. The knowledge of existing career opportunities and improvement of self by seeking new challenges was given equal ratings of important and very important.

The second objective was to identify the employability skills lacking in the graduates

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February 1, 2009

Philippines' DepEd urges educators to optimise existing ICT programmes

Philippines Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Jesli Lapus has called for optimum use of Information and Communication Technology to deliver quality education and enhance institutional efficiency worthy of 21st century. Lapus made the call during the National Educators' Congress in Baguio City, where he also cited the department's effort to provide ICT-enriched learning materials, Internet connectivity and computer laboratories to public
schools through the assistance of the private sector.

The DepEd Chief stressed that “it is about time that we effectively use ICT in teaching and learning as well as in managing the delivery of services.” Ayala Foundation, Intel, USAID, SMART, Oracle and Microsoft are just some of the institutions that support DepEd in its goal to bring digital literacy to students in the Philippines and make them more competitive with the country's progressive neighbours.

Indonesia inks education agreement with Turkey

Indonesian Education Minister Bambang Sudibyo has signed a MoU with his Turkish counterpart, Husyin Celik, to solidify education links between the two countries. The agreement, inked at Jakarta, allows for formal exchange programmes between students, teachers and researchers from both countries. 'The agreement also allows for equivalency in education qualifications and scholastic degrees between the two,' Sudibyo said.

Celik said his government was looking to increase scholarship opportunities by 300 % in 2009. 'Initially, Turkey provided scholarships for graduate and postgraduate studies to five recipients, but this will increase to 20,' he said. Celik added Turkey would also send its students to study in three top Indonesian tertiary institutions.

Malaysian minister visits SEAMEO Voctech

President of the SEAMEO Council and Malaysia's Minister of Education Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein made a visit to SEAMEO VOCTECH, where he officiated the Instructional Design Laboratory (ID Lab) that will cater to the needs of Brunei's teaching community. The ID Lab is a key milestone in the e-Learning project, which in turn is one of the e-Education programme's five pillars, as set by Brunei's Ministry of Education.

The project was formally signed on January 26 last year with several key milestones already achieved. The e-Learning project aims to change the learning and teaching deliveries in relation to 'A' Levels, DTE, ITB and UBD. The ID Lab has been designed to support and sustain the e-Learning initiative. The lab boasts the latest technologies, in terms of both hardware and software for multimedia development, state-of-the-art machines for multimedia recording and editing, as well as video and audio recording and editing equipments.

Education programme for Bangladesh street children

As part of its corporate social responsibility the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) with the partnership of Aparajeyo Bangladesh, a local non-government organisation, launched a project for providing education to street children as well as young people from marginal background for upholding and establishing their rights in the society.

Sanjay Prakash, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the bank, said the bank would provide Tk 52.5 lakh to Aparjeyo Bangladesh under its global project 'Future First' with a duration of three years. Under the project the HSBC has taken 5-year programme (2007-2012) globally for helping street children, children in care and orphans in countries where such children exist.

Sri Lanka declares 2009 as the year of English and ICT

In Srilanka, the year 2009 has been declared the year of English and ICT education in order to improve and enhance the educational standards and skills. Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said that the declaration will highlight ICT areas that need to be improved and enhanced in the country.

He said that in order to achieve these goals, the ministry has initiated and updated various ICT programmes around the island to offer access to even those in rural areas. He cited the example of Penideniya College which has enhanced the English skills of teachers in the Kandy area. The fully-equipped college can accommodate up to 400 teachers. It has computer laboratories, libraries and a self-access centre.

Learning Curve

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February 1, 2009

NASSCOM for cyber safe schools in Pune

School students in most of the metros are registered to social networking sites and indulge in chatting and other related activities that do not fit the school functionalities. Educational institutes in Pune in collaboration with NASSCOM are now in the process of setting up a cyber security support group in each school in the city. The group aims at reducing misuse of computers, especially the Internet, at educational institutes.

Each school will have at least one such group, which will monitor the usage of computers by the students. It will also keep an eye on the usage of social networking sites, so that misuse of these sites can be avoided. The group aims to institute the cyber security systems in upto 25 schools till the end of February 2009.

Chhattisgarh Education department recommends banning of corporal punishment

Chhattisgarh School Education department has decided to recommend enactment of a law banning corporal punishment in schools. 'We have decided to recommend to the state government to bring a law banning corporal punishment. This is being done keeping in view the increasing number of incidents of physical torture of school kids in the state,' Secretary, School Education Nand Kumar said.

The Education Secretary said a two-day workshop was organised to deliberate on the issue at the State Council for Education Research and Training (SCERT) where a majority of the experts held the view that a law should be there to check corporal punishment. Section 88 and 89 of IPC gives protection to teachers and parents on corporal punishment and these provisions are now being misused, he said.

Manava Bharati India International School, Panchsheel Wins 2008-2009 Future Cities India 2020 Student Design Competition

The project designed by students of Manava Bharati India International School, Panchsheel won top honours in the 2008-2009 Future Cities India 2020 competition. Launched by the Ministry of Science & Technology and Bentley in 2006, the programme is a partnership among government, universities, and the business community to promote and inspire young students to consider careers in the infrastructure design and engineering professions. It encourages students to use their design skills, along with Bentley's software, to help prepare India's cities for the year 2020, when it is estimated that more than 50 % of India's citizens will live in the country's largest cities.

This year's challenge centered on Indian Railway's plans to refurbish the country's aging railway stations into world-class facilities. Student teams submitted conceptual designs for the rehabilitation of the New Delhi railway station, the first of 22 stations on the redevelopment schedule.

Top Delhi school faces de-recognition from MCD

According to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Sriram School, Delhi has increased its quarterly fees by nearly 30% in a bid to collect money for clearing their teachers' arrears. Sriram school has sent notices to parents asking them to submit around INR 23,000 in three installments towards clearing 'arrears' of teachers. The installments are due in January, March and May.

With teachers dues mounting post the Sixth Pay Commission report, and delay in the final recommendations of the Bansal Committee report, schools are turning to parents. In case Shriram goes ahead with this fee hike, it could face de-recognition of status by the Municipal Corporation of India. The junior wing of the school, situated in Delhi's Vasant Vihar area comes under the purview of the MCD.

Unleashing the Power of Knowledge for Urban Poor

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February 1, 2009

The challenge of development for the urban poor is enormously huge. It is estimated that by 2025, half of India's population would be living in urban slums. In this scenario, education poses its own set of challenges. Most of these slums are highly under-served in terms of quality schools. Insecurity in terms of livelihood and tenancy add to the problem, resulting in the urban poor moving frequently from one location to another. This leads to children dropping out from schools. Owing to such complex situation, large number of children in urban slums are out of school.

Communities in urban slums lack the space or forums to articulate their education needs, and to engage in an organised manner with the government on fulfilling these needs. With much of the resources and attention going to rural India over the last several decades, the issue of urban poverty, including education of children living in urban slums, has clearly taken a back seat.

The goal of this project is to evaluate the educational interventions provided to six chosen schools in Hyderabad, with the ultimate wider goal being to develop a sustainable and scalable model for capacity building and school improvement in private unaided schools serving poor urban children

On the sidelines of these extremities, a silent revolution in the form of private education has been taking place on the education front in urban slums. According to research findings by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, 50-70% of children living in slums in the metros of Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad attended private schools. Despite the mushrooming of these private, mostly unrecognised schools, the research found that the educational outcomes in this fragmented population were poor. There was also an absence of any educational improvement initiatives targeting this very large number of children.

The INR 4.78 crore project, to be piloted using a blend of technology and pedadogy, will be implemented for a period of three and half years

The research threw up a crucial challenge in the form of a long term change in the teaching process and improving the learning outcomes in poor urban children. Subsequently, the Foundation tied up with leading education company Educomp Solutions Ltd to launch Project Gyana Shakti recently. The pilot project will assess the effectiveness of innovative teaching methodologies developed by Educomp for use in private schools which serve low-income students.

Under this project, Educomp will select six unaided private schools that serve lower income families in Hyderabad to evaluate its innovations, with a clear focus on measurable and significant improvement in learning outcomes of students in classes 1-5 in all subjects. The goal of this project will be to evaluate the educational interventions provided to the six chosen schools, with the ultimate wider goal being to develop a sustainable and scalable model for improvement in private unaided schools.

Dwelving upon the project, Aslesha Thakur, Director, Education Empowerment, Educomp, said, 'With the belief that quality education is the right of every child, Project Gyana Shakti aims at unleashing the power of knowledge for the urban poor, who are otherwise vulnerable to exploitation. This pioneering programme proposes to impact quality of education in private budget schools in Hyderabad. We hope to transform these schools by implementingsystemic measures that include capacity building of teachers, working with school leaders, parent orientation programmes, classroom transactions and usage of technology.'

A preliminary study of the situation on the ground in Bangalore and Hyderabad revealed that teaching and learning is characterised by rote memorisation in most schools. 88 % of teachers used the chalk and talk method and 78 % lacked knowledge of appropriate pedagogical strategies. None of the schools used technology aided learning. Infrastructure was inadequate with dimly lit rooms and 45 to 50 students sitting on benches, 89 % schools lacked laboratories and a library. Space for sports facilities was minimal.

Based on the above scenario, the Foundation retained Educomp to
design Project Gyana Shakti with the goal of transforming private schools that cater to urban poor children. The INR 4.78 crore-project will be implemented for a period of three and a half years.

Educational interventions to be piloted at the selected six schools will blend the use of technology and pedagogy. Four of the selected six schools will be provided with technology education using Educomp's Smart Class technology.

Two of the technology enabled schools will also have the Smart Assessment System. Classrooms in these schools will bring together rich multimedia content along with formative assessment. SAS technology will be used for immediate assessment of learning.

A baseline survey to understand the competency level of students will be conducted by the non-governmental Education Quality Foundation of India (EQFI). A learning outcomes assessment will be done on the basis of grade-based competencies, testing students' understanding of concepts. This detailed, student-wise and school-wise feedback will be used to shape school improvement plans.

A whole school analysis to understand the present requirements will be conducted in these schools before the intervention. Based on the analysis, a school improvement plan will be formulated for each school based on its specific needs. Teachers will be given a customised in-service training to improve the teaching and learning process in their schools. The school managements will also undergo leadership programmes to develop the school vision and improve its governance.

Student performance enhancement being the key focus of the programme, intervention for students will be done through activity based learning and attractive worksheets. For the weak students, a remediation plan would be drawn up based on need gap analysis.

Armed with the data, information and other learnings from Project Gyana Shakti, the Foundation seeks to expand the knowledge base of 'what works' to improve educational outcomes for the large population of poor urban children attending private schools in India.

Live@EDU Learn And Keep Connected

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February 1, 2009

The needs of schools are as diverse as the students they teach. That is why we are working with educational institutions around the world to make these demands a reality for students, teachers and parents alike with Live@edu

Public-Private Partnership Critical for Higher Education

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February 1, 2009

Owing to constrained investment, the education sector is unable to cope with growing market demand and global competition. Increased private investment is thus imperative to expand infrastructure and provide greater access to quality higher education in India. E&Y – FICCI report emphasises that PPPs could be an effective mechanism for attracting much needed private sector investment in the Indian Higher education system without diluting the regulatory oversight of the Government and other regulators

India’s enrollment figures in higher education remain abysmally low at a mere 11 % compared to that of the US and Canada, where over 60 % of college-age students access higher education, highlighting that public-private partnerships are critical for wooing investment in India’s higher education system.

This shortfall in the number of young who are eligible for higher education and the existing infrastructure presents India’s unique challenge, in terms of the sheer scale of its population. India has over 400 universities and more than 20,000 colleges with an enrollment of 14 million students, yet it is grossly inadequate.

A recently unveiled report by Ernst & Young and FICCI on various aspects of PPP, highlights some pointers to possible solutions to challenges faced in by the nation’s education sector.

Gaping resource gap

The Government of India has allocated INR 850 billion for higher education in the 11th Five Year Plan. However, considering that the Planning Commission has identified a resource gap of INR 2.2 trillion, it is unlikely that the Government alone can address infrastructure needs in the higher education sector in the
near future.

While public expenditure on education has increased, the percentage share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) spent on higher education has come down from 0.77% in 1991 to 0.7% in 2008. Moreover, there is an unequal outlay of resources for Higher Educational Institutions across the Indian states.

Common misconceptions about PPPs

Public private partnerships are the same as privatisation
By entering into a public private partnership, public sector loses control over the provision of services
Public private partnerships apply only to infrastructure projects
The principal reason for government entering into public private partnerships is to avoid debt
Public sector employee will lose under public private partnerships The cost of service will increase to pay for the private partner’s profit
There are only two partners in a public private partnership

Partnership models in education

The report presents basic modes of partnerships that are possible between the government and the private sector. Partnerships are established for varied reasons including construction, financing, design and maintenance of public infrastructure. PPP in social sectors such as health and education are sometimes referred to as Public-Social Private Partnership (PSPP).

A number of PPP models can exist that range from simple management contracts to BOOT formats. These formats vary in the kind of benefits they yield. The report provides case studies of different types of PPP arrangements in education such as:

Public-private financing of higher education
Science/research parks
University-owned companies

The report underscores certain challenges that can be expected while applying the PPP model to education. For instance, the high cost of such projects, relatively lower returns, and the current regulatory landscape makes it difficult to attract participants/bidders for education projects. Another challenge is the lack of familiarity with the PPP procurement process.

The report suggests measures that can be implemented to avoid these hurdles. The process of attracting bidders should be framed to minimise the bid costs with effective competition. Also, the university/college can be protected by way of monitoring the services offered by private players. Certain cases of successful PPP projects in the education sector from other countries have been cited as examples, such as:

Southbank Educational and Training Precinct Development involved the development of high standard facilities for the Southbank Educational and Training Precinct
Royal Northern College of Music in the UK which involved development of about 160 study rooms, staff and guest accommodation, car parking facility and a walkway.

Industry-academia collaboration May include companies and institutes conducting joint R&D, industry internships, and corporates training and certifying students of affiliated institutes. Lastly, foreign university collaborations can offer access to world class faculty and international students, curriculum based on global standards and sharing of culture. These May take the shape of exchange programmes, joint research projects or sharing of infrastructure facilities.

Regulatory framework for PPP

An Higher Education Institute in India can be set up as a Trust, Society or as a Company registered under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (though the last is not recognised by the HRD Ministry). Several regulatory bodies regulate the functioning of higher education in India. These comprise the University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Medical Council of India, etc.

The higher education system suffers from several challenges that act as a hurdle in the growth of the PPP concept in India. These include the conditions imposed for setting up the educational institute as a not-for-profit entity; excessive regulations in the functioning of the HEIs and for the entry of foreign educational institutions into India.

Despite these challenges, the PPP concept in the education sector needs to be explored. Since there are regulations with respect to being a not-for-profit entity, the infrastructure for educational institutions can be created through the PPP model.

This could involve creation of a Trust by the Government/ HEIs to offer education services, which collaborates with a private player to avail infrastructure like buildings, hostels, laboratories, etc. This kind of a model would uphold the regulations imposed on educational institutions as well as leverage the partnership between the government and the private sector.

Findings

As a conclusion the report underscores the challenges that India’s higher education sector f

University – Industry Interface: An Overview

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February 1, 2009

Higher education serves several important functions in the society, the most important being production of knowledgeable individuals who will contribute to the society. However, many of the Indian universities do not fulfill this purpose. The demands of skilled and specialised manpower from the industry are not being met as majority of graduates lack the necessary skill sets required by the industry.

In recent years, a major concern of higher education planners and academics, the world over, has been linking universities and other research institutions with industries. Universities can enhance the value of products in the form of knowledge; industry can augment the university's value in the form of funds. In India, way back in 1986, the National Policy on Education (NPE) highlighted the need for university-industry interaction. However, despite efforts on the part of the Centre and State governments, university-industry interaction has not shown a significant improvement till date. It still remains marginal and largely confined to a few institutions such as the IITs, IIMs, IIITs, NITs, etc.

Each year over 3 million graduates and post-graduates are added to the Indian workforce. However, of these only 25% of technical graduates and 10-15% of other graduates are considered employable by the rapidly growing IT and ITES (IT enabled services) segments

Need for university-industry interaction

Universities are an important storehouse of up-to-date and advanced levels of knowledge in different fields. In a knowledge society, industries are the main users and beneficiaries of such knowledge.

According to NASSCOM, each year over 3 million graduates and post-graduates are added to the Indian workforce. However, of these only 25% of technical graduates and 10-15% of other graduates are considered employable by the rapidly growing IT and ITES (IT enabled services) segments. Hence, what we have today is a growing skills gap reflecting the slim availability of high-quality college education in India and the galloping pace of the country's service-driven economy, which is growing faster than most of the countries in the world.

A university-industry interaction is mutually benefitting as it provides industry an opportunity to grow its business by using the results of academic research. At the same time, university is in need of a partner that can take its discoveries/research findings to the market place.

The interaction can also earn additional resources of R&D, secure training and final placements for students based on the respect earned from the relationship established with industry.

The academic knowledge base can also help in reducing industrial cost, improving quality and competitive dimensions in products, reducing dependence on foreign know-how and expenditure on internal R&D. It can also assets the industry in upgrading the knowledge base of industry professionals through management development programmes.

Possible areas of interaction

The university and industry can establish interface at varying levels with different degrees. This can range from simple consultations or visits to in-depth researches.

Factors which hinder interaction

In the backdrop of the above facts, there are some factors which hinder university-industry interaction. From university's side, some of the inhibiting factors are: lack of initiative amongst faculty towards applied research, lack of incentive to faculty, lack of experts and specialised technical infrastructure, bureaucratic hurdles in utilising consultancy funds, etc.

Whereas from industry's side, these factors include: insensitivity to or lack of awareness of the resource potential of the academia; a blind, herd-like obsession with expensive, high-profile professional consultants; easy availability of foreign know-how; bad experience of earlier interactions with academia, etc. Further, absence of a full time/exclusive university-industry interaction cells in both the university and industry is also an important inhibiting factor.

Following are some of the areas in which university-industry interface can take place:

Industry support to basic research
Industry participation in technology development
involving some exploratory work
Collaborative R&D activities
Industry experts/representatives involved in
Academic Bodies Academic intervention in solving specific industry problems
Laboratory utilisation by industry Continuing education programme
Student Placement

How the interaction can be achieved?

For achieving a mutually beneficial relationship, there is a need for
change in the approach of both the university and industry. To promote university-industry interaction, following steps can be undertaken:

Establishment of university-industry partnership/interaction cell.
Organising workshops, conferences & symposia with joint participation
Participation of experts from industry in curriculum development.
Professional consultancy by the faculty to industries.
Visits of industry executives to the university and deliver lectures on industrial practices, trends and experiences.
Joint research programmes
R&D laboratories sponsored by industries at the university.
Scholarships/fellowships instituted by industries for students.
Practical training of students in industries.

Apart from industry associations, the universities should also establish linkages with government agencies which are engaged in industrial development activities.

Global Competition Demands Education Transformation

Magazine

By

digitalLEARNING Network

-

February 1, 2009

We need to get our ideas across to people with whom we do not have direct contact. We need to know why things work and not merely memorise information, to be creative and innovative. Knowledge is the principal commodity. We have an opportunity to create and cultivate knowledge and capability to advance social and economic well being, not of individuals but of nations

Global competition demands transforming current education. With the global economic climate getting more competitive, the demand for a skilled workforce is increasing, and new technology tools play an increasing role in learning. In addition, there are increased requirements for technology and media literacy, effective communication collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving. We need to get our ideas across to people with whom we do not have direct contact. We need to know why things work and not merely memorise information, to be creative and innovative. Knowledge is the principal commodity. We have an opportunity to create and cultivate knowledge and capability to advance social and economic well being, not of individuals but of nations.

Technology gives teachers new resources for engaging and effective education. It sparks the joy of discovery, joins students with the wider world and builds skills that build the future.

Technology can play an important role in enhancing the educational process, particularly when it is developed based on the needs of teachers and the local education systems.

Providing equal opportunities, such as access to and use of technology, to lower income groups (disadvantaged socio-economic groups) through proactive public-private partnership is also very important

Governments need to develop a holistic solution to provide 21st century opportunities for their citizens with a comprehensive approach that includes accessibility, connectivity, education, and
digital content. For example, India has created the e-Governance initiative. The holistic National e-Governance Plan is now pivotal in realisation of this vision by focusing on providing accessibility of government services to citizens through the internet.

In India, the Intel Teach Program has provided ICT training which has enabled over 900,000 pre-service, in-service teachers and educators across the country to integrate technology into their lesson plans and promote problem solving, critical thinking and collaboration skills. By the end of 2008, Intel hopes to have touched 1 million teachers across India. Under this programme, Intel also provides free teaching tools and resources to K-12 teachers.

Intel Learn Program has also reached out to approximately 57,000 underserved youth ranging from 8 to 16 years of age, to develop critical thinking and collaboration skills. The Intel Computer Clubhouse Network provides children in underserved areas access to cutting edge technology for learning. Currently, the network is comprised of two clubhouses in Delhi and Bangalore.

How do we attain an ideal learning environment using technology?

Step 1: Invest in People and education systems

First of all, it is most important to have the right people and system in place. Countries should continue to train teachers to effe ctively integrate ICT into classrooms. Intel's Chairman Craig Barrett pointed out, 'Computer aren't magic, teachers are.' Putting the right technology tools and teacher training in place is critical in today's global knowledge economy. Via the Intel Teach Program, we have trained over 5 million teachers in over 40 countries to effectively integrate technology into the classroom.

Countries should also focus on training government leaders, education decision makers, curriculum designers, evaluators and school principals so that they can build the right policy, standards and support systems.

Step two: Provide equal opportunity

This needs to be done by providing affordable access to technology through government financing, interesting local content, outreach to rural areas and developing private-public partnerships. Providing equal opportunities, such as access to and use of technology, to lower income groups (disadvantaged socio-economic groups) through proactive public-private partnership is also very important.

Step 3: Implement key policies

In order to succeed, implementing holistic and integrated policies that foster universal equity and access to ICT is key. In many countries the telecom companies are subsidising the cost of 'netbooks' so that they are available to consumers at a very low or no cost at all. Some May charge only cost of Internet connectivity. Many countries have reduced or eliminated taxes for PCs used in schools. It is important to remember that even reducing VAT or even providing low or no-cost PCs reduces the digital divide.

All schools should have free access to the Internet

Governments can support the cost of Internet access outside of schools with programmes such as universal service funds, telecom provider initiatives, competition-neutral direct public subsidies or aggregating demand of schools and other relevant institutes in a given community. Depending on the country and its particular situation, the sources for funding can include national budgets of governments, charges on interconnecting services, levies on subscribers (e.g. on access lines) and levies on operator revenues. Funding from international development agencies is also an option.

Competitive telecommunications markets are necessary to allow for affordable internet access

Developing countries will not be able to integrate into the global knowledge economy unless their citizens, schools and businesses have affordable Internet access. Evidence from across the world has shown that competition through the liberalisation and privatisation of telecommunication markets drives down prices. Flexible, technology-neutral radio spectrum policy can also spur competition by allowing new, breakthrough wireless technologies to enter the market. At the same time, these governments should seek to embrace innovative technologies such as broadband wireless and voice-over-IP.

Many of these steps were followed by countries to provide access to their citizens: Malaysia is a good example.

Malaysian teachers and students have shifted from learning about technology to teaching and learning with technology. How did this happen? The Malaysia Ministry of Education worked with Intel Malaysia to devise a plan to improve teaching and learning through technology. The plan included teacher training, one-to-one e-learning and the deployment of wireless networks throughout the nation. The programme yielded significant results including improved teaching methods, improved student analytic and communication skills, virtual teaching and learning. It also positioned Malaysia to be known as having one of the most progressive education policies in the region.

Challenge: In the late 1990s, the Ministry of Education in Malaysia realised that traditional methods of teaching in Malaysia were inadequate in preparing students to face a future rapidly moving towards a knowledge-based economy. There was a great need for effective and innovative technology integration into teaching and learning activities, as well as a need for student-centered learning and outcome-driven educational approaches.

Strategy: In 2000, Intel worked with the Ministry of Education in Malaysia (MoE) to train teachers on integrating technology in the classroom. A 1:1 e-Learning programme was also initiated in 10 primary schools nationwide in 2007. This was in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, and Bahagian Teknologi Pendidikan (BTP). 1:1 e-Learning initiatives offer both the teachers and students continuous access to the Internet and other digital learning resources.

Whether you are introducing or expanding ICT in your schools, successful implementation takes several key components working together:

Access to Technology;

Connectivity;

Professional Development of Teachers;

Improved Learning Methods Among Students;

and Right Digital curriculum which involves digital content and right teaching-learning approach.

Solutions: The MoE equipped 10,000 schools with powerful notebook computers based on Intel Centrino mobile technology. Intel and the MoE provided 475 schools with 500 wireless access points under the Wireless Technology Pilot Programme and Intel also trained more 42,000 teachers through the Intel Teach Program.

Benefits: Malaysia now has one of the most progressive education policies in the region. The 1:1 e-learning programme exceeds the government's goal to reduce the ratio of students sharing computers from one in 40 to one in 20, increasing students' access to ICT learning. In addition, teachers have effectively integrated computers into their classrooms to enhance students' learning interest and achievement. Students access information from all over the world.

Teachers have a higher level of productivity because they are now able to share work and collaborate across the country. This allows them to get faster access to information resources, and spend less time in creating higher quality learning material that can be accessed by students over the wireless LAN. Career satisfaction among teachers has increased, while students analytical and communications skills have greatly improved.

The Intel-powered classmate PC was designed with this in mind. The Intel-powered classmate PCs are small, rugged computers designed specifically for children to use in educational settings. Our ethnographers studied many schools throughout the world to understand how students learn and how they would like to use technology in the classroom. Along with the classmate PC, Intel supports a complete educational ecosystem, including access, localised content, connectivity, teacher training, and collaboration with local educators, governments, and service providers.

Innovative learning tools are available now through the websites like
www.skoool.com or through many education consortiums like the UNESCO's teacher portal. They bring technology to the classroom, are designed to meet local needs, and available online.

All children deserve the chance to dream, grow, and prosper. Let's work together on connecting the next billion people to 21st century opportunities.

Industry-Education Interface: Synergy for Success

Magazine

By

digitalLEARNING Network

-

February 1, 2009

The writing on the wall is clear. It is only through major strides of collaboration between the private sector and government agencies that we can even attempt at improving the abysmal figures of number of college going students, which stands at a mere 10 % of the total population, actually being able access higher education institutions.

The tremendous infrastructure for higher education, that the Indian government has created over the decades, is proving inadequate for the millions of young men and women who could be in colleges and institutions. This is despite the fact that India has over 400 universities and more than 20,000 colleges with an enrollment of 14 million students.

The added dimension that needs to be addressed simultaneously along with creating better and professional infrastructure is the need for increasing employability of graduates emerging out of the HEI's. This is vital for sustainability as 80 % of graduates stepping out with degrees do not have any professional skills. Thus an industry-institution interface has to be evolved in tandem with resource and infrastructure generation.

In this issue we touch on these issues and capture new ideas and research that look ahead to an inevitable era of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in education. The recent E&Y-FICCI report on various aspects of PPP in education highlights the resource gaps and possible solutions to them. It also talks about various partnership models possible with the private sector.

An interview with Prof Kesav Nori, one of the pioneers of Tata's computer based literacy programme, throws light on the literacy aspect in India and challenges associated with running the programme on a massive scale in a country like India with its diversities and uniqueness.

In the urban slums of India, a silent revolution has been taking place in the form of private education. Project Gyana Shakti is one such initiative seeking to improve learning outcomes in the schoolgoing children in the slums of Hyderabad through various technological and pedagogical interventions.

All this only enforces the belief that a collective effort on the part of industry and government is inevitable, if our country is to gain a foothold in the global knowledge workforce.

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