Perspectives on Public Education System

This course is envisaged keeping in mind the above context and, therefore, the need to provide opportunities for the officials to review and re-appraise their roles and work towards both a larger vision of education and its relation to different key stakeholders in the public education system today.

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Senior Functionaries in Education working at the district/​zonal level are entrusted with the responsibility of running the administration to facilitate quality schooling. Any endeavour towards this is guided by perspectives on education they hold, whether on provisioning and administration of education facilities in schools or on monitoring and mentoring support for sub-district or district level structures.

As senior functionaries, they have a long experience of working at various levels of the education system. They know and understand the finer nuances of working in education such as how the school education functions at different levels, what are the mechanisms related to flow of information, and so on. On one hand this long experience and acquaintance with the ground reality is a strength, but on the other hand, the challenges faced at the ground level give rise to a pessimistic attitude in them towards the system, its role and stakeholders. Also, where the demands of everyday officialdom often dominates, there are possibilities of a relative undervaluing of the purposes of education in a democratic society that should, in principle, guide such everyday work.

This course is envisaged keeping in mind the above context and, therefore, the need to provide opportunities for the officials to review and re-appraise their roles and work towards both a larger vision of education and its relation to different key stakeholders in the public education system today.

Course outline

UnitDescription
Situate self in a context- Reflect on one’s position in the system in terms of their role, the challenge of the scale of work: (Diversity and number), demands in the wake of UEE/RTE and administrative — academic inter-linkages
Understanding stakeholders- Parents-in terms of their aspirations from education. — Children – their capabilities. ‑Teachers – Centrality of teachers, teachers’ school life. — Community-nature of their participation
Purpose of school education in democratic society- Education for all
How do we decide if schools are doing well- Assessment and Evaluation
  • Understanding about public education that is located in the larger principles of a democratic society.
  • To appreciate their roles and work engagement within the context of roles and expectations of other significant stakeholders in the sub-district or district level education system.

Professionals who are at senior positions in the public education system or the professionals who are working with the senior education functionaries.

Discussion based on personal experiences, readings; chart work and group presentations.

Course Faculty