Hindu,30-09-2012

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PALVANCHA (Khammam Dist.), September 30, 2012

‘Basic education system need of the hour’

Staff Reporter

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A national meet to be organised at Sevagram ashram in November

President of Nai Taleem Samiti Sugan Baranth (extreme left), noted educationist S.V. Narayana (extreme right) and others taking a look at bamboo teaching and learning material at Haritha high school at Palvancha on Saturday.— PHOTO: G.N. RAO

Speakers at a convention held on ‘Nai Talim’ at Haritha Ecological Institute in Palvancha on Saturday emphasised the urgent need to revive Mahatma Gandhi’s basic education concept for ushering in value-based, craft-centred, and self-supporting education system.

Noted educationists, researchers, and people from different spheres from far and near participated in the convention held at Haritha School situated on the sprawling campus of Haritha Institute near Palvancha.

In his keynote address, president of Nai Taleem Samithi Sugan Baranth elucidated the salient features of the vibrant Gandhian concept - Nai Talim. Expressing concern over the various deficiencies plaguing the present education system, he said, the basic education concept conceived by Gandhiji holds the key to reinvigorate the education system to make it productive. The craft-centred and value-based model of education system is the need of the hour, he said adding that it transforms the students into integrated personalities to serve the needs of society.

A national conference will be organised at Sevagram ashram in Wardha in Maharashtra in November in connection with the 75th year of inception of Gandhiji’s Nai Talim system. It will feature deliberations on a wide gamut of issues to give an impetus for revival of the basic education system. A host of academicians, social activists, officials from NCERT, and other organisations will participate in it.

Potential tool

Noted educationist S.V. Narayana said Gandhiji’s basic education concept aims at imparting holistic education to harness the inherent potential of each student for societal good. It is a potential tool to make the students knowledgeable, self-reliant, and responsible citizens, he said deploring that the vibrant concept was ignored by the rulers despite specific recommendations made by several expert committees from time to time to incorporate the same in the education policy.

Haritha Institute founder P. Sudhakar, Gurudakshina Foundation president Chekuri Kashaiah, subject experts Shivdut Mishra, C.A. Prasad and others spoke. Palvancha RDO Shyam Prasad, Khammam based R R High School director Chava Prasad, Dr Vasireddy Ramesh Babu of Kothagudem and others were present.

A State committee of Nayee Thaleem Samithi was constituted on the occasion to carry forward the basic education movement in the State. A wide array of bamboo teaching and learning material were kept on display at the school on the occasion.