Championing the cause

C K Mathew, the Principal Secretary of Education, Government of Rajasthan, explains the objectives of the REI and discusses the crucial components that need attention, in an exclussive conversation with Rumi Mallick of Digital Learning

 What will be the character of REI, will it remain as a programme within the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), fulfilling the gaps in SSA or will REI emerge as a totally independent programme of the Rajasthan government?

The REI as you know started with the discussions the Chief Minister had in Davos in January 2005 in World Economic Summit (WES). Presently, the REI has a separate identity, which is putting it at a level much beyond what the usual SSA or secondary school system would provide. REI is looking at a unique combination and partnership of public government sector, the private sector and the civic society and community.

We have also decided that we would look at the pilot projects. We cannot think of covering 75000 to 80000 schools in the state. It has to be pilot because public and private sector cannot work together over such a large area.

Thirdly we have decided that these pilot models will be successfully demonstrated and then only we will think of up scaling-up. These pilots will have to be tested against the overall objectives of education for all the factors like retention, dropout, girl child education etc. We have adopted a large number of schools within the REI, which are in the secondary set up. So REI has its unique identity. It will cover certain areas of secondary and certain areas of elementary education and right through out look at the key objectives of the learning capabilities of teacher performance, teacher training, and capacity building.

 How are you planning to sustain REI’s ICT interventions in rural areas where there are either regular power cuts or no power at all?

There are certain infrastructure facilities that is dependent upon let us say power, if you put up a computer in an area where power does not exit, there is no point in doing it. But again you have to bring the benefits of information and communication technology to the rural areas too. Hence we are trying out different mix of technologies for example in rural schools where there is no power, we are looking at solar panels. We will have the alternative energy resources for powering computers. So we are not just concentrating in schools that have preset ICT labs, we are also working in schools in rural areas that are still struggling with the lack of basic infrastructure. We realize that these alternatives are not cost effective. Solar panels costs almost a lakh (100000 USD) for a unit. But we have to bring the benefits of the ICT and elements of new thoughts in these areas and even if it cost a little more we cannot exclude those areas from the developmental process. So we are exploring this mix of technology options.

 You mentioned in the meeting that REI is based on a very loose partnership, what is the government doing to strengthen this partnership? Do the partners have the common vision? Are you trying to build up sort of a common vision for the partners and cementing these partnerships?

Let me explain the existing structure of partnership of REI first. There are three umbrella kind of agreements that are on the top of the structure; with Global e-Schools Initiatives (GeSCI) and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and with the World Economic Forum, along with the partnerships description documents between the four partners. So all along it has been a large umbrella agreement and within that agreement there were nine separate MoUs. Presently, we have given to all the partners a document that gives a clear vision along with a copy of partnership description.

The purpose of the partners meeting was to let people know of the partnership framework by studying our partnership document, and then allow people to raise issues. As I promised in the meeting that in the next two months we will sit with each and every of those MoU partners, chalk-out a programme, sort out the area of coverage, bring a calendar into place, what are the milestones as we go ahead, in next two to three years what we intend to do, what are the final outcome and that outcome should match with the overall objective of Education For All (EFA). So now we are taking - a halt, looking at all these MoUs in detail, discuss with the partners and sorting out the problems of implementation.

 How are you engaging the teachers and the local community in this initiative?

We have a three-pronged strategy. First strategy is that the government’s role, the government –is the command and control systems, which has both a friendly and a very grim face. We have to ensure that the educators -perform their duties and also be friendly in the sense that we have to look after their grievances. If they have any genuine problems we look after them.

The second part is to bring about systemic improvements in teacher’s skill up-gradation. We have a training programme in the state but we are not addressing new issues, pertaining to a girl child, problems regarding girls not going to school, special need students, those belonging to the disadvantageous societies etc. We are putting into place a massive reorganisation of a training programme that can address these key issues, which had pulled down the state in terms of dropouts or retention of students. If we look at the parameters across the country, Rajasthan level is bit low in all these parameters. This will be improved if you have a very vibrant teacher’s training programme.

The third part is getting the community involved. And I really feel that if the parent of the child can go to the teacher and confront the teacher and say that you are not teaching my child and we want you to teach him in this way, that will put the fear of law to the teacher not the government. The government has to perform its own role. Ultimately the power lies with the people. It is people who will ultimately improve the school system.

 India has a legacy of pilots. Don’t you think that - REI will end up being just one of these?

Well, there are some really worrisome points that is whether it will remain as pilots because the area of the problem is so large. A pilot will give you - certain lessons. You may not to repeat the project but the lessons learnt can be useful for future initiatives. The GRACE initiative for example, is being implemented in all the schools, it will give some idea of how the knowledge is transmitted, what are the learning levels involved and how can competency be improved. Even without ICT/computers there, which is the medium, you can get the lessons. These lessons can be transmitted across the state too. You have good teachers, if you explain the issues to these teachers and also focus on up-gradation of the skills in a particular manner the child gets the benefits of this even without the computers. Computer is a new invention. Earlier there were only teachers and children with out any kind of intervention sitting under the tree

 We heard that the curriculum is being revised in Rajasthan. Will the plans for ICT-based content development and use be matched with the curriculum?

Yes. This is started both at secondary and the elementary level. We have given the task to the board of secondary education to look at e-Content at secondary level and at elementary level we are doing it with our Rajasthan Council of Primary education. We intend to bring out a tender seeking the expression of interest in next 15 to 20 days. But our point that we keep hammering is that we can not have readymade e-Content. There are hundreds of vendors in the market with the ready made e-Content. We will make it very clear that we will not accept readymade e-Content because there is a location specific requirement for Rajasthan, language, and the type of symbols that we use. All will have to be customised for Rajasthan then only we can use it.

 You mentioned about the most important Project Management Team (PMT) that is going monitor this whole programme. Who would be a part of this team and how would they monitor the programme?

The Project Management Team will first and foremost have a Board of Directors, which will involve the state governments and the three partners- that is Global e-Schools (GeSCI), World Economic Forum (WEF) and CII, representatives from these organisations will serve as the board of directors. Within the Board of Directors, there will be several streams for each MoU.

Each of those officers would report to the Board of Directors about what is happening at the ground level.

 Do you feel that PMT will be able to build all the synergies that we are talking of?

I think so. That will require monitoring at the State government levels that means we also will be involved. I will have to spend much more time than what I am currently doing but I think I will be able to do it.

 How do see REI after three years?

REI will demonstrate successful models. Hopefully we will have good outcomes, which will demonstrate the success. But I am really looking forward to an up-scaling across the state, although that, I think, should not be our objective at this point. If we can get the good models and learn lessons from them, which can be replicated through traditional methods of teaching, then we have achieved our objectives. I am sure that the traditional teaching models across the state will achieve a great deal with inclusion of ICTs in the teaching-learning process.