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Ombudsman for local bodies switches to Malayalam

Wednesday, 04 November 2009 07:53 administrator
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The New Indian Express 04.11.2009

Ombudsman for local bodies switches to Malayalam

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Taking a cue from Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan’s `Keralappiravi Day’ speech, the Office of the Ombudsman for Local Self Government Institutions has switched over completely to Malayalam from November 1.

Ombudsman M.R.Hariharan Nair said in a statement that all orders issued by his office will henceforth be in Malayalam. However, there is no objection to a petitioner filing his complaint, or other documents, in English, he said.

Under the Ombudsman for Local Self Government Institutions (Enquiry Trial and Conditions of Service) Rules, 1999, the administrative language for the Ombudsman can be either English or Malayalam.

While this is a new experiment for a quasi-judicial institution, petitioners could face a slight problem. An Ombudsman’s orders can be questioned only in the High Court or the Supreme Court. So the petitioners will have to translate their petitions into English. ``But since such cases comprise only a small fraction of the total cases (handled by the Ombudsman), we feel that this slight inconvenience is irrelevant considering the benefit to the majority,’’ the statement said.

Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan had pointed out that if Malayalam were to become the administrative language in the fullest sense, then all government officials should be able to handle the language well.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 04 November 2009 07:56
 

Mayor Sain plans board exams for primary students

Tuesday, 03 November 2009 11:23 administrator
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Indian Express 3.11.2009

Mayor Sain plans board exams for primary students

Considering the current level of education in the primary schools of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Mayor Kanwar Sain has proposed to hold board exams for students of Class V in the primary schools.

If implemented, the move will bring about a sense of greater responsibility and accountability among the teachers, besides instilling a more serious approach towards studies among the students and their parents, Sain said.

“As everyone knows that the quality of education imparted at the primary level is not up to mark in most MCD schools. Standard V is a crucial stage for this is when the level of education gets more serious and begins to get tougher gradually,” he said.

“Holding board exams will hence make the students more serious and ultimately result in churning out brighter students at the higher level.”

The proposal, however, is at a very nascent stage and has been made in his personal capacity, he said. “I have discussed it with some members of the education committee and will soon work it out. It will then be presented before the concerned authorities for approval,” Sain said.

 

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Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 November 2009 11:26
 

Board exam in class V?

Tuesday, 03 November 2009 10:58 administrator
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Hindustan Times 03.11.2009

Board exam in class V?

The tussle between the Delhi government and the BJP-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) further intensified on Monday with the civic agency floating an ambitious plan to introduce Board examination for class V students.

Mayor Kanwar Sain has come up with this plan, which he wants to implement from the next academic year.

The plan is being proposed by the political brass of the civic agency at a time when the power to make any rules regarding primary education have been handed over to Delhi government by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Not only primary education but also the authority to make building byelaws has also been transferred to the Delhi government.

When quizzed whether he will send the proposal to Delhi government for approval, Sain said: “If need be I will discuss the matter with the Delhi government but it is not mandatory. We have come up with this idea and will send it to the Human Resource Development Ministry for final approval. I have already spoken to a number of educationists.”

Delhi Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely termed the entire move as political.

“To conduct board exams one has to be registered or affiliated to an education board. And there is no such board in India, which conducts common examination for class V. For this, amendment in Delhi School Act is also required and the MCD is not competent to do that,” said Lovely.

He said educationists and experts have been suggesting to do away with any form of examination at the class V, so this move of the MCD contradicts that.

According to the notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on October 27, the Delhi government now has the authority to make any rules regarding primary education.

“We want to improve the level of primary education in the city and introduction of board examination will be a step in that direction,” said Sain.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 November 2009 11:14
 

After stampede protests, govt to build new girls’ school nearby

Wednesday, 30 September 2009 11:21 administrator
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Indian Express 30.09.2009

After stampede protests, govt to build new girls’ school nearby

A school will be built at the MCD primary school in Sri Ram Colony after residents of the colony in East Delhi said they would not send their girls to the Khajuri Khas school following the fatal stampede there on September 10.

The announcement was made by Delhi Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely’s office on Tuesday.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has agreed to provide space to run the school. Between 800 and 1,000 girl students from Class VI to XII can attend the school once the government builds it, it was announced.

“The school will be ready in about three months,” Lovely’s spokesperson said. “We sent a letter to the MCD asking them to let us take over the school under the Roopantar project.”

One of the recommendations made by T C Nakh, the Northeast zone Deputy Commissioner who made an investigation report into the stampede, is to move the girls’ shift to another location to avoid such incidents.

Among the main reasons that led to the stampede was the merger of the shifts for boys and girls. Five students had died and more than 30 were injured in the September 10 incident.

According to the official in Lovely’s office, girls will have to attend the Khajuri Khas school until the new school is built. “We are doing the paperwork and that takes time,” he said.

The government has proposed that it will build the MCD school and upgrade its infrastructure under the Roopantar project and accommodate the girl students.

The Delhi government has already terminated the principal of the Government Boys Senior Secondary School, Khajuri Khas, and suspended the then in-charge of the girls’ school. It has also initiated an inquiry against the deputy director of education of the zone and transferred six teachers from the school.

Two new principals have been appointed for the school, officials said. One of them has been transferred from a government school in Nand Nagri, they added.

Officials also said the government is ready to hear the grievances of parents and students in Khajuri Khas and will ensure that education of students in the area is not disrupted.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 30 September 2009 11:24
 

Move to improve education in municipal-run primary schools

Friday, 28 August 2009 11:35 administrator
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Indian Express 28.08.2009

Move to improve education in municipal-run primary schools

The state Education Department has undertaken a concerted exercise to improve the quality of education in primary schools, especially those being run by civic bodies, in all major urban centers across Gujarat.

At a high-level meeting held in Gandhinagar a few days ago, Chief Minister Narendra Modi had made some significant suggestions to senior officials so as to improve the quality of education in primary schools in urban areas. Besides senior officials of the Education Department, the commissioners of all seven municipal corporations were present at the meet.

A senior official in the department told Newsline on Thursday that among the suggestions made by the CM at the meeting were : a review of performance of teachers who have attained the age of 50-55, involvement of NGOs and private organisations to improve the over-all functioning of municipal-run primary schools and the setting up of a committee comprising retired officials/educationists to suggest amendments in the present primary education laws.

It was also suggested at the meeting that students of municipal-run primary schools in these major cities be provided with a “Unique Identification Number” so as to track the educational records of every student and also check why he/she has dropped out of the school.

The official said Modi also emphasized that NGOs or private organisations “adopt” those municipal-run primary schools which are weak in their performance.

The schools being managed by private trusts could also be involved in improving the quality of education in municipal schools.

CM’s suggestions
* A review of performance of teachers who have attained the age of 50-55
* Involvement of NGOs and private organisations to improve the over-all functioning of municipal-run primary schools
* Setting up of a committee comprising retired officials/educationists to suggest amendments in the present primary education laws

Last Updated on Friday, 28 August 2009 11:38
 
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