TN preparing strategy to improve GER in education from 16 pc to 25 pc

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu is planning to improve the gross enrolment ratio (GER), a statistical measure used in the education sector to determine the number of students enrolled in the state in higher education, from 16 per cent to 25 per cent, according to a state planning commission member.

State Planning Commission member E Balagurusamy on Saturday told Express that in order to attain the target the focus of the planning commission is on expansion and improving of quality of education in schools and colleges.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO), describes 'Gross Enrollment Ratio' as the total enrollment “in a specific level of education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the population in the official age group corresponding to this level of education.”

“The expansion should not be at the quality of education because quality improves the employability. The focus is also on developing the skills of the students,” said Balagurusamy on the sidelines of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s School Excellence Conclave on ‘Quality Education: Managing Next Gen Classrooms.

He also said the planning commission will submit its report to the state government before March next year. “The public consultation is going on and a report will be prepared in the month of January or February next year,” he said.

Earlier delivering the inaugural address of the conclave, Balagurusamy hit out at the rote learning system in Indian education and said that marks should not be the only criteria to judge the quality of student but also his ability to think.

He also said that the teacher’s role is to make the students think and question. “A mediocore teacher reads or writes on the board, a good teacher explains, a very good teacher demonstrates and an outstanding teacher inspires,” he said.

Balaguruswamy said youth should have the courage to challenge the teacher as well as the people so that they can bring in change and teachers should bring in such qualities among them.

Dr N Chandrasekaran, chairman of taskforce on education, CII-Tamil Nadu State Council and Vice-President corporate Affairs Take Solutions and A Senthil Kumaran, principal Counselleor –education excellence, CII Institute of Quality were also present on the occasion.