CONGRATULATIONS FOR the newly designed EducationWorld (February) which now has a pleasing and unique layout.
I congratulate you, your editorial team, and designers for giving the magazine a refreshing look. It’s a treat to read EW every month, and the editorials in particular.
Savita Mehta
Noida
Revive Tagore’s dream!
CONGRATULATION ON the new-look EducationWorld (February)! The fonts and uncluttered design and layout make an already readable magazine more reader-friendly.
It’s fitting that the inaugural cover story of the redesigned EW narrates the sad decline of Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, promoted by one of India’s greatest sons — the legendary poet, philosopher and essayist Rabindranath Tagore who invested his life’s savings to create a universal higher education institution. Gurudev Tagore wanted Visva-Bharati to be an institution for joyous learning where music, art and dance would be integrated with global curriculums. Unfortunately, VBU has become just another run-of-the-mill university as you rightly point out. The blame for this great institution’s downfall has to be equally shared by the Central and state governments, educationists and society in general. Like many of our other universities, we have neglected to nurture and develop VBU into the world-class institution of Tagore’s dreams.
Your cover story has done a good job by drawing attention to the steady decline of VBU. Hopefully it will prompt not only introspection, but also a plan of action to revive the spirit of this once prestigious university.
Anirban Dasgupta
Kolkata
Scandalous neglect
I ENJOYED READING your special report on the EducationWorld Early Childhood Education Global Conference 2014 (EW February). In particular, Swati Popat Vats’ keynote address ‘Standing up for youngest children’ was excellent.
There’s no doubt that as a nation we have failed our children. It’s scandalous that 66 years after independence, more than 50 percent of the country’s children below five years of age are deprived of nutrition, care and education. The 48 percent of children who are reportedly covered by the nation’s 1.6 million anganwadis — most of which are housed in unhygienic environments and lack trained teachers — are at best only marginally better off.
If the government is serious about implementing the National Early Childhood Care and Education (NECCE) policy, it must not just triple the number of anganwadis but also radically overhaul them, to offer quality early care and education. Swati’s passionate appeal to the government, educators and civil society to stand up and speak for our youngest citizens needs to be seriously heeded.
Suman Kapoor
Mumbai
Include govt preschools
YOUR EFFORTS to rate and rank the country’s top preschools is commendable (‘EW India Preschool Rankings 2013, EW December). Apart from providing parents useful information, the rankings encourage positive competition between schools to enhance the quality of education offered. Many new edupreneurs are also motivated to take up the challenge of promoting schools despite several impediments.
However, I have a suggestion to improve your rankings survey. Please rate and rank government preschools, especially anganwadis. This will force the government to improve these schools which are in a pathetic state. Negative publicity will pressurise them to take corrective measures. It will also force society and citizens — currently only a few NGOs are involved — to seriously reflect on the issues concerning preschools and suggest ways to upgrade them. We owe this to the large population of children forced to go to these deficient preschools.
Prem Prakash
Kohima
Sustained advocacy
THE WELL-RESEARCHED EW India Preschool Rankings 2013 story (December) is extensive and thorough. The #1 ranking of EuroKids Satellite in Ahmedabad is a welcome recognition of our silent efforts.
EducationWorld deserves the thanks of parent and teacher communities for sustained advocacy of quality early childhood care and education, which is the prerequisite of primary schooling and development of well-balanced and creative life-long learners.
I wish EducationWorld and your longstanding campaign for quality early years education for all children in India, all success.
Beula Canara
Principal, EuroKids Satellite
Ahmedabad