Centre working to end 'aana, khana, jaana' in govt schools

The Centre is working on improving the learning outcome of the government schools in states which have now become the mid-day meal schools as the practice of "aana, khana, jaana" is prevailing there, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said today.

"The primary aim of the Narendra Modi government is to provide quality education to all," he said while launching the 'Swastha Bachche, Swastha Bharat' physical health and fitness profile card at Kendriya Vidyala Sanghatan at nearby Aluva.

Lamenting that the quality of education in the local government schools has deteriorated in many ways in many states, Javadekar said, "So, now we are trying to improve the quality. We are determined to improve the quality of education in government schools at all levels. Then only the common man gets justice".

The HRD minister, however, said that education in Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Schools in the country was best in the country.

Spelling out the steps taken by the HRD Ministry to build a healthy system in government schools across the country, he said the government has taken steps to take the "learning outcome"-- what students get from schooling--in all schools in the country this year.

In September, all teachers will get a learning outcome handbook which will help them to improve students' competency.

"What the students get from the school...that must be the scoring point," Javadekar said, adding that through the learning outcomes, teachers and parents can understand a student's minimum competency, his/her achievements. The government wants to make everybody, including teachers, students and parents accountable through the learning outcome, he said.

"Unfortunately in many states, government schools have become mid-day meal schools...'aana, khana, jaana'. That is how it used to happen, but now things are improving and now we are determined to improve things through this learning outcome," he said.

He said the government has launched an ambitious course Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) for teachers to make them the best in their field.

"We have given two year time for doing this course. We have started registration on August 15 and September 15 is the last date for registration," he said.

If a teacher is without D.El.Ed after two years, he will not be continuing in the job, Javadekar said, adding that steps have been taken to provide them training online and offline.

After the launch, the Minister also interacted with students at the school and advised them to do a lot of exercise and eat nutritious food.