UNESCO recognizes ICT usage in Indian schools

• 23 Jun 2022

For Prelims: UNESCO’s King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize, PM eVIDYA, CIET, SDG, DIKSHA, ePathshala, NISHTHA, school MOOCs on SWAYAM

For Mains: National Education Policy, Education Related Policies of Government

Why in News?

Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) wins UNESCO’s King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the year 2021.

• CIET is a constituent unit of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) under Department of School Education & Literacy.
• CIET has been awarded by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for use of ICT in Education under a comprehensive initiative called PM eVIDYA.

What is PM eVIDYA?

• The PM eVIDYA has been initiated as part of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan by the Ministry of Education on 17^th May, 2020.
• It unifies all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education to enable multi-mode access for imparting education by using technology to minimise learning losses.

What is UNESCO’s King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize?

• About:
  • It is established in 2005 with the support of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
  • This award “recognizes innovative approaches in leveraging new technologies to expand educational and lifelong learning opportunities for all, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Goal 4 on Education.
  • The Prize rewards individuals and organizations that are implementing outstanding projects and promoting the creative use of technologies to enhance learning, teaching and overall educational performance in the digital age.
• Awards:
  • An international Jury selects two best projects annually.
  • Each prizewinner receives USD 25,000, a medal and a diploma during the ceremony at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

What are the Efforts done by Ministry of Education through CIET, NCERT?

• Keeping in view the recommendations of NEP-2020, Ministry of Education through CIET, NCERT has been working tirelessly and meticulously in designing, developing and disseminating
  • A large number of eBooks, eContent - audios, videos, interactives, augmented reality contents, Indian Sign Language (ISL) videos, audiobooks, talking books, etc.,
  • A variety of eCourses for school and teacher education,
  • Organizing digital events like online quizzes primarily for students and teachers through leveraging Online/Offline, On-Air technology One Class-One Channel, DIKSHA, ePathshala, NISHTHA, school MOOCs on SWAYAM, etc.
• Launch of PM eVidya:
  • To further the objectives of NEP & Samagra Shiksha and address the aforementioned pillars, PM eVidya was launched in May 2020.
• Learning to Doorsteps:
  • The CIET was proactive in taking learning to the doorsteps of the children through the extensive, resilient, ethical, and coherent use of 12 PM eVidya DTH TV channels and nearly 397 radio stations, including community radio stations under PM eVidya program.
  • These efforts were especially helpful in pandemic situations, when schools were closed, in reaching out to students.
  • These efforts helped in arresting the learning hiatus to a large extent.

What are the other Initiatives related to Education?

• National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning
• Rashtriya Ucchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)
• Prime Minister's Research Fellowship (PMRF)
• Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC)
• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
• NEAT
• PRAGYATA
• Mid Day Meal Scheme
• Right To Education (RTE) Act, 2009
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQ)

Q. Consider the following statements: (2018)

1. As per the Right to Education (RTE) Act, to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in a State, a person would be required to possess the minimum qualification laid down by the concerned State Council of Teacher Education.
2. As per the RTE Act, for teaching primary classes, a candidate is required to pass a Teacher Eligibility Test conducted in accordance with the National Council of Teacher Education guidelines.
3. In India, more than 90% of teacher education institutions are directly under the State Governments.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 3 only

Ans: (b)

Exp:

• The academic authority notified by the Central Government, under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE), Act 2009, has laid down the minimum educational and professional qualifications for a person to be eligible for an appointment as a teacher for classes I-VIII, which are applicable to all schools imparting elementary education, including the schools under the State Governments. They have to clear a Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) in order to be eligible for being appointed as a teacher. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) is conducted by the appropriate Government in accordance with the guidelines framed by the National Council of Teacher Education. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The 2012 Verma Commission on Teacher education in its report pointed out that 90% of teacher education bodies were private. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
• Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Source: PIB