The term 'privatization' has come into widespread use in the 1980's because of the new economic reforms.
Privatization is the process of transferring the ownership of an organization or enterprise from the public sector to the private sector. Privatization is considered to bring more efficiency and objectivity to the company, something that a government company is not concerned about. India went for privatization in the historic reforms budget of 1991, also known as 'New Economic Policy or LPG policy'.
CONCEPT:
Privatization can be understood in a better sense as follows:
OBJECTIVES:
1. Privatization allows greater efficiency.
2. Revealing the true and full cost of the service provided.
3. Promotion of technological advancement.
4. Development of Capital Market.
5. Broadening the wealth and achieve widespread private ownership in society.
6. Curbing inflation.
7. Raising extra revenues for the government.
8. Eliminating hidden unemployment and reducing the power of public employee unions.
PURPOSE OF PRIVATIZATION:
1. Improve the efficiency of an organization or educational institutions.
2. It reduce the government control over education.
3. It is used as an important strategy of economic rejuvenation by many developing and developed countries, including Britain.
METHODS OF PRIVATIZATION:
There are three main methods of privatization.
1. Share Issue Privatization: Selling shares on the stock market.
2. Asset Sale Privatization: Selling the entire firm's or part of it to a strategic investor, usually by auction.
3. Voucher Privatization: Shares of ownership are distributed to all the citizens either for free or for a very lower price.
GLOBALIZATION:
The term 'globalization' means integration of economics and societies through cross-country flows of information, ideas, technologies. goods, services, capital, finance and people. Cross border integration is multidimensional, and it includes cultural, social, economic and political dimensions.
Globalization is not a radical revolution that is going to completely transform education, its impact will be more on emphasis of certain trends.
1. Education must not lose its traditional goals of reading, writing, arithmetic and know-how and skill development.
2. Faced with the consequences of globalization on the individuals and societies, other goals become relevant for educational reforms.
I- More Autonomy for Individuals in a Society of Knowledge.
The society must allow every individual to develop freely. Schools must give the individuals the capacity to acquire the knowledge and interpret new values that will in turn guarantee them the ability to remain up-to date with the evolution of their environment. Every individual is unique. Maturation, growth and development of potentials might vary from child to child, but the goal is to provide information which is necessary.
II- Rebuilding the Social Link.
It is through education at school and non-formal environments that the desire and the benefits of living together is learning to work in teams and developing the individual abilities, learning, understanding of others and surroundings, our economics, social and political environment at a national or global level. Education is the manifestation of perfection already in man. Providing the right source of information at the right time in a right way for the overall development of the individual is the need of the hour.
III- More Equal Development of Society.
A society where all members have a fair share in production as well as in consumption. Education must contribute to a revitalizing society of citizens, who share the values, issues and challenges of their community, country and the world. Country is made by the people living in it, the so-called citizens. It is the responsibility of the citizens to design a better future for their future generation.
IV- A Society of Citizens.
Civics is the study of citizenship and government. Citizenship includes, being a productive member of the society and fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of a citizen. Government is made by citizens and is for the benefit of citizens. The three main components of a government are people, policy and power. To build a society of autonomous, productive, participative and committed citizens will require a radical shift in the division of tasks between different levels and types of education.
V- An Outdated Traditional Tasks Assignment.
Traditional education, also known as back-to-basics, conventional education or customary education, refers to
long-established customs that society traditionally used in schools. Some forms
of education reform promote the adoption of progressive
education practices, a more holistic approach which focuses on individual
students' needs and self-control. In the eyes of reformers, traditional
teacher-centered methods focused on rote learning and memorization must be
abandoned in favor of student-centered and task-based approaches to learning.
However, many parents and conservative citizens are concerned with the
maintenance of objective educational standards based on testing, which favors a
more traditional approach. Traditionally (leaving the pre-school education) in practice every education system is a three-tier structure. In the more global world it will lose its relevance. For better educated citizens a two- tier structure will evolve. A gradual demise of secondary education or its inclusion in basic education or some redeployment of tasks between basic, secondary and higher education. Delors Commission(learning to be, to know, to do and to live together) apply to all the components of the education system.
VI-The Tasks of Basic Education.
According to the International
Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), basic education comprises the
two stages primary education and lower secondary
education. Globalization entails an increase in the tasks of basic education. Globalization believes in making up of citizens capable of acting and thinking autonomously about the rapid social evolution.
VII- Higher Education: Traditional Tasks and New Social Functions.
Higher education (also called post-secondary
education, third level or tertiary education) is an optional final stage
of formal learning that
occurs after completion of secondary education. Often delivered at universities,academies,colleges,seminaries, conservatories, and institutes of
technology, higher education is also available through certain college-level
institutions, including vocational schools, trade schools, and other
career colleges that award academic degreesorprofessional
certifications. The traditional task of higher education to produce the codes of society should be revised to address the new demands generated by globalization. Higher education should provide a chance for everyone to educate them within the framework of lifelong learning and a chance for society to address its challenges and problems.
VIII- Secondary Education: Reconciling the old dilemma between Terminal and Preparatory Education.
Secondary education would attach importance to the preparation of individuals to take charge of their, own lifelong learning while contributing to skill development, needed by the economy and society. Secondary education would include main languages, civilizations and cultures, how to use and adapt to the evolution of new technologies of information and communication.
ROLE OF TEACHING IN PROMOTING VALUES:
Through humanity is making spectacular advances in science and technology, there has been a considerable erosion of values in the last four decades. Integrity, honesty, uprightness and ethics have become rare commodities even among the so-called educated sections of the society. The society seems to be bursting with violence and anger, suddenly life seems to have become very cheap.
1. The National Policy on Education (1986), took this aspect of erosion of values into consideration and emphasized on equity and social justice in education to promote the country's socio-cultural identity and to contribute to national cohesion, promote tolerance scientific temper and the concerns enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
The social values to be inculcated are friendliness, cooperation, compassion, courage, self-discipline and love for social justice. Truth, righteous conduct, peace, love and non-violence are the core universal values representing the five domains of the human personality- Intellectual, physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. These are correlated with the five major objectives of education i.e., knowledge, skill, balance, vision and identity.
2. The National Curriculum Framework for School Education (2000), reemphasizes the points in the National Policy on education (1986). It takes note of the constant erosion of the essential social, moral and spiritual values over the last 50 years and the pervading cynicism at levels of the society. It lays emphasis on religion, as it is the major source of value generation, stressing on education about the various religions, keeping in mind the pluralistic nature of the Indian society and its secularism. The teacher must drive the minds to this concept that all essence of all religions is the same, though the practices differ, these differences are to be respected, it seems that education about religions may work out to be an instrument of social cohesion. There should not be discrimination on the ground of religion. Education so imparted will foster universal and eternal values, oriented towards the 'Unity and Integrity' of all our people. Such value education may help eliminate obscurantism, religious fanaticism, violence, superstition and fatalism.
3. Apart from this combative role, value education has profound positive content based on our heritage, national goals and universal perceptions. The core curriculum has listed the following values to be developed and inculcated in the students:
i. Cultural Heritage.
ii. Environment.
iii. Right to Equality.
iv. Cultural and Educational Rights.
v. Scientific Temper.
vi. Secularism.
vii. Gender Equality.
viii. Social Justice.
ix. Right to Freedom of Religion.
x. Right Against Exploitation.
BASIC PRINCIPLES TO PROMOTE PEACE IN CLASS ROOMS:
David Warner, President- United Nations Association Toronto believes that the four important pillars of a society alongside food, shelter and health care and education. It is through education that young people learn so much more about themselves and the world in which they live, and they learn also about the various issues of the society. Our country, our planet, drugs, violence, crime, homelessness, poverty, hunger, diseases etc. We cannot give this education directly unless the government declares education as a priority and provide fund for it.
The cause of peace is through education. Imagine a world where learning is revered, and the pursuit of education is celebrated, and teachers are given huge respect. There is a universal responsibility for nations to assist each other in the quest to achieve free and compulsory quality education for all the children. By helping each other's and ourselves, nation to nation, we help to create an atmosphere for learning to occur, we create a culture of peace.
Education in the broad sense is the principle means in building a culture of peace learning and practicing the skills of active non-violence of dialogue, of tolerance and solidarity, respect for human rights and the constant struggle for justice. These are the keys. Hence, the teachers, teacher's union and their activities at classroom are the privileged partners.
The Nations of the world, gathered at the General Conference of UNESCO in 1995 declared that the major challenge at the close of the 20th Century is to begin the transition from a culture of war to a culture of peace:
1. A Culture of social interaction and sharing.
2. A Culture that rejects violence.
3. A Culture which guarantees everyone the full exercise of all rights and the means to participate fully towards the development of the society.
The United Nations General Assembly took up this challenge by declaring the year 2000- International Year for the Culture of Peace. 2001-2010 as International Decade for Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the children of the world.
4. Putting all the thus commitments to follow as principles in the daily life. The basic rules of the school classroom include:
i) Respect all Life: Every individual may be belonging to any place, country, religion, gender and health concerns should be respected as an individual.
ii) Reject violence: We should follow the concepts of non-violence and reject violence.
iii) Share with others: Sharing helps in providing what piece of information you have with others, there by bringing social interaction.
iv) Listen to Understand: Presenting yourselves before listening to others and understanding the others what they want to convey helps in better social interaction and understanding.
v) Preserve the Planet: We all belong or have evolved from mother earth. It is the prime responsibility to protect it and have 'Sustainable Development' and preserving it for the future.
vi) Rediscover Solidarity: The value crisis which we are currently facing should be worked upon by rediscovering solidarity and a feeling of unity among individuals.
