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The Relevance of Curriculum to Socio-Economic Needs

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The Relevance of Curriculum to Socio-Economic Needs THE RELEVANCE OF CURRICULUM TO SOCIO-ECONOMIC NEEDS. A CASE STUDY OF INDIA. By Sheilah D. Hazarika Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of London Institute of Education. 1989. Department of International and Comparative Education. ABSTRACT. "THE RELEVANCE OF CURRICULUM TO SOCIO-ECONOMIC NEEDS: A CASE STUDY OF INDIA." This thesis is an analysis of the relevance of curriculum, especially school curriculum to socio-economic needs. After an Introduction which is Chapter I, Chapter II identifies from the Kothari the Education Commission 1964-1966 an interpretation of the socio-economic needs of India, the role of education, and how curriculum might contribute to development.The thesis argues that the theoretical position adopted by this Commission is understandable within the paradigm of "modernization" theory. The Kothari Commission's position and educational recommendations are analysed within a framework developed by Bill Williamson in his book Education. Social Structure and Development. In Chapters III and IV the various problems in education and development are analysed through the categories of relevance, equality and balance identified by Williamson which leads to some contrast and comparison with the theory positions adopted by the Kothari Commission. Chapters Five, Six and Seven continue the analysis by assessing the relationship between socio-economic development and education in historical context (Chapter V); in terms of major curriculum policies (Chapter VI); and in terms of selected curriculum practice (Chapter VII). The organizing theme running through the analysis relates to whether Indian education might be understood specifically in terms 2 of 'dependency' as identified by Williamson, and how far India fits within concepts of a 'Dependent Society' pattern. Overall, the thesis falls into two parts. The first develops the theoretical basis which finally focusses on the significance of curriculum for development. The second part of the thesis concentrates on curriculum content and change in India, with some specification of the balance between national and international influences on education and curriculum. The thesis concludes with a commentary on the theory positions of Kothari and Williamson, identified in the first part of the thesis in the light of the evidence assembled in the second part of the thesis. 3 DEDICATION. TO THE MEMORY OF MY BELOVED FATHER, NAGENDRA MATH HAZARIKA, LATE LT. COL., COMMDT. IVth. GRENADIERS, INDIA. AND TO MY BEAUTIFUL MOTHER, NATALIE ISABELLE. * * * 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. In completion of this thesis I appreciatively acknowledge everyone who helped me in the process of my work - in labourious effort and in play. First I thank Dr. Robert Cowen, my Tutor and thesis Guide, always close by me with his help and guidance. I sincerely acknowledge the excitement of his academic guidance, the adventure of an educational tour abroad with him, and his stimulating support in the department. Truly, Time was as nothing, and labour never existed, only the call to Enquire further and analyse deeper. 'Forever,' was not sufficient, but I now elect to settle for less, and close this academic treatise. Similarly, I wish to acknowledge in a special way my class companions and colleagues of my early years of Research, when study and life in London was a pleasure for me. I thank the past and present Professors of Comparative Education. I would particularly like to thank Professor Brian Holmes for his unique Ph.D. seminars in Comparative Education, which kept us intellectually involved in world patterns of education and changing events in this field. I am also grateful for the experiences provided in the World, European, and British Conferences in Comparative Education held at regular intervals at home and abroad. I thank Professor Guy Neave of Comparative Education in DICE, for the understanding and kindness he has shown to me. 5 Further I wish to extend my thanks to the gracious library staff for their continued help, particularly the staff members on the third floor - Comparative Education. I thank also the efficient lady secretaries, particularly of the Comparative Education Department. My grateful thanks go to Mr. Derek Hollingworth, Student Tutor at the Institute of Education, for his wise and steady support and guidance which carried me through a dark period of this work. At this point I humbly acknowledge the Power and Grace that exists above. I have survived and completed my task. And particularly I wish to thank my family at home, i.e. my Mother, my sisters and brother, for their support and patience, during my study in London. My thanks also go to my Teachers and Staff of my Sacred Heart School, for standing by me, and carrying on the good work in my absence. I also wish to acknowledge the Reserve Bank of India for the Permits to transfer the necessary funds in order to carry on my study at the University of London, for most of my time here. Finally I thank all the companions and friends with me during this period of my Research. 6 CONTENTS. PAGE TITLE 1 ABSTRACT 2 DEDICATION 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 5 CONTENTS 7 CHAPTER I. Introduction To Thesis. 8 CHAPTER II. The Development Problem: Models Of Development. 28 CHAPTER III. The Role Of Education In Development. 77 CHAPTER IV. The Role And Relevance Of Curriculum In Education.112 CHAPTER V. The Relevance Of Curriculum: Historical Development and the Education Commissions. 152 CHAPTER VI. The Relevance Of Curriculum: Current Policies. 221 CHAPTER VII. The Relevance Of Curriculum: Current Experimental Innovations And Practices. 289 CHAPTER VIII. Summary and Conclusions. 373 BIBLIOGRAPHY. 414 7 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. THE RELEVANCE OF CURRICULUM TO SOCIOECONOMIC NEEDS: A CASE STUDY OF INDIA. This thesis is an analysis of the relevance of curriculum to socio-economic needs in India with the stress on school curriculum. This analysis includes an assessment of the historically important debates, Education Commissions, and international influences on Indian school curriculum; and an assessment of contemporary curriculum practice; and important recent curriculum innovations. To proceed with the first issue it is necessary to generate some view of what relevance is, that is, it is necessary to identify a view or views of what the socio-economic needs of India are, what the role of education can be, and how curriculum might contribute to development. To approach and analyse this question a classical Indian definition of the development problem and education is presented from the Education Commission 1964/1966 popularly known as the Kothari Commission Report (KCR), after the name of its Chairman. The theoretical position adopted by this Commission is 'modernization', towards a socialistic state, though this is not clearly stated. The Kothari Commission offers a relatively simple specification of concrete socio-economic problems and identifies a relatively specific set of educational policies which if followed will lead to development. Thus for the Kothari Commision, the reformative power of education is very high; it is part of the solution to Indian problems of development once the curriculum is changed from a borrowed western traditional model, to one that is 8 indigenous and relevant to the life needs and aspirations of the people. This definition of the theory position of socio-economic problems in India and educational policy recommendations from the KCR are analysed within the framework of the 'Dependent Society' pattern based in the theory of economic dependency as offered by Bill Williamson in his Education, Social Structure and Development.[1]. The various problems in education and development are specifically reviewed and analysed in terms of relevance, equality and balance, as discussed by Williamson. This leads on to some contrast and comparison of theory positions adopted by the KCR and by Bill Williamson in his contemporary English interpretation of the development problem and education. The Indian review and analysis also simultaneously investigates whether the Indian educational pattern fits within Williamson's "Dependent Society" pattern or not, and to what degree and extent if it does. Such an investigation in its Conclusion, throws new light or confirms recent views on the 'dependency theory' as related to education in developing countries. In comparison to the KCR's relatively simple specification of concrete socio-economic problems, Williamson has offered a more theoretically complex analysis of social reproduction, political mobilization, and socialist and capitalist relations of production. His model, offered for comparative study of societies and education is built on the differences between capitalist and socialist thought, and the degree to which these systems influence a society. 9 The Williamson 'Dependent Society' pattern identified above as the framework for investigation and analysis of the educational and socio-economic scene in India, is one of the four societies named in his model. For both the Kothari Commission and Williamson, western forms of education transplanted into developing societies, are part of the problem of development. It is against these different theoretical positions and some account of the contemporary socio-economic condition of India that the distribution of education, the content of education at the school level and important curriculum innovations in contemporary India are assessed. The evidence used in the analysis is documentary and not empirical. The analytic propositions are of three kinds: the Kothari Commision and the writings of Williamson understood as statements of theory; the Kothari Commision and more importantly for the contemporary scene, a range of national and international Reports and secondary literature for a description of the socio- economic condition of India; and a wide range of secondary literature for the educational analysis. Thus the thesis falls into two parts. In the first part the theoretical basis of the thesis is established especially in terms of contrasting propositions about the relationship of education and development; as this part proceeds the focus of analysis narrows until the final focus is on the significance of curriculum.
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