A highly-respected educationist, professor Ramesh Panse has worked extensively in the field of education — 23 years as a professor of Economics at Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) university, and later with social workers Anutai Wagh and Tarabai Modak.
Founder-trustee of voluntary organisation Grammangal which has been working in education in Adivasi areas, Panse has dedicated his life to social work.
Having closely observed the Mulyavardhan programme, he said that it is based on scientific principles. “Since values can be imparted effectively only when children are small, this programme begins at Class 1. I wish it would have begun even earlier, say at the kindergarten stage. The second principle is that of cooperative learning, meaning that children learn effectively when they are together with children of their own age. The third principle which is very important is that learning by doing is more effective than learning by listening. These three principles are the foundation of the programme,” he said
When children were asked which class they liked most, they said ‘Mulyavardhan’, according to Panse.
{{/usCountry}}When children were asked which class they liked most, they said ‘Mulyavardhan’, according to Panse.
{{/usCountry}}“My observation is that there is a vast improvement in zilla parishad schools. Under the programme, there is nothing that is ‘taught’ to students. They perform activities that are very interesting and the word ‘values’ does not figure anywhere.
“In my opinion, the programme weakens when the teacher goes back to teaching. The teacher should be even less than a facilitator. He should not poke his nose in what the children are doing. Teachers have to forget their method of teaching. Teachers are supposed to only help students who could not come to the Mulyavardhan class for any reason. They have to observe whether children are participating with joy.
“I feel that this programme is growing slowly, because teachers don’t change easily and while the government authorities are cooperating, the mindset change is yet to happen fully. I am fully supportive of the initiative,” he said.