3/21/2016

Privatesectoroverregulated,govtsectorundergoverned

Private sector over-regulated, govt sector undergoverned

undefined
undefined
http://www.educationinsider.net/detail_news.php?id=879

1/5

3/21/2016

Privatesectoroverregulated,govtsectorundergoverned

R C M Reddy, Managing Director and CEO of IL & FS Education and Technology

ServicesLimited,saysthatthecountryneedstointroducevocationaleducationin
ourschools
EIBureau
AsaformerIASofficer,howdoyouevaluateoureducationsystem?
Theproblemwithoureducationsystemisthatprivateeducationisoverregulated
and government education is undergoverned. Such a system is not only
inefficient but also results in inequitable quality, giving rise to differentiation in
employment opportunities, earning prospects and living conditions. The irony is
that the education system itself is perpetuating the socioeconomic imbalance in
oursocietyandconsolidatingthepoweroftheeliteclass.Iampersuadedbythe

2/5

3/21/2016

Privatesectoroverregulated,govtsectorundergoverned

oursocietyandconsolidatingthepoweroftheeliteclass.Iampersuadedbythe
argumentputforthbyDrAmartyaSeninhisbookDevelopmentasFreedom,and
perhaps we could do well to operationalise his approach to education. Dr Sen
believes that to view development traditionally in economic terms, as that of
growth of output per head is missing the point. Instead, he stresses that
education should help develop nonincome variables or human capability as
substantive freedoms to value and enhance the choices people have, since the
privilegetoexerciseindividualresponsibilityiscontingentonsocial,personaland
environmentalcircumstances.
Some basic problems are that the youth are not wellinformed about educational
choices, and most are in jobs not related to their field of study and lack onthe
jobtraining.OurIL&FSSkillsschoolcurriculumisdesignedtoinstilloradvance
skillcompetencyforemployability,leadingtoeconomicempowerment.AtIL&FS
Education,wehavetakenownershipoftheeducationtoemploymentchallenge.
What services do IL & FS Education and Technology Services offer
throughPPP?
IL&FSparticipationinPPPismainlyininfrastructureprojects.Wearethesocial
infrastructure arm of IL & FS, and PPP principles can also be applied to social
infrastructure,likeinfrastructureforeducationemploymentandemployabilityand
creationofmultistakeholderpartnerships.
While our PPP initiatives do not differ significantly from our other projects in
education,wehavelargescaleinvolvementunderPPPisinICTinfrastructure.We
are partnering with governments for providing technology solutions in 20,000
government schools in 20 states. We are also engaged in PPP in school
infrastructure by upgrading and creating childfriendly school facilities. Now we
arepreparingtosetupandoperateourPPPschoolsinK12educationbothunder
theCentralmodelschoolsschemeandinsomestatesaswell.
Largely, our services in school education include technologydriven mobile
platforms, digital content, curriculum resources and teacher training. We have
patented the KYan, a Webenabled portable computer designed for education,

3/5

3/21/2016

Privatesectoroverregulated,govtsectorundergoverned

patented the KYan, a Webenabled portable computer designed for education,

whichprovidesamobilesmartclassroom,preloadedwitheducationalcontentand
canbeusedeffectivelytoimpartlearningatmultipleclassroomlevels.TheKYan
has enabled us to deploy technology to increase access to education especially in
remote locations. Through our education programmes and services, we are
working with 30,000 schools across the country, impacting over 10 million
children. We have trained over 4 lakh teachers in the country in pedagogy,
technology,sociologyandmanagementoftheteachinglearningprocess.
Leveragingourexperienceineducation,wearebyfarthelargestinskillstraining
foremployability.WearerunningIL&FSSkillsschoolsinpartnershipwithNSDC
for skills development. We operate in 26 sectors, with a success rate of 90%
placement. Our target segment for skilling ranges from the bottom of the
pyramid, that is, school dropouts and passouts to graduates all of whom we
traininour350skillcentresacrossthecountry.
WhatareyourviewsonPPPineducationinIndia?
While there are some schools under PPP in the country, they depend on
philanthropylikeAdoptaSchoolprogrammeoraidedschools.But,modelswhich
encouragefinancialviabilityoftheschoolareyettotakeoff.Eveninternationally,
PPP in education in the real sense has been a challenge. MHRD has initiated a
scheme,butitisyettocommence.
Perhapswearefocusingtoomuchonwhowillpay?Instead,letustiltthedebate
to how can we secure the interest of mass education? Who will pay and how
muchwillbepaidwillemergefromthis.WehaveevaluatedseveralmodelsofPPP
in India and internationally, and have structured a sustainable framework for a
winwin partnership which secures the interests of both the government and the
private partner. The government needs to make PPP projects relevant and
attractive for private partners. Measures such as longterm transparent contracts
and appropriate risk and reward sharing between government and the private
partnerareamust.
Shortterm financing generally comes at a high cost, and, in ICT projects, the

4/5

3/21/2016

Privatesectoroverregulated,govtsectorundergoverned

Shortterm financing generally comes at a high cost, and, in ICT projects, the
entire risk is borne by the private partner. Unlike other infrastructure projects
where although the capital investment is very high but there is assured revenue
through user fees, in social infrastructure projects like in education, upfront
capital investment, low returns and shortterm tenure of contracts make this
unattractivetolenders/investors.
Howeffectivelyareyouusingthelatesttechnologiesineducation?
We believe that a cookiecutter approach to technology does not work we use
appropriate technology for every application. Just because there is a new
technology product available does not make it appropriate in every education
situation, and we try to avoid pushing technology for the sake of technology.
Latest technology means something very different to a private school in a metro
as compared to a government school in the interiors of Jharkhand, for instance.
Thatsaid,wedohaveanR&Dunitthatisconstantlyworkingonnewadvancesin
technologyineducation,soweareawareofwhatisnewandupdatedandwecan
seehowitfitsintoourvarioussolutions.Weusenotonlyvarioustechnologyaids
for our education solution but also our own awardwinning product, the KYan,
which undergoes constant improvement based on the latest technological
advances relevant in the education space. It allows any wall to be used as an
interactivesurface,and,combinedwithourdigitalcontent,itturnsanyroominto
aclassroom.IntheITspacespecifically,wearelookingatdevelopingCloudbased
solutions/applications for the education sector to make a shift towards anytime
anywhereaccesstotheservicesfortheteacherandlearner.

2014CopyrightEducationInsider.AllRightsreserved.

5/5