NIOS : The Way Forward - The National Institute of Open Schooling

NIOS: The Way Forward / 61
material should be followed by evaluation and review which in turn should
lead to the development of next generation of material.
It is not possible for ODL institutions to employ full time faculty to handle a
large number of operations required for the development of curriculum, syllabi,
course material and for undertaking research development and training
activities. They have to solicit the involvement of experts associated with the
formal system to carry out the various tasks. Because of their long association
with the formal system, they are conditioned for doing things in a particular
way, but for doing things in a different manner for a separate system, they
need re-orientation to meet the demands of the other system. The experts
willing to contribute in various activities of ODL institutions should be empanelled
after they are oriented to the philosophy and methodology of ODL.
At present, the study centers are established in recognized secondary or senior
secondary schools. The Principal of the school functions as the Centre
Coordinator who nominates one of the teachers as assistant coordinator. The
coordinator and the assistant coordinator receive token monthly honorarium
from the ODL institution. The contact classes are taken by the teachers of the
school on holidays for which they are paid honorarium as per the norms of the
concerned open school. The available feedback suggest that in many cases
schools perceive the responsibility of running the study center as an
unnecessary burden as it adversely affect the normal functioning of the school.
Sometimes, many teachers are reluctant to attend the school on holidays,
specially when the admissible rate of honorarium is grossly inadequate.
A majority of teachers, because of their association with the formal system,
fail to appreciate the difference between the methodology of the two systems.
Thus, they teach the ODL learners in the same way they teach the learners of
the formal system. They must remember that the learners have been provided
the self learning material and their major responsibility during the Contact
Programme is to address their difficulties by adopting a variety of strategies.
The clarification and challenges of the ODLS, along with a necessary orientation
(mandated) will make the teachers of the formal system become also good
facilitators of learning in the Open Learning and by way of bonus, will also find
that this system has direct relevance for them in their formal system as well.
The existing policy of establishing study centers in the recognized secondary
schools needs to be reviewed. Private players may be given accreditation to
run study centers if they have adequate space, infrastructure, manpower and
other resources as per the norms and standards prescribed by the ODL
institutions. The norms may include (i) 3-4 classrooms, (ii) a well equipped
Computer Lab along with adequate facilities for online and offline learning by
students, (iii) a well-equipped library and (iv) necessary equipments and space
for video conferencing and regular use of audio video material. The norms
may be developed with the help of distance education experts and officially
notified by the concerned ODL institution. NIOS must also insure that profit is