ICT to Reaching the Unreached

          Though there is a phenomenal expansion of educational institutions and India's literacy rate has gone up to seventy percent, there are millions of people who never had an opportunity to learn. These unfortunate people include nomadic tribes, landless agricultural labourers, tribals living in hilly tracts, street children, adults and children living in remote islands and children with learning problems. These persons were till recently termed as unreachable. Now, with the aid of technology and enthusiastic social workers they have been reached by the National Open School, Indira Gandhi National Open University and State Open Universities.

Open Schools and Open Universities

Open learning system does not require any previous formal qualifying education. For entry, minimum age is prescribed. Any person can join these institutions after satisfying the minimum age rule and taken an entrance test.

          Courses offered relate to the needs or learners and learner groups could ask for new courses to meet their needs. Learners could choose the subjects of their preference and no group or combination of subjects are thrust upon them. Learners may or may not appear for the examinations held twice in a year Learners may appear for any subject or subjects, when they are ready for it Degrees, Diploma and Certificates are given to successful candidates in the annual convocation or by post.

          Learners are provided with printed self-learning materials (SLM). They could contact the nearest study centre for any academic help. Contact programmes are conducted regularly, though attendance required is minimal or optional.

          Open learning system encourages learners to learn by themselves, learn during their free time, choose subjects of their choice for study, select courses which will be useful in their career and above all derive satisfaction that they are enjoying something, which they missed as children or youth.

          Indira Gandhi National Open University  (IGNOU) and Tamilnadu Open University (TNOU) are offering numerous short term and long term courses and the fees are moderate IGNOU provides for both English and Hindi medium, while TNOU offers instruction and study materials in Tamil or English.

          England opened its first open university near London after second world war, which has inspired many nations to develop their own models of open learning system.

          Open universities have eased the pressure on  formal higher education. Many home makers, teachers, nurses, pensioners, job seekers and employees have availed of this opportunity to get a diploma or degree which they may not get now, but what they missed while young.

          Open Schools are helpful to scores of low paid employees to get the basic minimum qualification of Std. VIII, X or XII to enable them to complete for government or company jobs.

          To conclude, open schools and open universities have given a helping hand to the neglected sections of society. Both formal and nonformal education are expanding and even then the demand for quality education for all is yet to be realized. The concept of life long education has acquired a new dimension in the form of correspondence courses and open universities. They are paving the way for an egalitarian society. It is note worthy that in its document 'Learning to Be' UNESCO has commended open learning institutions.