Population education essay

Definition “ Population Education or population awareness refers to factual knowledge about population dynamics required to understand the nature and magnitude of the burden imposed by rapid population growth” Aims and objectives of population education? Population Education is one of the upcoming educational innovations in the world.

It has a relatively short history. The first national seminar on Population Education was held in Mumbai in 1969. Now the inevitable question arises that what this Population Education is. First of all I have to confess that it is not at all an easy task to define Population Education. Several experts have attempted various definitions of Population Education but a universally accepted definition is yet to be found. The Regional Seminar on Population and Family life Education, UNESCO, Bangkok, 1970 defines: “ It is an educational program which provides for a study of population situation in family, community, nation and the world, with the purpose of developing in the students, rational and responsible attitudes and behavior towards that situation.

According to Prof. Noel David Burleson: “ Population Education or population awareness refers to factual knowledge about population dynamics required to understand the nature and magnitude of the burden imposed by rapid population growth. ” Now taking the help of the above opinions it may be summed up: Population Education is an exploration of knowledge and attitudes about population, family living, reproductive education and basic values.

This means educating the students about the large and ever-increasing population and the problems which this population creates. Objectives are considered as prime necessities in each and every type of educational policy. Unless the objectives are specific and practical no definite program of education can be laid down. Likewise, Population Education necessitates spelling out objectives for its teaching. The policy level objectives of Population Education emphasizes on developing methodologies by influencing the young through schools and the adults through other educational agencies. It undertakes different educational programs, methods of teaching, curricular and co-curricular activities for school goers and out of schools.

Population Education aims at developing the understanding of demographic situation of the population growth. This program helps the learners to understand the population growth in different stages. It also facilitates to understand different causes in the rise and fall of the rate of population growth. Another objective of Population Education is developing an understanding of the influence of population growth on social, political, economic and cultural life of individuals. It enables the learners to understand the serious effects of population growth on vitality of our economic life. The motto of Population Education is to create an understanding of scientific and medicinal growth and advancement. Different programs of Population Education make the learners aware of the contribution of medical sciences and technological development towards the human lives.

Another important objective of population education is to develop an understanding of the evil effects of over population on the environment and the dangers from pollution. The purpose is to make an acquaintance with the effects of population growth on air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, thermal pollution, radioactive pollution, food and soil pollution, etc. Developing the understanding of the rapid growth of population and its multidimensional causes is another objective of this educational program. It not only formulates educational strategies but also roots out different causes of population growth. Population Education enables the learners to have an appreciation of the relationship between population size and the quality of life. Unchecked population growth creates economic problems and political tensions. Besides the above objectives this educational program creates an appreciation of the relationship between small size family and its good effect on the preservation of health of the mother and the welfare of the children. It also helps the learners to understand that the family size is controllable and population limitation can facilitate the development of a higher quality of life.

The objectives mentioned in this article are more or less suggestive. The interaction among the various facts of the population dynamics is such that it is not possible to encircle them with a defined border. These objectives merely outline an operational framework of Population Education. Population Education and Its Objectives It is an article on definition and objectives of Population Education. Population Education is one of the upcoming educational innovations in the world.

It has a relatively short history. The first national seminar on Population Education was held in Mumbai in 1969. Now the inevitable question arises that what this Population Education is. First of all I have to confess that it is not at all an easy task to define Population Education. Several experts have attempted various definitions of Population Education but a universally accepted definition is yet to be found. The Regional Seminar on Population and Family life Education, UNESCO, Bangkok, 1970 defines: “ It is an educational program which provides for a study of population situation in family, community, nation and the world, with the purpose of developing in the students, rational and responsible attitudes and behavior towards that situation. According to Prof.

Noel David Burleson: “ Population Education or population awareness refers to factual knowledge about population dynamics required to understand the nature and magnitude of the burden imposed by rapid population growth. ” Now taking the help of the above opinions it may be summed up: Population Education is an exploration of knowledge and attitudes about population, family living, reproductive education and basic values. This means educating the students about the large and ever-increasing population and the problems which this population creates. Objectives are considered as prime necessities in each and every type of educational policy. Unless the objectives are specific and practical no definite program of education can be laid down. Likewise, Population Education necessitates spelling out objectives for its teaching.

The policy level objectives of Population Education emphasizes on developing methodologies by influencing the young through schools and the adults through other educational agencies. It undertakes different educational programs, methods of teaching, curricular and co-curricular activities for school goers and out of schools. Population Education aims at developing the understanding of demographic situation of the population growth. This program helps the learners to understand the population growth in different stages. It also facilitates to understand different causes in the rise and fall of the rate of population growth. Another objective of Population Education is developing an understanding of the influence of population growth on social, political, economic and cultural life of individuals. It enables the learners to understand the serious effects of population growth on vitality of our economic life.

The motto of Population Education is to create an understanding of scientific and medicinal growth and advancement. Different programs of Population Education make the learners aware of the contribution of medical sciences and technological development towards the human lives. Another important objective of population education is to develop an understanding of the evil effects of over population on the environment and the dangers from pollution.

The purpose is to make an acquaintance with the effects of population growth on air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, thermal pollution, radioactive pollution, food and soil pollution, etc. Developing the understanding of the rapid growth of population and its multidimensional causes is another objective of this educational program. It not only formulates educational strategies but also roots out different causes of population growth. Population Education enables the learners to have an appreciation of the relationship between population size and the quality of life.

Unchecked population growth creates economic problems and political tensions. Besides the above objectives this educational program creates an appreciation of the relationship between small size family and its good effect on the preservation of health of the mother and the welfare of the children. It also helps the learners to understand that the family size is controllable and population limitation can facilitate the development of a higher quality of life.

The objectives mentioned in this article are more or less suggestive. The interaction among the various facts of the population dynamics is such that it is not possible to encircle them with a defined border. These objectives merely outline an operational framework of Population Education. Preface Over-population has been one of the burning problems in India. Efforts have been made by the Government to solve the problem through various health measures. But it is still a “ huge challenge” as has been visualised in UN Report on the State of the World Population (1997). Hence a sustainable, equitable and vital balance between human numbers and available resources is to be maintained. The Report clearly states that for population control the freedom of choice has to be left to individuals.

UNFPA Director Nafis Sadik endorses the view saying that, “ There is only one acceptable way to slow population growth and that is through freedom of choice. That means paying close attention to individual needs, reproductive health, education and equality between women and men. In the above perspective, alongwith other efforts, ‘ Population Education’ as an educational innovation being experimented in India since early 70’s can play a potential role in addressing population problem. Realising its importance, Modified NPE, 1992 states, “ Population Education must be viewed as an important part of nations’ strategy to contain the growth of population. ” Although being such an important field, not much literature is available.

One has not come across a book which covers all the aspects of the area. Moreover, the concept of Population Education itself has been changing frequently as a result of changes in the perception of population phenomenon and its relationships with development variable, requiring a fresh look on the subject. Keeping the above points in mind, an effort has been made in this book ‘ Population Education: Content and Methodology’ to cover the recent trends and issues relating to the content and methodology of Population Education.

The present work was planned in consultation with experts who know the nerves of the field. Two workshops were organised for development of the outline and guidelines for writing the book. My special thanks are due to the authors of various chapters and also to the Reviewers of the chapters namely Prof. J. L.

Pandey, Prof. Aslam Mahmood and Prof R. S. Khan. The book would not have come in the present shape without wholehearted cooperation extended by Prof. J. L.

Pandey, National Coordinator, Population Education Project, at every stage of the development of the book. Women’s education Women have much lower literacy rate than men. Far fewer girls are enrolled in the schools, and many of them drop out. [62] According to a 1998 report by U.

S. Department of Commerce, the chief barrier to female education in India are inadequate school facilities (such as sanitary facilities), shortage of female teachers and gender bias in curriculum (majority of the female characters being depicted as weak and helpless). [63] Conservative cultural attitudes, especially among Muslims, prevents some girls from attending school. [64]The number of literate women among the female population of India was between 2-6% from the British Raj onwards to the formation of the Republic of India in 1947. [65] Concerted efforts led to improvement from 15. 3% in 1961 to 28. % in 1981.

[65] By 2001 literacy for women had exceeded 50% of the overall female population, though these statistics were still very low compared to world standards and even male literacy within India. [66] Recently the Indian government has launched Saakshar Bharat Mission for Female Literacy. This mission aims to bring down female illiteracy by half of its present level. Sita Anantha Raman outlines the progress of women’s education in India: Since 1947 the Indian government has tried to provide incentives for girls’ school attendance through programs for midday meals, free books, and uniforms. This welfare thrust raised primary enrollment between 1951 and 1981. In 1986 the National Policy on Education decided to restructure education in tune with the social framework of each state, and with larger national goals. It emphasized that education was necessary for democracy, and central to the improvement of women’s condition. The new policy aimed at social change through revised texts, curricula, increased funding for schools, expansion in the numbers of schools, and policy improvements.

Emphasis was placed on expanding girls’ occupational centers and primary education; secondary and higher education; and rural and urban institutions. The report tried to connect problems like low school attendance with poverty, and the dependence on girls for housework and sibling day care. The National Literacy Mission also worked through female tutors in villages.

Although the minimum marriage age is now eighteen for girls, many continue to be married much earlier. Therefore, at the secondary level, female dropout rates are high. [67] Sita Anantha Raman also maintains that while the educated Indian women workforce maintains professionalism, the men outnumber them in most fields and, in some cases, receive higher income for the same positions. [67]