How Does the Union Budget for 2014-15 Affect Education?

Image courtesy: bit.ly/1yvyJFT

In the Union Budget for 2014-15, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley covered almost every aspect of the education sector including education for girls; reforming University Grants Commission (UGC) into Higher Education Commission; establishing National Multi-Skill Mission and even developing online learning in the country.

How Budget Affects Education

The education sectors was allocated a total of Rs.68,728 crore for 2014-15. This is an 11.1 per cent increase from the revised budget estimate in 2013-14 which was at Rs.61,857 crore. From the overall allocation, Rs.51,828 crore is for the school sector, which is a 9.9 per cent rise from the 2013-14 revised budget estimate. The higher education sector saw an increase of 14.98 per cent from the previous year and was allocated a total of Rs.16,900 crore.

“World Class” Learning Centres

The major portion of the higher education budget, amounting to Rs.7,138.97 crore, was kept aside for technical education including the IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) and the IITs (Indian Institutes of technology). Jaitley said, “The country needs a large number of centres of higher learning which are world class.”

The Finance Minister also proposed to establish 5 more IIMs (in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Odisha) and 5 more IITs (in Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh). For the current fiscal year, these 10 proposed institutes were allotted a sum of Rs.500 crore. After the completion of the project, the nation will have 21 IITs and 18 IIMs.

Training Our Teachers

Image Courtesy: bit.ly/1rtfJVm

The Union Budget for 2014-15 also proposed to initiate a school assessment programme which plans to incorporate latest training tools; while another scheme, the Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya New Teachers Training Programme, was also proposed for teacher training and development of education. Arun Jaitley allotted Rs.500 crore particularly for this initiative.

Union Budget and Online Learning

The budget also focused on the need for developing online education and providing proper infrastructure so that students from every part of the country can access e-Learning programmes. The government will set aside Rs 500 crore for the Digital India Programme which will make sure that broadband connectivity is available throughout the nation, even at the village level.

The Government of India aims to use online learning tools to expand the reach of education so that students from deprived classes and from remote areas can also get access to educational resources. Several Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are already being offered to the students nationwide. This has resulted in the development of a new learning model which makes the use of various online platforms.

Supporting Online Education

Image Courtesy: bit.ly/1ss7Xhl

The Government has also implemented various initiatives that will encourage students to enrol in web-based distance learning programmes. It has also provided funding to a number of universities and colleges under the NMEICT (National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology) for offering tablets to learners at subsidised rates.

The Union Budget for 2014-15 will surely provide support to education experts and stakeholders so that the online learning sector can progress further in the nation. Different colleges and reputed online institutes are now striving to offer personalised online learning solutions for the betterment of education. These online programmes aim to help students from different part of the country to gain essential skills and build their careers.

What Do You Think?

How do you think the Union Budget for 2014-15 will affect education? Can online learning modes truly help students in remote areas to access accredited higher education programmes?

Astounding Growth in Enrollment for Online Schools

Online education has become one of the most preferred ways of acquiring a degree for many students across the globe. It has grown impressively over the past few years and has gained popularity among students, stay-at-home adults, working professionals and others. Many renowned academic institutions and colleges around the United States are striving hard to cope with the constant growth in student enrollment in accredited courses online.

As students can access the assignments and lectures according to their own convenience, online learning is proving to be more advantageous for the students as it does not conflict with their personal and work schedules. Hence increasing numbers of students are now opting for online courses. Moreover, with the changing times, the perception of employer’s towards online degrees have also changed significantly as most of these graduates are being offered better jobs with higher pay.

Integration of Online Learning in K-12 schools

Even K-12 schools are now implementing modern technology to develop their process for knowledge delivery. With the growth of web-based learning, several K-12 schools are currently focused on providing effective and affordable learning solutions to its students. The immense popularity of web-based education has significantly helped in developing numerous online learning processes. Currently, the demand for mobile learning and blended learning models is also growing rapidly. K12 schools across the U.S. are trying to fit in modern technology and open content to attain excellent results. Presently, these schools are aiming to include competency-based learning processes so that they can reach out to more students and deliver a better learning experience.

Growth in Enrollment

According to the 2013 Outlook for the Growth and Demand of Online Education published by OnlineSchool.com, most of the leading universities and colleges have experienced an astonishing increase in student enrollments for online school certification courses and degree courses. Over the last few years, higher education colleges have reported around 25 percent rise in online enrollment, as reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Although most experts were apprehensive about online learning and claimed that its growth would certainly come to a halt, the current scenario strongly contradicts their claims. It also challenges the annual survey results from 2500 universities and colleges, conducted by the Sloan Consortium and the Babson Survey Research Group.

The initial boom in the numbers of online enrollment was ascribed to the 2008 recession as the job market became extremely competitive and there was a high demand for professionals with bachelor’s or master's degrees. However, even after the economy recouped the popularity of online learning continued to increase and it is expected that enrollment of e-learning students will escalate further this year. Many reputed colleges and universities are now incorporating online courses in their programs to improve their sustainability in the technologically enhanced domain of higher education.

Moreover many educators and faculty members of colleges are now recognizing online learning as same as or even better than conventional classroom learning. As new platforms, applications and software are being incessantly developed to offer better learning tools to the students, most teachers are realizing the true value of digital and web-based learning.

Enrollment for 2014–2015 School Year

Various schools throughout Washington are now accepting applications from students for the 2014-2015 school year for different online programs. Enrollment for grades K–12 for the 2014–2015 school year has now started in schools like iQ Academy-Washington, Insight School of Washington and Washington Virtual Academy.

Washington Virtual Academy is offering both full-time online courses and part-time online courses; while iQ Academy-Washington and Insight School of Washington are offering only full-time online programs. All the three schools are reputed online public schools and these provide effective offline and online instructions. Moreover the schools also include teachers certified by the state and incorporate mastery-based curriculum.

Students across the state can apply to the tuition-free programs in each school. The online schools are offering advanced learner programs, core subjects and electives and the students can develop themselves with an Individualized Learning Plan. These institutes also offer adequate opportunities for socialization like field trips, community-based projects and clubs.

• iQ Academy-Washington

It is an online public middle school and high school in Washington. The school, a program of the Evergreen School District, aims to provide its students with the required technical skills and educational tools for succeeding in their careers through an independent learning setting. The full-time online courses are accessible to students across the state in grades 6 to 12. The iQ Academy offers the students individualized support that is needed for their success.

• Insight School of Washington

Insight School of Washington is a statewide online school that offers tuition-free full-time courses. It facilitates their students to reach their true potential through personalized attention and instruction. The school, certified by the Quillayute Valley School District, also helps the students in grades 9 to 12 and their families to cope with the various challenges in learning in a very supportive manner. This accredited educational institute aims to support struggling individuals by providing them an alternative means of learning and developing themselves for graduation and further studies.

• Washington Virtual Academy

Washington Virtual Academy is an online public school that offers tuition-free full-time and part-time courses in grades K-12 that can be accessed by students statewide. It has a comprehensive program, state-certified teachers and a supportive school community which helps the students to prepare for college and a better career after graduation. The institute offers various interesting courses that allow the students to acquire college credit while they are still in high school. The Advanced Learner Program is also beneficial for the students.

Families in Washington are invited to find out more information related to the online programs offered by these schools by signing up for online or in-person information sessions which have been scheduled throughout the state during the spring and summer.

Why should a student opt for online education today?

“I spent an entire lump sum in earning a degree, but I didn’t manage to get a job”. You often come across such statements from students who end up spending loads of cash behind a college degree and thereafter fall prey to unemployment. So, what avenues are open for them right now that can let them qualify for esteemed jobs? Or is it the skills gap that stands answerable for unemployment, as per experts?

According to Robert Damon, the executive chairman of Kon Ferry, “Online classes offer a great opportunity for people to enhance their skill set... A lot of tech skills can be acquired online and at night, giving workers the flexibility to work, raise families and continue their education.”

Well, the idea is simple and straight. Of course a college degree is important; but what’s crucial is discovering different ways of earning it. Online learning therefore in this context can help students remain exposed to new learning styles and in the process, they can even eliminate the price tag of a degree.

Now, let’s find out what the High Fliers Research Team has to say in regard to the graduate recruitment market in the United Kingdom:

• Talking about 2014, this is indeed an incredible year that has been strongly predicted to make world class employers pay attention to a huge number of graduates. Also, there will be around 8.7% more entry-level vacancies in comparison to the previous year.
• Employers in at least 11 out of 13 top industries will be looking forward to hire graduates, which was not the scenario previous year
• In sectors like accounting, retailing, engineering and other public sector companies, there will be a massive growth in vacancies
• Starting salaries for graduates in 2014 as per UK’s leading employers has been predicted to remain unchanged for an unprecedented 5^th year, at an average of £29,000
• More promotions have been found to be made through skills training, social media, career fairs, recruitment presentations and university career services
• The 1st-year undergraduates will also be provided opportunities for bagging considerable work experiences by employers

Well, it’s pretty clear from these findings that the employment prospects in the United Kingdom are on the rise, and 2014 is going to be an amazing year for graduates. The UK universities on the other hand are also bringing online courses for students and working professionals to complete higher studies as per their own convenience. Furthermore, where online courses are available for people of all ages that can let one identify the right career path, there are valid reasons for one to opt for this amazing mode of learning.