Background

INTRODUCTION:

Under the generic project name UDYOG SADHANA (Development Education Programmes) DEIS, in collaboration with several national and international agencies, has experimented and researched Entrepreneurship for unemployed youth during the period 1986 to 2000.

One of the learning points was that number of youth that can be alleviated from 'poverty' and 'unemployment' through conventional grass-root work is miniscule as compared to the larger number of 'unemployables' and 'unemployed' that are resulting from the current Human Development systems.

Hence, it was considered exigent to take entrepreneurship development to younger ages and to school level to achieve 'Poverty Prevention' through inculcation of 'Enterprise Aptitudes' as a part of the education.

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH:

For this purpose from 1999 onwards DEIS also researched the ENTERPRISE EDUCATION at school level in countries of Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, UK, Netherlands.An important outcome of the research is that in all these countries ENTERPRISE EDUCATION commences as early as 5 years age of the child. And by the time the child becomes a youth, he has already got 'experiential learning' of running small enterprises either as an individual or as a team. It is best , of course, if the ENTERPRISE EDUCATION is a supplement to Vocational Education and/or usual curricular education.

It is not expected that every student who passes out of the school starts his own enterprise immediately, but this "skill set" like other basic skill sets of language , mathematics etc. remains with him to be utilized either as an 'intrapreneur' in his employment or as an 'entrepreneur' in his own enterprise at some point of life.

A BASIC LITERACY:

ENTERPRISE EDUCATION is like a basic literacy of the three R's of Read, Write and Numeric. Only the three R's of ENTERPRISE EDUCATION are slightly improvised to mean:

  • First R is for ability to 'Read Minds' - minds of customers, peers, employees and others so as to harness them into a productive goal.

  • Second R is for ability to 'Write Plans' - Plans of Marketing, Design, Production , Finance, Business etc.

  • Third R is 'Numeric skills' for a profitable enterprise.

The learning experiences of this were later transformed by DEIS into syllabi and course material of ENTERPRISE EDUCATION (EE) for school level and youth. The latter was extensively tried out under a UNDP sponsored project in countries of Morocco, Algeria, Sudan i.e. the Arab Region. The course material was also extensively tried out in India during 2002 to 2006 in various schools and at Maha Bank Self Employment Training Institute, MSETI, Pune.

ACHIEVEMENTS:

  1. His Excellency, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Hon. President of India appreciated the EE research of DEIS in a personal audience given to trustees on 1 st . February 2005. This has inspired DEIS to continue its research for nation building and one of the offering in this is web portal. Please visit this URL for details.

  2. www.deispune.org

  3. Subsequently,the Ministry of Human Resource Development, MHRD, Govt. of India, had accepted our ENTERPRISE EDUCATION FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS as 'National Resource Material' and uploaded it on the www.sakshat.ac.in. His Excellency , Late Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Hon. President of India inaugurated the MHRD portal on 30 October 2006 in New Delhi.

  4. Maharashtra Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Government of Maharashtra has formally accepted ENTERPRISE EDUCATION into its syllabus of a subject called 'Personality Development'.DEIS has written the curriculum and text Books for the 9th and 10th Standards and the teaching was given in the years 2007-2008 in all schools of Maharashtra.

  5. PSS Central Institute of Vocational Education, National Council of Education Research and Training, Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India, have officially included the recommendations of DEIS into their 'GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF WORK EDUCATION PROGRAMME IN SCHOOLS' in November 2003.

  6. Under a UNDP-DST project the material was capsuled in 2003 in modules suitable for secondary/vocational level.

CURRENT EMPLOYMENT / UNEMPLOYMENT SCENARIO IN INDIA:

Currently a huge number of children , some 17 million or thereabout , enter the school going age every year in India. The Human Development Education System prepares , very well, a small number of youth with the skill set required for getting employment in ORGANISED SECTOR. Per data of 2000, the latter provides employment for only about 4 lakhs or thereabout per year.

One thing noticed is that over 75 % of those who enter school, as children ,tend to leave school by the time they reach Secondary/Higher Secondary level. These youth do not find employment in the 'Organised Sector' and also they remain clueless about alternative economic careers like self employment, small enterprise etc.

DEIS RESEARCH:

DEIS then made some preliminary analysis of the Human Brain and its functions . It identified some areas of Brain Function that need to be thoughtfully developed to make the person have 'Enterprise Concepts and Skills'. DEIS also adapted its international research and training and A 'Proposed HRD Efforts in the country' was then drawn up as DEIS's wish.

Please visit these URL for graphic presentation of this:

https://sites.google.com/site/deispuneindia/unemployment

https://sites.google.com/site/deispuneindia/education-brain

http://www.deispune.org/proposed hrd.htm

ENTERPRISING PERSON:

While there are many definitions possible, a partial answer , for economic sectors , could be:

An enterprising person is one who recognises his own potential viz, the resources around him/her, and with an original approach adds value to the resources to convert them into products or services, for a profitable economic exchange. Enterprising persons are required in all walks of society.

WHY ENTERPRISE EDUCATION:

Enterprise Education is required because:

  • Enterprising young people are an asset to the nation.

  • Through enterprise education, students and youth will develop alternative options of economic careers.

  • Enterprise Education would enhance the personality of youth.

  • Enterprise Education would prepare the young population to face economic uncertainties of life.

  • Enterprise Education would give youth a positive outlook of life and a positive belief in them selves.

WHY THE ENTERPRISE EDUCATION INTERACTIVE WEB PORTAL:

Based on the prestigious background, DEIS thought of improvising the Enterprise Education course materials. Under a current project titled: Enterprise Education and Development Project in India, EEDPI, the learning experience of Udyog Sadhana is being main streamed.

Hence DEIS decided to slowly develop ENTERPRISE EDUCATION for all levels.

  • Infancy,

  • Primary Level,

  • Upper Primary Level,

  • Secondary/Vocational Level,

  • College Level.

More importantly it was decided to make the Worksheets as interactive so that people across the length and breadth of India can be offered web-based coaching of ENTERPRISE EDUCATION. The limitation that the first effort is in English is noted. But it is expected that Teachers, Trainers , parents will also avail of the Interactive Portal and then act as catalysts to bring 'Enterprise Concepts and Skills' in their own families and environment.

It is hoped that other institutions, NGOs etc. will also find the portal useful and adapt the courses material into their regional languages.

REFERENCE MATERIAL:

The following is some of the international material referred for research and development of this Enterprise Education web portal :

  1. Education and Human Resources Development Systems in Different Countries from point of view of Enterprise Education

  2. By: Brig. P. V. Gole (Retd.), AVSM, Chairman, DEIS and Pradeep Wagh , Secretary General , DEIS

  3. A gist of the findings is available on website www.deispune.org under "Whats New" .

  4. Copy available on request from deispune@gmail.com

  5. Excellent Material is developed and practiced in New Zealand under the auspices of ENTERPRISE NEW ZEALAND TRUST.

  6. www.enzt.co.nz

  7. Material from Durham University Business School, UK

  8. ( copies available with DEIS, Pune ):

    1. PRIMARY ENTERPRISE : A Primary School Approach to Enterprise Education

    2. ENTERPRISE : An educational Resource for 14-19 year olds.

    3. ENTERPRISE IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING.

  9. Website for research:

  10. www.dur.ac.uk/dubs/

  11. Web-based Interactive Business Planner ( free access round the world) Of CANADIAN BUSINESS SERVICE CENTRE.

  12. www.cbsc.org

  13. Web-site of National Institute of Curriculum Development, The Netherlands.

  14. www.slo.nl

  15. Web-site of JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT INTERNATIONAL, JAI, USA.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR SUPPORT:

CREDIT TITLES OF THE WEB PORTAL TEAM:

  • Dr. Pradeep Wagh, Secretary General, DEIS (Pune), International Research and content

  • Mrs. Shaila Naik , content

  • Mr. Prafulla Chickerur, Translations

  • Mr. Shaikh Mukhtar Shafi, Multimedia Coordinator, DEIS (Pune)

  • Mr. Dhiraj Laddha, Web/Graphic Designer

  • Mr. Ravindra Chougule, Web Programmer

  • Mr. Anand Phatak, Pioneer eSolutions, Software Engineer

  • Mrs. Madhura Phatak, Activity designer

  • Mrs. Mayura Inamdar - Joshi, Assistance

DISCLAIMER:

This educational PORTAL is as good as the effort put in by the learner , and is meant to provide a learning experience only. The portal developers take no responsibility whatsoever for the outcome of the learning or the application it is put to.

FEEDBACK:

The Portal Developers are always open to feed-back and suggestions . All comments are welcome through the 'Contact Us' link.