US President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order to dismantle the Education Department, according to US media reports.
The order, which could be signed as soon as Thursday (Mar 6), would instruct the newly appointed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to dismantle the department as the administration seeks to shrink the federal government.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/right-man-at-the-right-time-world-reacts-after-trumps-you-are-dead-warning-to-hamas-8828584">'Right man at the right time': World reacts after Trump's 'you are DEAD' warning to Hamas</a>
According to a Wall Street Journal report, a draft of the executive order directs McMahon to &ldquo;take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Education Department&rdquo; based on &ldquo;the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.&rdquo;
Trump has expressed intentions of closing the department long before he assumed the office, as promised to decentralise education in the country during his campaign. He said that he would transfer the department&rsquo;s power to the state government.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-trump-cartoon-controversy-madras-hc-orders-centre-to-lift-ban-on-website-of-vikatan-8828304">Modi-Trump cartoon controversy: Madras HC orders Centre to lift ban on website of Vikatan</a>
<h2>Can Trump dismantle Education Department?</h2>
The US Department of Education was established in 1979 under former president Jimmy Carter. As per US law, the department cannot be dismantled without Congress passing an act with 60 votes in favour in the Senate.&nbsp;
However, like several other federal agencies, Trump&rsquo;s administration could dramatically cut the staff and programs in the Education Department.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-planning-something-new-gulf-of-america-map-in-oval-office-sparks-online-debate-8827967">Trump planning something new? 'Gulf of America' map in Oval Office sparks online debate</a>
Trump&rsquo;s threat to shut down the department has sparked outrage from Democrats, teachers' unions and many parents, who view it as an attack on the public education system.
At a Senate education committee hearing last month, McMahon said that &ldquo;the excessive consolidation of power&rdquo; in the US was damaging education.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-taking-this-matter-lightly-lesotho-over-trumps-remarks-during-congress-address-8828272">&lsquo;Not taking this matter lightly&rsquo;: Lesotho over Trump's remarks during Congress address</a>
&ldquo;So what's the remedy? Fund education freedom, not government,&rdquo; she said.
According to The Washington Post, McMahon and other officials have suggested transfer of some of the department&rsquo;s functions to other government agencies in an effort to dismantle it. Although this may lead to legal challenges.
(With inputs from agencies)

World | The order, which could be signed as soon as Thursday (Mar 6), would instruct the newly appointed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to dismantle the department as the administration seeks to shrink the federal government.

US President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order to dismantle the Education Department, according to US media reports. The order, which could be signed as soon as Thursday (Mar 6), would instruct the newly appointed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to dismantle the department as the administration seeks to shrink the federal government. Also read | 'Right man at the right time': World reacts after Trump's 'you are DEAD' warning to Hamas According to a Wall Street Journal report, a draft of the executive order directs McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Education Department” based on “the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.” Trump has expressed intentions of closing the department long before he assumed the office, as promised to decentralise education in the country during his campaign. He said that he would transfer the department’s power to the state government. Also read | Modi-Trump cartoon controversy: Madras HC orders Centre to lift ban on website of Vikatan Can Trump dismantle Education Department? The US Department of Education was established in 1979 under former president Jimmy Carter. As per US law, the department cannot be dismantled without Congress passing an act with 60 votes in favour in the Senate. However, like several other federal agencies, Trump’s administration could dramatically cut the staff and programs in the Education Department. Also read | Trump planning something new? 'Gulf of America' map in Oval Office sparks online debate Trump’s threat to shut down the department has sparked outrage from Democrats, teachers' unions and many parents, who view it as an attack on the public education system. At a Senate education committee hearing last month, McMahon said that “the excessive consolidation of power” in the US was damaging education. Also read | ‘Not taking this matter lightly’: Lesotho over Trump's remarks during Congress address “So what's the remedy? Fund education freedom, not government,” she said. According to The Washington Post, McMahon and other officials have suggested transfer of some of the department’s functions to other government agencies in an effort to dismantle it. Although this may lead to legal challenges. (With inputs from agencies)

Can Trump dismantle Education Department with executive order?

US President Trump has proposed closing the Department of Education, with Elon Musk set to review its expenditures. The duo aims to cut government spending and restructure several agencies. Musk has also suggested eliminating certain departments altogether.

Trump and  Musk plan education cuts, major government restructuring

India needs funds for education, but foreign funds come with strings attached. India's education system needs urgent reform and money.

This is a young country - a demographic jackpot. But no Indian university features among the top 100 in the world. It's not because of a lack of talent, but because of lack of capital.

India's education sector is starved of funds - major universities are still state-run and they depend on the government for cash.

In this budget, the government allocated Rs 99,300 crores to education - it sounds like a big sum, but it's not enough.

It was a modest increase from the previous budget, but academics say it won't fulfil the needs of educational institutions. That's where foreign players come in.

The entry of foreign universities can improve the system and make Indian universities more competitive, promote innovation and facilitate global academic cooperation.

But, how do you regulate such a setup? How do you make sure that foreign money doesn't influence Indian education?

That is the problem America is grappling with today. Since 2012, American colleges and universities reported more than 10 billion dollars in foreign assistance. In 2017, 91 institutions reported that they received more than one billion in gifts and contracts from foreign governments and non-government sources.

The money came from 105 countries. But, China has emerged as the biggest donor, now the Trump administration is cracking down. The initial probe suggests that the relationship between universities and foreign donors has evolved over time.

And the laws have simply failed to catch up as India opens its doors to foreign players, it must take lessons from America. A tight regulatory framework is needed to keep foreign investments in check.

The government should not leave academic research completely in the hands of private players, funding research critical to national development must remain a strategic priority.

Academic experts must be mobilised to review foreign grants, contracts, collaborations and affiliations. In the end, foreign funding must promote learning, academic autonomy and student engagement at universities.

India's campuses are centres of learning, free speech and debate, foreign funding should not be allowed to turn them into agenda pushers.

(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world) 
&nbsp;

India needs funds for education, but foreign funds come with strings attached. India's education system needs urgent reform and money. This is a young country - a demographic jackpot.

India needs funds for education, but foreign funds come with strings attached. India's education system needs urgent reform and money. This is a young country - a demographic jackpot. But no Indian university features among the top 100 in the world. It's not because of a lack of talent, but because of lack of capital. India's education sector is starved of funds - major universities are still state-run and they depend on the government for cash. In this budget, the government allocated Rs 99,300 crores to education - it sounds like a big sum, but it's not enough. It was a modest increase from the previous budget, but academics say it won't fulfil the needs of educational institutions. That's where foreign players come in. The entry of foreign universities can improve the system and make Indian universities more competitive, promote innovation and facilitate global academic cooperation. But, how do you regulate such a setup? How do you make sure that foreign money doesn't influence Indian education? That is the problem America is grappling with today. Since 2012, American colleges and universities reported more than 10 billion dollars in foreign assistance. In 2017, 91 institutions reported that they received more than one billion in gifts and contracts from foreign governments and non-government sources. The money came from 105 countries. But, China has emerged as the biggest donor, now the Trump administration is cracking down. The initial probe suggests that the relationship between universities and foreign donors has evolved over time. And the laws have simply failed to catch up as India opens its doors to foreign players, it must take lessons from America. A tight regulatory framework is needed to keep foreign investments in check. The government should not leave academic research completely in the hands of private players, funding research critical to national development must remain a strategic priority. Academic experts must be mobilised to review foreign grants, contracts, collaborations and affiliations. In the end, foreign funding must promote learning, academic autonomy and student engagement at universities. India's campuses are centres of learning, free speech and debate, foreign funding should not be allowed to turn them into agenda pushers. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION Edit: Foreign financial Influence in universities -  lessons for India

Serving a population of nearly 1.4 billion, the Indian education sector is huge. Addressing the needs of such a large, dispersed and diverse population has its own challenges.&nbsp;

While primary education has witnessed increasing penetration in India, it is higher education that needs our immediate attention. Higher education consists of vocational education, university education, &nbsp;technical and management education.&nbsp;

Vocational training refers to hands-on and practical training in specific career tracks, while university education entails students enrolling in general degree programmes at the undergraduate level. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs) are the best-known institutions in India offering undergraduate, post-graduate, and doctoral studies in various technical fields, while the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) and institutes like MDI, ISB, FORE, FMS and S P Jain are the best known for imparting management skills.

The greatest challenge the higher education sector is facing is quality and relevance. The 2019 edition of the India Skill Report, an annual survey and a joint initiative of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Association of Indian Universities (AIU), shows that only 36.4 per cent MBAs are considered employable!&nbsp;

The employability rate of engineering graduates is relatively better, but still at a low 57.1 per cent! The survey parameters include employability and a skill test.&nbsp;

Over 3,10,000 graduates across disciplines appeared for the test and were evaluated on various subjects, including English, critical thinking, numerical aptitude, domain knowledge, and behavioural competence.

Rampant over-expansion in some areas (such as engineering) and under-expansion in others has resulted in substandard institutions with low standards of curriculum and pedagogy.

Shrinking government budgetary allocation to education has led to a funding crunch in higher education in India. This has, in turn, resulted in the rapid and some would say, unplanned growth of private higher education.

These institutions finance themselves through donations, capitation fees, and high tuition fees. It means that quality private education is accessible only to a small percentage of the population that can afford it.

Some estimates put higher education enrollment rates (percentage of 18-23-year-olds in formal higher education) in high single digits! Enrollment rates are obviously higher in urban areas, implying therefore that rural enlisting is poor, as is gender disparity in enrollment.

The mushrooming of private institutions has led to a situation where degrees are awarded by unregulated or poorly-regulated entities. While regulatory authorities like the UGC and the AICTE have tried to crack down on institutions that are not accredited, students with limited awareness or recourse often fall prey to fly-by-night operators.

The management education sector has grown exponentially in the last few years on the back of demand for management graduates. Since ‘management’ is a relatively subjective topic, it’s small wonder that this field suffers considerably from poor quality institutions, instruction, and curriculum. The net result; low employability of MBA graduates.

Regulation is clearly one of the most important and urgent areas of reform. The present government has declared its intention of putting into place a single higher education regulator, a key recommendation by a number of committees that have examined the poor state of higher education in India.&nbsp;

Strengthening of the vocational education sector will help to open up opportunities for students who want to focus on their careers by building specific and relevant skill sets. The courses need to be affordable, targeted and up-to-date with industry needs.

As disruption takes root and makes present skill sets redundant, higher education needs to reinvent itself with current industry needs.&nbsp;

The rise of the IT sector has limited applicability to higher education. At the same time, course offerings also need to be broadened beyond just IT and engineering to cover areas such as liberal arts.

If India is to achieve its potential and place in the global economy, higher education will need to do a fair degree of heavy lifting. This will involve a renewed focus on curriculum and pedagogy, faculty abilities, research capabilities, industry partnerships, and infrastructure. The road is a long and hard one, but the destination holds a lot of promise. 
 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-higher-education-reforms-imperative-to-push-india-story-2792386">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Serving a population of nearly 1.4 billion, the Indian education sector is huge. Addressing the needs of such a large, dispersed and diverse population has its own challenges.

Serving a population of nearly 1.4 billion, the Indian education sector is huge. Addressing the needs of such a large, dispersed and diverse population has its own challenges. While primary education has witnessed increasing penetration in India, it is higher education that needs our immediate attention. Higher education consists of vocational education, university education, technical and management education. Vocational training refers to hands-on and practical training in specific career tracks, while university education entails students enrolling in general degree programmes at the undergraduate level. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs) are the best-known institutions in India offering undergraduate, post-graduate, and doctoral studies in various technical fields, while the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) and institutes like MDI, ISB, FORE, FMS and S P Jain are the best known for imparting management skills. The greatest challenge the higher education sector is facing is quality and relevance. The 2019 edition of the India Skill Report, an annual survey and a joint initiative of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Association of Indian Universities (AIU), shows that only 36.4 per cent MBAs are considered employable! The employability rate of engineering graduates is relatively better, but still at a low 57.1 per cent! The survey parameters include employability and a skill test. Over 3,10,000 graduates across disciplines appeared for the test and were evaluated on various subjects, including English, critical thinking, numerical aptitude, domain knowledge, and behavioural competence. Rampant over-expansion in some areas (such as engineering) and under-expansion in others has resulted in substandard institutions with low standards of curriculum and pedagogy. Shrinking government budgetary allocation to education has led to a funding crunch in higher education in India. This has, in turn, resulted in the rapid and some would say, unplanned growth of private higher education. These institutions finance themselves through donations, capitation fees, and high tuition fees. It means that quality private education is accessible only to a small percentage of the population that can afford it. Some estimates put higher education enrollment rates (percentage of 18-23-year-olds in formal higher education) in high single digits! Enrollment rates are obviously higher in urban areas, implying therefore that rural enlisting is poor, as is gender disparity in enrollment. The mushrooming of private institutions has led to a situation where degrees are awarded by unregulated or poorly-regulated entities. While regulatory authorities like the UGC and the AICTE have tried to crack down on institutions that are not accredited, students with limited awareness or recourse often fall prey to fly-by-night operators. The management education sector has grown exponentially in the last few years on the back of demand for management graduates. Since ‘management’ is a relatively subjective topic, it’s small wonder that this field suffers considerably from poor quality institutions, instruction, and curriculum. The net result; low employability of MBA graduates. Regulation is clearly one of the most important and urgent areas of reform. The present government has declared its intention of putting into place a single higher education regulator, a key recommendation by a number of committees that have examined the poor state of higher education in India. Strengthening of the vocational education sector will help to open up opportunities for students who want to focus on their careers by building specific and relevant skill sets. The courses need to be affordable, targeted and up-to-date with industry needs. As disruption takes root and makes present skill sets redundant, higher education needs to reinvent itself with current industry needs. The rise of the IT sector has limited applicability to higher education. At the same time, course offerings also need to be broadened beyond just IT and engineering to cover areas such as liberal arts. If India is to achieve its potential and place in the global economy, higher education will need to do a fair degree of heavy lifting. This will involve a renewed focus on curriculum and pedagogy, faculty abilities, research capabilities, industry partnerships, and infrastructure. The road is a long and hard one, but the destination holds a lot of promise. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Higher education reforms imperative to push India story

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Can Trump dismantle Education Department with executive order?

Trump and Musk plan education cuts, major government restructuring

WION Edit: Foreign financial Influence in universities - lessons for India

Higher education reforms imperative to push India story