HSTP - Hoshangabad Science Teaching Programme
The HSTP story began in early 1972, when a group of scientists, engineers, educationists and social activists formulated a vision of developing a model of school science teaching close to the ideal envisaged in various policy directives. The Department of Education, Government of Madhya Pradesh, permitted two non-governmental organisations, Friends Rural Centre (FRC), Rasulia, and Kishore Bharati (KB) to take up a pilot project in May 1972 in 16 middle schools spread over two blocks of Hoshangabad district.
The main objective of the project, which came to be known as the HSTP (Hoshangabad Science Teaching Programme), was to explore the extent to which innovative changes can be introduced within the framework of the government school system. To test this hypothesis, the HSTP undertook to investigate whether it would be feasible to introduce the ‘discovery’ approach to learning science in village schools in place of the traditional textbook-centred ‘learning by rote’ methodology. In course of time, the concept of environment-based education was included as an integral part of science teaching.
A basic assumption behind this effort was that learning science through experiments and field studies would help build up a questioning and analytical attitude in children. Since the programme also emphasised learning directly from the local environment, it was hoped that the children would eventually begin to question the traditional social structure of their village society.
The Madhya Pradesh education department played a special role in this nascent effort by giving administrative backing and academic freedom to experiment with books, kit, curricula, teacher training and examinations. This freedom allowed the HSTP to address innovation and quality improvement in science education as an integrated whole, focusing on all aspects of school functioning to facilitate innovative teaching. This unique instance of a state government accepting the role of a voluntary agency in changing school education within its own framework was a landmark in education in the country, enabling the HSTP to evolve as a model for innovative quality improvement in the mainstream education system on a macro scale.
The programme was academically guided through the active involvement of young scientists, educators and research students from some of the leading academic and research institutions in the country. The initial impetus was given by groups from the All-India Science Teachers Association (Physics Study Group) and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai. They were joined in 1973 by a group from the University of Delhi, which went on to take over the academic responsibility for the programme. Other institutions of repute that contributed to the effort included the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), various universities and post-graduate colleges.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) granted fellowships to faculty members from Delhi University and other academic institutions to participate in the programme at the field level while the Madhya Pradesh government also permitted its college science teachers to interact on a regular basis from 1975. This synergy between the university community and school science teachers in developing academically sound curricular materials for village schools was also a unique feature of the programme.
To learn more about HSTP, click on the links below:
Bibliography of HSTP Documents
Page created by Asha Columbia during debate around HSTP Closure in 2002
(Extensive documentation of the history of HSTP, academic documents. articles and other documents)
New Beginnings - A Three Year report of Eklavya Foundation (2001-2004)
from Jashn-e-Taleem
1972: Government approves proposal for innovation in science education in 16 middle schools submitted by Kishore Bharati (KB), Bankhedi, and Friends Rural Centre (FRC), Rasulia. Programme begins with support from the All India Science Teachers Association (AISTA). First teacher training camp held in May. First edition of the Bal Vaigyanik published in September.
1973: The Science Education Group of Delhi University (DU) joins the programme. The University Grants Commission (UGC) extends official approval for their participation.
1975: The Science Teachers Group from colleges of Madhya Pradesh joins the programme. After three years of effort, chapters of the Bal Vaigyanik workbooks for Class 6, 7 and 8 are published as card sheets. UGC announces fellowships for volunteers participating in the programme.
The government grants permission for making changes in the examination system. First batch of children sit for the Class 8 Board examination, conducted by KB and FRC.
1977: Joint decision by the Education Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh, and the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to expand the HSTP to all the middle schools in Hoshangabad district. The Regional College of Education (RCE) coordinates preparation of detailed proposal for district-level expansion. The Bal Vaigyanik curriculum and workbooks approved by the State Textbook Review Committee.
1978: District-level expansion takes place. The Madhya Pradesh Textbook Corporation (MP-TBC) begins publication of the Bal Vaigyanik. Administrative Committee with Director, Public Instruction (DPI) as chairman set up and Science Cell established in the District Education Office (DEO), Narmada Division, to administer the programme.
1982: Formation of Eklavya. State Council for Education Research and Training (SCERT) established. Deputation of government teachers to HSTP begins.
1984: Seeding of programme under auspices of SCERT in three districts through school complex route as model for state-level expansion: Ujjain (Narwar complex), Dewas (Hat Pipalya complex) and Dhar (Tirla complex).
1985: Seeding in three more districts: Shajapur (Agar complex), Mandsaur (Pipliya Mandi complex) and Ratlam (Namli complex).
1986: Seeding in six more districts: Narsinghpur (Gotegaon complex), Chhindwara (Parasia complex), Khandwa (Harsud complex), Indore (Sanwer complex), Jhabua (Meghnagar complex) and Khargone (Mandleshwar complex).
1987-89: First revision of the Bal Vaigyanik begins, based on feedback from schools.
1990: Eklavya submits proposal for state-level expansion of the HSTP to the Madhya Pradesh government and the Ministry for Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India. The NCERT sets up six-member expert committee under the chairmanship of Prof. B. Ganguly to review the programme.
1991: The Ganguli committee submits its report. Appreciating the programme, it recommends its phased expansion across the state.
Planning for state-level expansion begins but a change in government derails the process. New government calls for fresh review of the HSTP and sets up expert committee under the chairmanship of Dr G.N. Mishra, Director, State Institute for Science Education.
1992: The Mishra committee presents a favourable report but for undisclosed reasons the report is never released nor made public.
1993: Five institutions in Gujarat join hands, get government approval, and launch a Learner Centred (Adhyaita Kendri)Science Teaching Programme, based on the HSTP methodology, in three districts of the state.
1994: State-level expansion of the HSTP again on the agenda. The government sets up new committee under the chairmanship of Director, SCERT, to formulate expansion plan. Committee postpones work on the plan, citing SCERTs preoccupation with the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP).
Work on second revision of the Bal Vaigyanik begins but is kept on hold.
1995: Resource teacher training workshops begin.
Kit replacement streamlined by levy of a science cess on all middle schools in the state to meet the expenditure.
1996: Decentralised teacher training model adopted to address problems of private schools and facilitate participation of resource teachers.
1998: English edition of the Bal Vaigyanik published.
Lok Jumbish Parishad seeds the programme in Rajasthan and publishes workbooks titled Khojbeen.
1999: Bal Vaigyanik revision, on hold since 1994, taken up again. Teachers participate on a mass scale to field test material with the children.
2000: Revised edition of the Class 6 Bal Vaigyanik published after approval by the Madhya Pradesh Textbook Standing Committee.
Discussions on state-level expansion renewed.
2001: Revised edition of the Class 7 Bal Vaigyanik published.
Rewriting/revision of the Class 8 Bal Vaigyanik begins.
2002: Government decides to shut down the programme. Revised edition of the Class 8 Bal Vaigyanik remains unpublished.
The magazine was visualized as an in-house journal of the HSTP where the teachers could link up with each other to exchange ideas and information. Its publication began in 1980, five years after the district level expansion, and the HSTP group had to put in a lot of effort to ensure it came out regularly.