3.4.3 Public Education
The essential features of a system of public education are the requirement of compulsory attendance, free tuition, provision of books and education an opportunity for all. In most countries, very few of these ideals have been realised in practice. Free education, for example, is generally limited to primary education in most countries. The additional proposal that free tuition should be supplemented by scholarships for maintenance of the students are still in the discussion stage even in the leading countries. Today there is a general tendency all over the world for compulsory education up to the age of fourteen. While the principle of compulsory education up to the age of fourteen has generally been accepted, the enforcement of compulsory attendance still lags far behind. This is partly due to poor economy conditions and inadequate number of schools in many countries and partly as a result of the inertia of parents who themselves have had no education The concept of public education, however, should not be limited to the provision of schools only. It should include the provision of all those activities and organisations that enable the students to derive the future benefits from the school work. These generally include provision for medical inspection, medical treatment, meals in school (with or without charge) excursions and, above all, adequate playgrounds and athletic facilities. To these should be added the agencies for vocational guidance and placement. It may be mentioned, that complete realisation of this combination of education and social services is not to be found in any one system of public education anywhere in the world. The reason is that the above conception of the scope of public education is of very recent origin. Although extracurricular activities such as various clubs. Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, NCC, etc are found everywhere, these have not yet been incorporated in public school systems under the control of public authorities. It is now responsibility of the systems under the control of public authorities. it is now responsibility of society to see that its members get adequate public education
3.4.4 Welfare of Backward Classes
A social welfare policy may be defined as the strategy of action indicating the means and methods adopted to implement the social welfare services the means and metnods adopted to implement it which include the following:
(1) Welfare of backward classes.
(2) Welfare or vulnerable portions of the society.
(3) Family and child welfare
(4) Correctional services.
These services include programmes which are intended to cater to the These services include programmes which are intended to cater to the needs of persons and groups who, by reasons of social, economic or physical handicaps, are unable to avail of (or traditionally denied) the amenities ant services provided by the community. In other words, social welfare service offer services to those sections of the society who need special care. The vulnerable/ capable of being physically or emotionally wounded or injured sections of population, on the other hand, include person. belonging to backward classes, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, children youth, women, slum dwellers/ an overcrowded, squalid neighbourhood. , physically or mentally handicapped, women under moral danger, juvenile / young offenders, beggars, prisoners, etc. In spite of some remarkable advancements, the overall progress is no commensurate with the expenditure. There is a need to bring about a change in the existing organisational set-up for the implementation of social welfare policy in order to achieve integration and co-ordination among various social welfare services for the weaker sections. And the society has social welfare services for the weaker section tremendous responsibility to achieve the society.
3.4.5 Family and Child Welfare
Several programmes for family and child welfare have been formulated and implemented in India since independence, but an explicit national policy in family and child welfare has not yet been evolved. The major emphasis present is on the integrated approach to provide welfare services to family and children. At present. Family and Child Welfare Projects are the important programmes directed towards the welfare of women and children especially in rural areas. The Family and Child Welfare Projects normally cater to the children in the age group of 0-16 years and greater attention is paid to the children in the age group of 0-6 years. The Family and Child Welfare Projects are implemented at the block level. The responsibility of fulfilling the statutory obligations for family and child welfare under various central and state legislations rests mainly with the government agencies. The voluntary social welfare organisations deal mainly with non-statutory senders for the welfare of women, children, the handicapped and other vulnerable groups. Thus, the voluntary social welfare organisations share a major responsibility in the implementation of social welfare policy. Voluntary organisations in the society can play a crucial role in the field of family and child welfare due to their vast and pioneering experience in social welfare and their humane approach (in contrast to the bureaucratic approach by government agencies). The society has thus a pivotal role to play for family and child welfare.
3.5 SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS
3.5.1 Concept of Social Institutions
Social institutions are organised ways to meet the basic needs of a society. Institutions usually involve norms that guide social interactions and thus, reducing the likelihood of random or unpredictable behaviour by the members. A social institution can be defined as a cluster of norms that guide social interactions towards the fulfilment of one or more of the basic needs of a society. When these norms are accepted, persons interact socially in predictable ways that lead to fulfilment of societal needs. Education, religion, family, political system and the economic system are regarded as the basic social institutions in most societies. The concept of social institution can be broken down into three basic elements:
(1) A social institution helps to fulfil one or more of the basic needs of a society.
(2) Each social institution lays down a set of norms.
(3) Social interaction is guided by the norms of a social institution and
these norms are expressed in the roles associated with various social positions. The first element explains the purpose or function of a social institution. Each society has certain fundamental needs, which must be met if the society has to survive. Social institutions help meet these needs. Economy meets the need for efficient production and exchange of goods and services, while the family meets the need for reproduction and socialisation of new social members. The second element involves a cluster of norms. These norms specify certain procedures that should be followed like paying interest on borrowed money and buying goods at a certain rate. The third element included in the concept of a social institution is that interaction among persons is greatly influenced by social positions and accompanying roles associated with an institution. Each institution has a number of social positions like mother and father in the family, block and district representatives in the political institution and students and teachers in the educational institution. A social institution usually exhibits the following characteristics:
(1) It emerges through unplanned development.
(2) It changes slowly.
(3) It is related to other institutions.
(4) It assumes different forms in different societies.
The development of a social institution is the result of a gradual evolutionary process. In case of a family, the members of a society do not consciously agree that their family institution has to take a particular form. Rather it emerges over a period of time in accordance with several other social changes. Similarly, changing sex roles in the institution of a family in modern Indian societies have significantly influenced the institution of economy. Employment of women on a massive scale has contributed to many changes in the family institution. The norms and forms of social institutions in one society may bear little resemblance to the same institutions in another society. For example, political, economic, religious, educational and family institutions in the US are quite different from that of China.
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