By Asha Sharma
Principal
Indian Learners’ Own Academy, Kuwait
The Middle Stage (6,7 and 8) will comprise three years of education. It will be built on the more formal pedagogical and curricular style. There will be an introduction to abstract thinking in each subject so that teachers may keep scope in learning/discussion of the more abstract concepts. Students will be ready at this stage across the sciences, mathematics, arts, social sciences, and humanities. Experiential learning within each subject, and explorations of relations among different subjects, will be encouraged and emphasized despite the introduction of more specialized subjects and subject teachers.
Focus has been laid on integration of art, life skills and values into curriculum. Besides interdisciplinary approach, thematic approach of teaching has also been emphasized. It is believed that if one concept is taken by all the subject teachers and treated from the angle of their specialized area, learners will have a deeper understanding of the subject. Experiential learning has also been given a lot of weightage. Project based learning; science and art exhibitions; portfolio making and case studies like research works have been encouraged. It has been emphasized by CBSE that schools should choose at least one skill subject so that they become proficient in one area and are better suited to the market for employment. Skill subjects offered now are artificial Intelligence; beauty and wellness; design thinking; financial literacy; handicrafts; information technology; marketing/ commercial application/ mass media; travel and tourism. It has not been made obligatory at this stage as all the schools do not have infrastructure and competent teachers but in future skill subjects will gain a lot more importance.
Towards the end of class 8th there would be one assessment by the board to ensure quality teaching. It would be just a check-point and has been stated that it will not be like a mark-based board exam.
Secondary School Education
By the age of 14, when children enter Grade 9, adolescents begin to think about their life plans; schooling at this stage must therefore build on the styles of previous stages, while also incorporating preparation for university, for the world of work, and for life. Students at this stage must have flexibility of subject options for their differing talents, interests, goals, and ambitions, including access to vocational and arts courses. A semester-based system, which allows exposure to a multitude of subjects at differing levels, can be of great benefit to students at this stage.
This last phase of four years of Secondary School education will facilitate multidisciplinary studies with appropriate exit options besides preparing for the next phase of undergraduate programme of study, including early introduction to Liberal Arts education. New Education policy does not bifurcate senior classes into Secondary and Higher Secondary.
The Secondary Stage will comprise four years of study with greater depth, greater critical thinking, greater attention to life aspirations, and greater flexibility and student choice. Each year of the Secondary Stage will be divided into 2 semesters, for a total of 8 semesters. Each student would take 5 to 6 subjects each semester. There will be some essential common subjects for all, while simultaneously there will be a great flexibility in selecting elective courses (including in the arts, vocational subjects, and physical education) so that all students can expand their horizons as they see fit and explore their individual interests and talents.
There is no stream of subjects, now nor will there be as per New Education Policy. Science, Commerce and Humanities subject streams have been created by schools for their own convenience. As per CBSE board and also as per New education policy, children will be free to have combinations like physics, chemistry, history, and economics. Or business studies accountancy, entrepreneurship, and computer science. Skill subjects have been given importance so that when children walk out of school, they are ready to take up jobs. A list of 18 skill subjects for classes 9 and 10 and numerous skill subjects have been introduced by CBSE keeping in view the implications of the policy.
A system of modular Board Examinations – restructured to test only core concepts, principles, critical thinking, and other higher-order skills in each subject has been introduced. Students have been provided for multiple exit and entry options for students starting with the secondary education stage and going all the way into undergraduate and postgraduate education and research, to reduce the number of dropouts. Even though a student may discontinue his/her studies in different phases he/she will be eligible for re-entry and continuing education into the higher levels, for which adequate thought has been given in the formulation of the Policy.
None of this will be possible without passionate and committed school teachers and faculty in higher education institutions who will take charge of transforming the education system as envisioned in this Policy. For this, they also need to be adequately prepared. Teacher preparation, orientation and training will, therefore, move into the higher education sector, into multidisciplinary environments available at universities. The contributions of teachers to all aspects of improving the education system, through teaching, research, institution building, student empowerment and such other aspects will be recognized.
The introduction of school complexes will bring about a new culture of sharing common resources in an optimal way. Each good school with best results will be associated with one weak school to improve and share good practices. Best practices and processes developed at successful school complexes can be replicated at many places. The culture of openness and resource sharing this brings will contribute to a paradigm shift in attitude and mindset, that will help successfully implement this Policy.
Once infrastructure and participation are in place, ensuring quality across the board is indeed key in retaining students, so that students and parents do not lose interest in attending school. This will require a strong channel for the best teachers to be deployed to areas where dropout rates are particularly high, as well as an overhaul of the curriculum to make it more engaging, dynamic, and useful. It is expected that social workers will help track student attendance and work towards bringing dropouts back into school.
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