E-Paper
PSEB to cut syllabus by 30% for classes 9 to 12 on CBSE pattern
A committee comprising subject experts from the PSEB and State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) set up by the school education department has finalised its suggestions for a reduction in the course load
Amid coronavirus pandemic, the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has decided to reduce its syllabus for classes 9 to 12 for the current academic session by up to 30% on the pattern of the Central Board of School Education (CBSE).
A committee comprising subject experts from the PSEB and State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) set up by the school education department has finalised its suggestions for a reduction in the course load to ease the burden on students.
School education secretary Krishan Kumar said the committee was set up under SCERT director Jagtar Singh last week to take into consideration the views of different stakeholders, including academicians, teachers, and parents, and suggest the reduction in the syllabus for the academic year 2020-21. The exercise will take another two to three days, he said.
The CBSE had last week announced to reduce the syllabus of classes 9 to 12 by almost a third to make up for the academic loss that happened due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown. Earlier, the Council for the Indian Schools Certificate Examination (CISCE) had also revised its syllabus for the same reason.
The panel comprising subject experts of PSEB and SCERT is going by the CBSE pattern for reduction of up to 30% in syllabus, according to two officials familiar with the committee’s proceedings. “The topics to be dropped from the syllabus have been selected for several subjects, but there is still some work left,” one of them said.
PSEB uploaded the lists of “reduced syllabus topics” of several subjects for secondary and senior secondary classes on its official website on Sunday, but these were quickly removed the same day. As per the uploaded list of subjects for Class 10, three chapters, including those on the Anglo-Sikh wars and annexation of Punjab, and state’s struggle for freedom, are to be dropped from the history syllabus, besides map work. Similarly, two chapters each are reduced from geography and civics syllabus.
Another PSEB official said the approval of the academic council will be required before any topics or chapters are reduced from the syllabus. Punjab, which was among the first states to impose a curfew on March 23 and shut its schools, has tried to give a push to online teaching, but there have been questions about its reach as a significant number of children enrolled in government schools belong to the economically disadvantaged families and do not have smartphones and connectivity required for accessing digital lessons.
Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh had on Sunday also asked the school education department to ensure equal educational opportunity and access for all students, including the poor and rural ones. The department also tied-up with television and radio channels to go ahead with the academic calendar, but there have been problems.
