‘Make learning practical, teach students job­oriented subjects’

MUMBAI: With the state school education department planning to revamp the syllabus for subjects like National Cadet Corps (NCC) and work-experience in Classes 9

MUMBAI: With the state school education department planning to revamp the syllabus for subjects like National Cadet Corps (NCC) and work-experience in Classes 9 and 10, city schools want more job-oriented subjects with no written exams to be introduced.

HT Image

Educators have demanded that job-oriented courses, which will enhance students’ skill sets, be taught. “Many graded subjects taught in schools are outdated and have no practical utility,” said Suresh Nair, principal, Vivek Vidyalaya and Junior College, Goregaon.

In many schools, carpentry and sewing are taught as part of work-experience, but these skills do not hold any importance in the job market, said teachers. “Instead students should be taught designing and programming,” said Uday Nare, senior teacher, Hansraj Morarji Public School, Andheri.

Several international and nonstate board schools are joining the ‘maker movement’ in which students are taught to use 3D-printers, modern software to give shape to their ideas.

But teachers admitted that many state-board schools might be unable to afford such technology. “Providing sophisticated equipment and training teachers to use them is expensive and will drive up the school fees. The board should find a way to subsidise these programmes ,” said Nare.

Lack of transparency in assessing these subjects is another obstacle, said educators. “Schools are blindly grading students as the assessment is at the school-level,” said Vasant Kalpande, former chairperson of the Maharashtra state board.

Kalpande and a few other educators part of Shikshan Katta, an independent discussion forum, also recommended scrapping written exams for these subjects. “Instead of mugging up theory, the focus should be on practicals. Students too will enjoy the subjects this way,” said Basanti Roy, former secretary of the state board and convener of the Katta.