New Delhi: The HRD Ministry is understood to
have asked state governments and education boards to make text
books more age-equivalent and simple in keeping with the
spirit of Right to Education Act.
The ministry has suggested that the books be prepared in
such a way that students can relate to the language as the
lack of it is not bringing the best out of them, HRD sources
said.
Special emphasis has been laid on developing the
curriculum on the basis of the National Curriculum Framework
of 2005.
HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, who had recently voiced concern
over text books of various state boards not being
age-equivalent, has indicated to chief ministers to ensure
curriculum development, attendance of teachers in classes and
enhanced teacher training programme, they said.
"We can prescribe the quality of syllabi and set standards
but ultimately the text books are prepared by the state
governments, but I daresay the content of the textbooks are
such that they are not age-equivalent," Sibal said.
The minister's views came in the wake of education surveys
highlighting the fact that students of Class V had
difficulties reading even Class II books and in solving simple
mathematics.
The Annual Status of Education Report, released by Pratham
last month, said basic reading levels also showed a decline in
many states across north India, with the number of children in
Class V capable of reading Class II level dropping from 53.7
per cent in 2010 to 48.2 per cent in 2011.
Among Class V children, it said, the ability to do similar
subtraction problem dropped from 70.9 per cent in 2010 to 61
per cent in 2011.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, February 12, 2012, 16:45