Bhubaneswar: The English curriculum will now begin from Grade 1 in the state. In government schools, English and Science are currently introduced from Grade 3, and even then, only oral instruction is provided without written exercises. Moreover, since joint-letter formation is taught from Grade 3 in government schools, the introduction of English and Science happens relatively late compared to private schools. However, in government-recognized private schools, English and Science have been taught from Grade 1 in both written and oral formats. As a result, students from government schools lag behind their private school counterparts in these subjects.
To address this gap, the education department has decided to implement a uniform teaching structure and conduct standardized examinations across all schools, except for English-medium schools. This move has been widely welcomed.
Currently, the state has 62,089 schools catering to students from Grades 1 to 8, with 5,972,870 students enrolled. Many schools have already introduced several courses from Grades 3 and 5.
Special Training for Teachers
SCERT and OSEPA to Provide Joint Support
A Committee Will Be Formed for Curriculum Drafting
The education department has decided to provide specialized training to teachers for this transition. This will apply to government, government-aided, private unaided, and unrecognized private schools. In government-approved private schools, subjects like English, Hindi, and Sanskrit have already been introduced from Grade 1, giving their students an advantage over government school students.
To ensure uniformity, the education department plans to introduce a standardized curriculum across all schools and synchronize the examination schedule and result publication.
Reports indicate that due to the late introduction of English in government schools, 80% of students struggle with English proficiency after completing Grade 5. In contrast, private schools introduce additional coursework in Mathematics, English, and Science from an earlier stage, leading to 35% higher English proficiency, 40% higher Science proficiency, and 50% higher Mathematics proficiency among private school students compared to government school students. This gap affects government school students in later years.
To address this issue, the government is now prioritizing a uniform teaching framework across all schools. The same curriculum will be implemented across all schools from Grade 1. Teachers will receive specialized training, and a list of teachers handling Grades 1 to 5 will be prepared. SCERT and OSEPA will provide collaborative support. Additionally, an 11-member committee will be formed to prepare the curriculum draft, keeping students’ cognitive abilities in mind.
This new education system is set to begin from the current academic year, as per the education department’s announcement.
No responses yet