New system to boot out rote learning

CHENNAI:  Even as the Supreme Court on Tuesday gave an expert panel two weeks to decide what syllabus has to be followed for Classes II-IV and VII-X this academic year in schools, the State government late on Tuesday night announced the introduction of student-centric additional practical classes from this academic year, starting Wednesday.A statement issued by school education minister C Ve Shanmugam revealed that this system was designed based on the National Curriculum Framework of 2005 and the Right to Education Act, which stressed on fostering thinking among students rather than promoting memorising.Under this new system to be introduced in all classes, students, and not textbooks, will be the focus, and practical methods will be introduced in classrooms. Following the completion of the portions prescribed in this system, free textbooks will be handed over to students.The practical classes would be conducted in addition to the routine learning system, the minister said. A similar concept—activity based learning—is already in effect in Classes I-V, and for Classes VI-IX, a month-long bridge course stressing on practical learning is being planned.