Globalisation, information technology, terrorism, disaster management and commercial mathematics figure in curriculum for new academic session.
MUMBAI: Topics like globalisation, information technology, terrorism, disaster management and commercial mathematics will figure in the state board curriculum for the new academic session starting this June. Japanese will be included as an optional subject in the first and second year of junior college studies.
Another new proposal is oral test for the language subjects for the Standard X exams in March 2009. Taking a cue from the National Curriculum Framework-2005, which formulates curriculum for the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE), the State School Education Department proposes a flexible policy for the languages taught in schools. “To promote English in Marathi medium schools and Marathi in English mediums, the state board has come up with a great proposal. Students, especially those from classes IX and X, of Marathi medium schools can opt for English as their first language, while their counterparts in English mediums can opt for Marathi as first language,” said Vasant Kalpande, chairman, Maharashtra State Board for Secondary and Higher Secondary Education.
To promote physical education in schools, the state board will introduce a 50-mark paper (25 theory, 25 practical) for the board exams next year.
The board has designed a new syllabus for classes I, V, IX and first year junior college students. “The curriculum has been designed in such a manner that students will be able to relate academics with practical life. The changed pattern will require regular use of dictionaries, Internet, encyclopaedias by the students at school. Teachers will now have the additional responsibility of teaching students how to use these,” said Kalpande. City schools, however, complain that the board has not started training teachers to implement these changes.
“The training should have begun in May and ended before the new academic session. If the teachers are unaware of the changes, it would be difficult to teach the students,” said Salian Agnes, headmistress, St Anthony School, Malad (west).
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