Mysuru: The primary and secondary education department is preparing to adopt National Educational Research and training (NCERT) curriculum from sixth standard onwards from the next academic year.
Presently, NCERT syllabus is being taught to 9th class students for science and mathematics. Primary and Secondary Education Minister Tanveer Sait has already announced that he will extend the same to Class 10 next year.
Attempts were made to add social science NCERT text in the state curriculum. However, the decision was dropped because of stiff opposition.
Additional Chief Secretary of Education Department Ajay Sait has given verbal instructions to the Karnataka Textbook Society to translate sixth grade (NCERT) science and mathematics text books into Kannada.
The tender process for printing text books should be finalised by November this year to enable text book distribution by 1 June 2018. Accordingly, he has instructed the officials to complete the translation process of text books for grades 6,7 and 8th grades.
None taken into confidence
The opinion of educationalists as well as teachers was not sought with regard to adopting central curriculum from class 6, sources revealed. Students from rural
background studying in 9th standard are finding NCERT books tough and the decision to adopt those for lower grades makes little sense, opine few opposing the department’s move.
This apart, primary school teachers in state schools are not qualified enough to handle NCERT syllabus at once, they contend.
However, the Department of Education feels students need to shift to central curriculum considering their future as the competitive examinations essential to gain entry into professional medical and engineering revolve around central syllabus.
