Govt to revisit curriculum framework: Education Minister Archives

Shillong, Oct 4: Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui informed that the state government would revisit the curriculum framework and suggested that schooling should be six days in a week.

Addressing the silver jubilee celebration of the Unitarian English School, Nongtalang, West Jaiñtia Hills District, Rymbui suggested that schooling should not be for 5 days in a week, but six days a week.

“Saturday will be a free class so that students can do whatever activities they feel like doing. The activities can be outside the syllabus, but their works will be counted and marked by teachers,” he said.

“Student will have to document whatever he/she did during this free class, but at the end, they will have to submit a project report on what they have done so that marking will be on the basis of this report. The activity could be some sort of apprenticeship in which the student can accompany their parents in their place of work, and learn about the job from their parents. This will inculcate the sense of dignity for labour among the children. In this way, the kids can harness the inborn talent that they were gifted,” Rymbui said.

The education minister has also proposed the enhancement of scholarship for students in different categories, and the lowest category will get a scholarship of Rs 10,000 and the scholarship for those in the highest category will be given Rs 35,000.

“The goal is that no parent should have any excuse to not send their kids to school,” he said adding that in few years time the government is also planning to provide free textbooks to all students from class 1 to class 10,” he informed the gathering.

By December, he said, the government will lay the foundation stone of a school in Umladkhur with an estimated amount sanction of Rs 24 crore.

An amount for construction of additional building of Nongtalang Higher Secondary School at Rs 3.75 lakh was also sanctioned.

On the National Education Policy, the minister said that state government has opposed the recommendation with regard to the power and function of the school managing committees and the sponsoring bodies.

The government reiterates its stand that the sponsoring body should have the sole authority in running the school and the role of the SMC will be of advisory in nature.

The State government also opposed the central government three languages policy and demand that status quo should be maintained in this regard, and student should not be forced to learn additional language, he added.