BENGALURU: Soon, homework for Class 1 and 2 students in state board schools will be banned to reduce burden on young kids. Following the recent announcement made by Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar on abiding by the recent Madras High Court order of doing away with homework for Class 1 and 2 children, the state Department of Primary and Secondary Education is also holding discussions on implementing the same.
Confirming this to The New Indian Express, a source from the department said, “Discussions are on and an official notification banning homework for Class 1 and 2 students will be issued in a couple of days.” According to officials, currently there is no policy banning homework. Now, the state is trying to bring out a policy to incorporate child-friendly measures and to create a burden-free education system in the state.
“Not just homework, there are a lot of issues which need to be addressed. The department is planning to bring out a policy. As the minister has taken charge now, we will place it before him and take a final decision,” an official said. “Schools are meant to be a happy place for children. But, today, most of the schools burden them with homework even at Class 1 and 2. The Department of Primary and Secondary Education is clear on banning homework,” another official said.
Academician V P Niranjanaradhya said, “It has to be implemented in the state. We see some parents sending their kids studying in Class 1 and 2 to tuitions. This is harassment. It is good that the department has finally taken a decision to reduce burden on kids.”
Long-pending demand
A few years ago, Prof Yash Pal Committee had made several recommendations to reduce physical and academic burden on school kids at an early level. The committee had recommended to reduce weight of school bags and also homework. Since then, the Ministry of Human Resource Development has been issuing circulars and notifications each year, but no school follows them. Also, novelist R K Narayan had raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha.