THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The pre-primary education system in government and aided schools is all set to be revamped with the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) introducing a new curriculum for the intellectual and emotional development of children. The project will be implemented jointly with the Social Justice Department.
As part of its first step, the state government will start 1,000 pre-primary schools in the state with adequate facilities and necessary infrastructure by coordinating with the available anganwadis in the vicinity of government schools.
The schools will give stress on educating children through activities, games without using text books or slates. However, the government could not give a timeframe as to when it start the new system owing to delay in the release of fund from the Union Government. The schools will focus on a unified child-friendly curriculum encompassing physical, social, intellectual, and emotional development of the child.
The General Education Department has also decided to provide space for anganwadis in government schools where excess accommodation was available and pre-primary school was not functioning.
SCERT Director J Prasad told Express that the new curriculum will focus on activity cards rather than using textbooks.
“In an effort to make the pre-primary education system scientific, we are introducing a new curriculum. As part of this, we have already started activity cards named ‘Kalithoni’. The cards have 30 different themes and the first part is the collection of 10 themes.
“The cards aim at children’s physical, creative, language, scientific and social and emotional development. Besides children, the new programme will also benefit the pre-primary school teachers”, Prasad said.
He, however, is apprehensive about the fund for implementing the project. “We had long back submitted a project report to the union government for the funds. However, the funds are yet to be released. If the Centre doesn’t sanction the funds, the state government has decided to move on with the state funds,” said Prasad. General Education Secretary A Shahjahan said the SCERT and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan are on the job to implement the programme.
“Apart from benefiting the children, it could also help to give a good pay to the teachers. The engaging of pre-primary staff by the PTAs could not be termed as statutory appointments by the government.
“Therefore, their claim for salary was not sustainable. Similarly, employees in the government sector, such as anganwadi workers, helpers and alternative school teachers, were paid only honorarium. So a hike in honorarium will be considered along with the project,” Shahjahan said.