COIMBATORE: What will the future class VII students do in drawing class? Following the State government’s proclaim that the newly-drafted syllabus for classes I to XII is framed to improve the quality of education, the drawing curriculum reveals that the students will be practising Tamil alphabets. “If the drawing teachers have to give writing practice of Tamil alphabets to Class VII students, does that mean students will be studying till Class VI without even knowing how to write Tamil alphabets,” question drawing teachers.
The State government recently released the new syllabus and curriculum for school students to face competitive examinations and evoke interest in learning through innovation. The syllabus has been framed by the expert committee after analysing the gap between the State board and other boards.
Including drawing as a co-scholastic subject, the syllabus is being framed for the first time for classes VI to X, say drawing teachers. They recall that in 2006, a committee was formed to draft the arts syllabus, but it was been released.
It is under the line-drawing section of the Class VII curriculum that the experts have included the writing practice of Tamil alphabets.
Saying that the drafted curriculum is “amusing”, SA Raj Kumar, state president of Arts Teachers Association, adds that along with writing practice, line drawing of an idol has been included. “The curriculum, as far as drawing is considered, has not been drafted to improve skills of students,” he says, adding that while the curriculum for Classes VI and VII concentrates on points, lines and line drawing, the curriculum for the other classes focuses on clay-based art.
Drawing cartoons has been completely removed from the curriculum. Teachers say that drawing cartoons from alphabets will not just let the students learn the art with ease, but also helps craft creativity of the students. However, they say no subject oriented curriculum has been included.