TIRUCHY: The revised Class 11 syllabi for science groups have put both students and teachers of government, aided and private schools in a tricky situation. While many students find the new syllabi too tough and want to switch over to commerce, business maths and vocational groups, some teachers are also struggling to explain the concepts in the new textbooks.
“Leave alone the students, even most experienced teachers of physics, chemistry and biology are struggling to cope with new syllabi, despite attending district-level training programmes,” said a physics teacher.
Fearing they may not get pass marks in the board examinations, many biologies and computer science students are opting for arts and commerce and some are looking to join polytechnic colleges. “These students had followed the same syllabus from Classes I to X and suddenly their textbooks have been upgraded to a very high standard with NEET in mind. We shouldn’t forget that all of them are not medical aspirants,” said another teacher.
B Hariharan of Kulumani, who joined the biology group in a government school, gave up after struggling hard to come to terms with the new syllabus. He has demanded a transfer certificate from the school and his parents are mulling over enrolling him in a polytechnic college.
“Fifty of about the 200 total working days are already over. Training for teachers in the new syllabi is still underway in many districts. So how can the teachers handle the new lessons well?” said a headmaster.
A teacher from Pudukkottai district pointed to another difficulty that students face. “The new textbooks have QR codes for every lesson. To read them, one needs a smartphone. Most students hail from weak economic backgrounds and can’t afford them. This is unfair,” he said. S Christuraj, the advocacy coordinator of the Samakalvi Iyakkam, opined that a review meeting should be convened as early as possible to collect feedback from students, teachers and parents on the new syllabi. “Or else, the State may lose some bright science students,” he added.