The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Nali Kali attempts to drive tedium out of learning

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Thursday, Apr 03, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Nali Kali attempts to drive tedium out of learning

Chitra V. Ramani

Programme to be implemented in 14,000 schools this academic year

Learning through activity: The Nali Kali programme is likely to revolutionise the method of teaching.

Bangalore: Children sit together, interact and learn together without the help of textbooks. They are taught lessons through activities. The teacher is a facilitator in the learning process and the chalk-and-board method of teaching has been done away with.

No, this is not a scene from a private school. In fact, it is a government school where the Nali Kali (Joyous Learning) programme has been implemented.

Speaking to The Hindu here on Wednesday, M.N. Baig, Director of Directorate of State Education Research and Training (DSERT), said that the Government had decided to expand Nali Kali by introducing it in classes one and two in all government schools in the State.

“For the 2008-09 academic year, the programme will be implemented in 14,000 government schools. All schools will be covered in the 2009-10 academic year,” he said.

He said that the programme could not be expanded to cover all government schools this year owing to shortage of trained master resource persons. “The programme helps children learn through activities. For this, the teachers have to be trained. We have currently organised training camps for master resource persons. They will then go back to their education blocks and train the teachers to take up the programme in the government schools,” he added.

Mr. Baig said that to implement Nali Kali in all government schools, 1,200 trained master resource persons were required. “We do not have the numbers required to take it up on a large scale just yet.”

Studies have shown that the programme helps children develop communication skills, team work and critical thinking.

Children can learn lessons easily and quickly since they are not overloaded with information.

Earlier, the programme was not being reinforced regularly, which is why it did not take off properly, said Mr. Baig. “We have now refurbished it and provided intensive training to the teachers. As a result, reports on the programme have been very encouraging. Currently, the programme covers Kannada, English, Mathematics and Social Sciences,” he added.

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