The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : For child-friendly classrooms

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Friday, Feb 06, 2009
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

For child-friendly classrooms

Sangeeth Kurian

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Educational experts, including a member of the European Commission, who visited the State recently to review the activities of schools under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan have urged the government to make classrooms child-friendly. A two-member joint review mission led by Malcolm Mercer of the European Commission and Sheilaja Rao, a nominee of the Central government, visited the schools in Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad last month and made recommendations.

Starting with infrastructure, the team suggested a revamp of classrooms with shiny floor tiles and comfortable seats to enhance the mobility of children inside the room for group activities.

“Buildings should be built with relevance,” said Mr. Mercer. The mission team also emphasised the need of personal cleanliness among children apart from suggesting the introduction of semi-hexagonal tables for students in classes I to IV with provisions to stack books.

The team noted that with the introduction of continuous assessment and monitoring, the attendance rates of students and teachers have increased with the student attendance rate averaging around 95 per cent and the teachers, 90 per cent.

Appreciating the various programmes launched by the SSA to improve the quality of elementary education in association with the local bodies, the team recommended upgrading ‘multi-grade learning centres’ or ‘alternative innovative education centres’ to lower primary schools.

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