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Experts moot steps to make classrooms child-friendly

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 has 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 for an on-the-spot assessment and suggested a series of recommendations.

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

“Buildings should be built with relevance,” said Mr. Mercer, indicating the need for a purpose-oriented classroom. The mission team also emphasised the need of personal cleanliness among children apart from suggesting the introduction of semi-hexagonal tables for students in Class 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.

Alternative education centres are primarily aimed at schoolchildren hailing from tribal families and urban slums. It is estimated that, at present, over 13,000 children benefit through the 559 centres functioning across the State.

Since it was found that most of the children studying here moved to mainstream schools from Class V onwards, the team suggested ways to improve the teaching facilities at these centres with provisions for internet connectivity, snacks and additional incentives for teachers.

Meanwhile, nearly Rs.8 crore offered by the Central government for the conversion of these centres into primary schools last year lapsed, since the government did not have a policy of building new schools.

The team observed that the number of children with special needs, around 4 per cent of the 6-14 year-old population, is much higher in comparison with the other States. Though inclusive education is the norm, most of the schools that admit children with special needs lack qualified teachers to look after them, it was pointed out.

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