The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : 25 p.c. dropout rate cause for concern

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Wednesday, Nov 25, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

25 p.c. dropout rate cause for concern

Special Correspondent

Adopting CBSE syllabus main reason for lack of good response
State syllabus favoured given the comfort level of both teachers and students

HYDERABAD: Even as the English medium classes introduced in 6,500 schools last year have failed to evoke the response expected government has started an exercise to bring in some changes in the existing mode to enthuse the teachers and students.

The dropout rate of around 25 per cent in the first year itself has been a concern over the success of SUCCESS schools and teachers find many lacunae in its implementation. Adopting CBSE syllabus is being raised as the main reason for lack of good response from both teachers and students.

As P. Subba Reddy, MLC of Kadapa, Kurnool and Anantapur Teachers’ Constituency puts it, shifting Telugu medium students directly to English medium in 6th class has lowered their confidence and they could not adjust to the new system. He argues that even teachers allotted to English medium classes are uncomfortable as the content varies a lot. “If State syllabus was introduced in English medium teachers would have been more enthused since they know the subject and the teaching methods very well,” he argues. The Minister for Secondary Education, D. Manikya Vara Prasada Rao says that similar views have been expressed by several teachers’ unions and academicians. But there is also a section that feels that NCERT syllabus is more scientific and adopted after good research. Agreeing that there is a difference of opinion, the Minister says that the government wants to elicit the opinions of different sections before reviewing the project itself.

Another MLC from Teachers’ Constituency, P. Sudhakar Reddy says the demand for English medium arose as teaching English as a subject was not done properly. So the government should concentrate on that particularly issue as students want to speak English fluently more than studying in English medium. However, he too favoured State syllabus given the comfort level of both teachers and students.

Supporting State syllabus, Mr. Chukka Ramaiah, MLC reminds that speaking in English is different from teaching in English and there is a need to train teachers in a scientific way. Unfortunately, that was not done before introducing English medium. He says SCERT has developed good syllabus in the State and it can be adopted easily.

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