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Don't overload the student

There should be a serious rethink on the huge volume of matter students are burdened with at school, says M. Nagarajan

It is high time we started considering the child as a future citizen, who needs the right environment to grow. The concept of "Career for Life" has been reversed to "Life for Career", with alarming results, ruining many lives and relationships in the process.

When one looks at the higher secondary textbooks, it is obvious that the people who compiled these books spared no thought for the hapless student. To force children to study such voluminous portions is inhuman.

I, as a parent of a class XI student, and as a person who has interacted with enough Science Teachers of various Schools, have the following observations to share with the readers.

Many of the teachers admit that the syllabus is tough and most of this was studied by them in college either at the UG or PG level.

They definitely need time and practice to effectively impart their knowledge in a way the students would understand. Students after class XII will embark on an undergraduate level of education and at least two or three of the subjects they have studied in school will become redundant. While basic knowledge in every subject is a must, only that amount should be taught that the students can retain and understand with ease. It is high time we addressed the situation. But who will bell the cat? Education helps students to hone necessary skills. But there are more important qualities like accountability, hard work, honesty, integrity, patriotism, responsibility, etc that are also as important. A complete education is one that encompasses all the other values besides mere book knowledge.

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