Shah Faesal, the first Kashmiri to top the Civil Service Examination, has attributed his success to the provision of equality for all enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
“Indian Constitution provides for giving equal rights to everyone irrespective of caste, religion, region and my success in the UPSC exam is a result of that,” he said at a felicitation function here on Tuesday night.
Faesal said people create controversies over petty things like caste, religion, region and language.
“There is no reason to get upset if someone doubts your Indianness because you are a Muslim. There is no need for a certificate from anybody that you are an Indian. Practise any religion in your home or society but outside, do not ever forget that you are an Indian and learn to respect people from other religions,” he said.
“In pursuit of your goal, you will find people who will trouble you because you belong to a particular religion, caste, region but if you have the capability, then nobody can stop you from overcoming these hurdles and reach your goal, Faesal added.
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Students' schoolbag load to be reduced
When the new academic year begins in June, thousands of school children will carry bags weighing much less than they did last year.
The School Education Department is now keen on reducing the burden of schoolbags on children, as part of its initiative to implement ‘Samacheer Kalvi' under the Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education Act for classes I and VI this year.
According to School Education Minister Thangam Thennarasu, printing of textbooks, designed according to the new syllabus, is going on at full swing and would reach students during the first week of June. “A lot of attention has been given to the quality of paper used and weight of textbooks. The textbooks will be of A4 size and have been made using 80 gsm paper. The book will not only be of good quality, but also be light to carry,” he said.
Instead of printing separate workbooks and making students carry them to school every day, the department is considering providing work sheets.
While textbooks would be provided to government and aided schools free of cost, Matriculation schools would have to purchase them for a price. According to sources, the textbooks have been priced lower than before.
Welcome move
“Children of the primary sections following the Activity-Based Learning methodology have to carry hardly anything because the methodology largely involves use of activity cards,” Mr. Thennarasu said.
Teachers have welcomed the decision to reduce the load of schoolbags. According to M. Moorthy, president and state treasurer, Tamil Nadu Elementary Schools Teachers Federation, it is important that students be allowed to carry bags that are not too heavy. “It is certainly a welcome decision,” he said.
N. Vijayan, General Secretary, Federation of Matriculation Schools' Associations in Tamil Nadu, said that last year, in an attempt to reduce the load of schoolbags on their students, Matriculation schools decided to rework the time-table to enable students to carry select textbooks on a given day.
“A heavy schoolbag may impact a child's health and growth. Besides the government's efforts, schools must, on their part, cooperate and ensure this is made possible,” he added.
The School Education Department is now keen on reducing the burden of schoolbags on children, as part of its initiative to implement ‘Samacheer Kalvi' under the Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education Act for classes I and VI this year.
According to School Education Minister Thangam Thennarasu, printing of textbooks, designed according to the new syllabus, is going on at full swing and would reach students during the first week of June. “A lot of attention has been given to the quality of paper used and weight of textbooks. The textbooks will be of A4 size and have been made using 80 gsm paper. The book will not only be of good quality, but also be light to carry,” he said.
Instead of printing separate workbooks and making students carry them to school every day, the department is considering providing work sheets.
While textbooks would be provided to government and aided schools free of cost, Matriculation schools would have to purchase them for a price. According to sources, the textbooks have been priced lower than before.
Welcome move
“Children of the primary sections following the Activity-Based Learning methodology have to carry hardly anything because the methodology largely involves use of activity cards,” Mr. Thennarasu said.
Teachers have welcomed the decision to reduce the load of schoolbags. According to M. Moorthy, president and state treasurer, Tamil Nadu Elementary Schools Teachers Federation, it is important that students be allowed to carry bags that are not too heavy. “It is certainly a welcome decision,” he said.
N. Vijayan, General Secretary, Federation of Matriculation Schools' Associations in Tamil Nadu, said that last year, in an attempt to reduce the load of schoolbags on their students, Matriculation schools decided to rework the time-table to enable students to carry select textbooks on a given day.
“A heavy schoolbag may impact a child's health and growth. Besides the government's efforts, schools must, on their part, cooperate and ensure this is made possible,” he added.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Schools wait and watch over effectiveness of CCE
Standard IX students in Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools are gearing up for their first major summative assessment for the year, as part of the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE).
Earlier this academic year, the CCE was introduced for Standard IX, in which students’ performance is evaluated using formative and summative assessment. The move followed the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s decision to make school education less stressful for students.
Some schools think it might be a tad early to comment on the effectiveness of the CCE. “We are still getting used to the system and we will be in a better position to comment on it next year. I am sure it will work out well,” says Kanti Ramakrishnan, Vice-Principal, Chinmaya Vidyala, Taylor’s Road.
According to Ajit Prasad Jain, Senior Principal of Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidyashram, examination-related anxiety and stress among students has come down considerably. “Many think that the CCE is just about unit tests, but that’s not true. Assessment is based on interaction with the teacher, project work, homework, and so on,” he explains.
Emphasising the need for mentoring and monitoring in the system, the Board recently held a training programme for principals. “We would, in turn, train other principals and teachers in the region,” says Mr. Jain, who attended the training programme in New Delhi.
However, a recent circular from the CBSE to schools has also raised some questions. The note talks of the need for uniformity in summative assessment across schools. As a result, the CBSE has prepared question papers for various subjects and mailed the CDs to schools.
While Mr. Jain says uniformity would help schools, heads such as C. Satish, Senior Principal, R.M.K. Group of Schools, wonder if it is another, indirect, way of conducting a board examination.
“We’ve had formative assessment so far, but if it’s going to be a common, final examination as part of the summative assessment component, is it not like any other board examination?” Mr. Satish asks.
Teachers are forced to do a lot of clerical work documenting students’ performances systematically, he addssuggesting that the Board strengthen its teacher-training processes. “We need regular follow-up meetings with the Board, so teachers can discuss the challenges they face. There are talks about introducing the system for Standard XI. The present challenges have to be addressed first.”
On whether the CBSE had planned to collect feedback on the CCE, its Regional Officer N. Nagaraju said the CDs with the examination questions were being sent directly from New Delhi. “We will speak to the schools after the examinations,” he said.
Earlier this academic year, the CCE was introduced for Standard IX, in which students’ performance is evaluated using formative and summative assessment. The move followed the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s decision to make school education less stressful for students.
Some schools think it might be a tad early to comment on the effectiveness of the CCE. “We are still getting used to the system and we will be in a better position to comment on it next year. I am sure it will work out well,” says Kanti Ramakrishnan, Vice-Principal, Chinmaya Vidyala, Taylor’s Road.
According to Ajit Prasad Jain, Senior Principal of Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidyashram, examination-related anxiety and stress among students has come down considerably. “Many think that the CCE is just about unit tests, but that’s not true. Assessment is based on interaction with the teacher, project work, homework, and so on,” he explains.
Emphasising the need for mentoring and monitoring in the system, the Board recently held a training programme for principals. “We would, in turn, train other principals and teachers in the region,” says Mr. Jain, who attended the training programme in New Delhi.
However, a recent circular from the CBSE to schools has also raised some questions. The note talks of the need for uniformity in summative assessment across schools. As a result, the CBSE has prepared question papers for various subjects and mailed the CDs to schools.
While Mr. Jain says uniformity would help schools, heads such as C. Satish, Senior Principal, R.M.K. Group of Schools, wonder if it is another, indirect, way of conducting a board examination.
“We’ve had formative assessment so far, but if it’s going to be a common, final examination as part of the summative assessment component, is it not like any other board examination?” Mr. Satish asks.
Teachers are forced to do a lot of clerical work documenting students’ performances systematically, he addssuggesting that the Board strengthen its teacher-training processes. “We need regular follow-up meetings with the Board, so teachers can discuss the challenges they face. There are talks about introducing the system for Standard XI. The present challenges have to be addressed first.”
On whether the CBSE had planned to collect feedback on the CCE, its Regional Officer N. Nagaraju said the CDs with the examination questions were being sent directly from New Delhi. “We will speak to the schools after the examinations,” he said.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
A.P. Governor talks tough to V-Cs
The Andhra Pradesh Governor, E.S.L. Narasimhan, has sent a strong message to the Vice-Chancellors to set the academic house in order or else face action.
“I propose to take education seriously and anyone found guilty of violation of norms will not be spared,” he warned, adding that the future of students was of utmost importance and that they have the responsibility of providing quality education. He expressed these views while inaugurating the Vice-Chancellors’ conference here on Monday.
“I mean business”
Stating that he meant business, the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the State Universities, suggested that the universities send a quarterly performance appraisal report to the officials, Minister concerned and himself.
He said that this would bring in the much needed accountability and chance for mid-course correction. It can be taken forward with the constitution of a Vice-Chancellor’s committee. He reminded them that autonomy had to come with accountability. Examinations hade to be conducted according to the academic calendar at any cost as any deviation would ruin students’ lives and no one has the right to play with students’ future. “We will be committing biggest sin of our lives if students’ interests are ignored.”
“I propose to take education seriously and anyone found guilty of violation of norms will not be spared,” he warned, adding that the future of students was of utmost importance and that they have the responsibility of providing quality education. He expressed these views while inaugurating the Vice-Chancellors’ conference here on Monday.
“I mean business”
Stating that he meant business, the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the State Universities, suggested that the universities send a quarterly performance appraisal report to the officials, Minister concerned and himself.
He said that this would bring in the much needed accountability and chance for mid-course correction. It can be taken forward with the constitution of a Vice-Chancellor’s committee. He reminded them that autonomy had to come with accountability. Examinations hade to be conducted according to the academic calendar at any cost as any deviation would ruin students’ lives and no one has the right to play with students’ future. “We will be committing biggest sin of our lives if students’ interests are ignored.”
