Diary of Teacher

Making it clear that he was opposed to kindergarten students being subjected to pressures of education, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal Wednesday said the Centre could frame a concrete policy on the issue if Parliament was prepared to pass a resolution. Sibal, responding to queries in Lok Sabha, said a resolution would ensure the states did not protest against the Centre’s move. “You pass a resolution and I will move ahead,” he said. Sibal said he was against small children carrying bulky school bags, learning the alphabets and tables at a time when they should be playing. Formal education, in his view, should begin from six, while preparatory process could begin from five. Prior to that, there should be only nursery classes. However, he said many state governments were allowing formal education from five years of age. Responding to questions from Congress’s N S V Chitthan and Manicka Tagore about deemed universities, Sibal said the matter was before the Supreme Court, but the gove...

With the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) about to implement its new accreditation system, private agencies are approaching schools affiliated to the board offering their services to train staff on the new accreditation system. But the CBSE board has cautioned schools not to entertain such consultants, as they might misguide them. The board has sent a warning letter to all affiliated institutes about private consultants and accreditation agencies that are approaching schools to offer their services. The board has announced that it will soon upload online manuals guiding schools about the accreditation and which agencies to take help from. “Since proper guidelines were not yet laid down about the accreditation, schools were worried and confused. We want to inform all schools not to take such help. The board will soon make the process clear,’’ assured a senior CBSE official. The CBSE, in its letter, stated, “Schools are advised to refrain from falling prey to un...