JK News Today
Srinagar, December 18, 2016: Private Schools Association of Kashmir (PSAK) has termed the
Government order of forcing low quality Govt school syllabus on private schools as final nail in the coffin of struggling education sector in the state.
Terming the order as extremely dangerous, the Association said that it would push education sector in Kashmir over the cliff. “This is a disaster in the happening. Everybody knows the quality of syllabus in government run schools. Some of the books have not been updated for five years and most of the books are mismatch for their respective classes,” said G N Var President PSAK. “Govt school students are unable to pass their crucial secondary and higher
secondary examinations after reading these books. Their career and life is ruined and primary reason is their outdated syllabus. Now the government wants to force every private school to adopt same books.”
While counting the drawbacks of the govt books, the Association said that the standard material like paper, printing, pictures extra is sub-par. Even the binding of books comes off within a week of handling by kids, the Association said. “In comparison the matter available on Private School books published by reputed publishers like Cambridge, Oxford, Macmillan, et al is far more standard than BOSE publications,” said Var.
The Association said that the move to enforce government school syllabus is an attack on the freedom of private educational institutes. “On one hand government talks about the autonomy to be given to educational institutes and on the other hand by issuing such orders they are curtailing their freedom. Many private schools have dedicated educational experts who continuously update the syllabus in tune with global trends. It is the flexibility which makes our schools unique. We adapt change speedily. Incase govt syllabus is forced on us, our growth will get stagnated and everything will be lost,” said Var. “Our schools have produced gems who have made their mark all over world. Some vested interests don’t want that trend to continue and it seems to be ploy to derail our progress.”
The Association said that NCERT books cannot be prescribed fully in the state because they lack the localised aspect of the content. “It will completely be alien for our kids who will be more disconnected from their culture, roots and society than ever before,” said Var.
