PARENTS CONCERNED OVER SWITCHING STUDY STREAMS
Though a few parents in the city wish to switch the stream in which their children study in Class XI, mainly from ICSE syllabus, during the middle of the year, the Board doesn’t allow this because registrations are made before a year. This implies proper documentation and preparations for the respective board.
Experts and teachers advise parents to switch the boards to SSC or to CBSE as a child’s performance is more important than the subject. “Rather than pondering over allowing kids to shift from stream to stream, it is time to look into providing variety of multi-disciplinary courses in Class XII itself,” say school principals.
Parents are worried not only about the schools and their value, but also about the syllabus that would work best for their children. A couple of years ago, majority of parents chose the state syllabus mainly during intermediate due to the main entrance exams like engineering, agricultural and Medical Common Entrance Test (Eamcet) based on state syllabus.
However, due to the introduction of Neet and other single entrance tests for all, many students are switching to CBSE syllabus as major entrance exams such as Neet and Jee mains are held on the basis of CBSE exam syllabus. Even state syllabus has been modified according to the Neet and Jee syllabus for the convenience of the students.
“My child has taken the science stream because we wanted him to take the subject. But now, he is not able to study this subject. We wish to switch him to the subject of his choice but the ICSE Board doesn’t allow a change in subject. Why children are forced to struggle with a subject they realise is not meant for them a little lately? We can switch to other Boards but we are looking for possibilities in the same Board because my child is used to the ICSE syllabus since Grade 1. It will be difficult for him if we suddenly shift him to another Board,” a parent said.
“Though switching streams is not allowed during the middle of the year, it should be made a prerogative that learners should choose the stream. Unfortunately, it is still farther a reality that the success of learning the subject should not be time-bound. It does not really sound apt in a psychological viewpoint that learners can be given a choice to select or shift subjects.