Govt schools to focus on learning outcomes, not finishing syllabus

NEWDELHI:The race to finish syllabus will no longer be the sole focus for Delhi government schools. Instead, students will be taught to achieve outcomes based on their current learning levels.

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who is also the state’s education minister, has written to the secretary education to prepare a plan with “specific learning outcomes” for each grade between Class 1 and 8 for the academic year 2017-18.

At present, schools have to compulsorily complete the syllabus and students are given lessons based on it. Sisodia said that ‘learning outcomes’ must be the cornerstone of schools rather than completion of syllabus.

Sisodia has asked State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and Directorate of Education (DOE) to jointly prepare specific learning outcomes for each grade between Class 1 to 8 for the academic year 2017-18. “While the NCERT document should form the background for the discussion, the proposed learning outcomes for students in Delhi government schools should be based on current learning levels, as found in the assessments done in July and November 2016,” he said, in the letter.

In a recent survey, the government had found 74% of its Class 6th students couldn’t read their own textbooks.

Atishi Marlena, advisor to the education minister said, “The purpose of syllabus is for children to learn. So we want teachers to teach syllabus in a way that the focus is on outcomes.”

Sisodia, in the letter said, the MHRD recently put forth a ‘Draft Leaning Outcomes’ document prepared by the NCERT for elementary stage (Class 1-8). The draft says the learning levels of children are not up to the desirable level in spite of all the efforts made by the states/UTs.

“It is important to have outcomes that can be assured to all children in their respective grades and which can be measured clearly. The minister has asked for a plan by February 28,” Marlena said.