State syllabus textbooks not learner-friendly: NCERT

BENGALURU: THE textbooks prepared by State Department of Education Research and Training (DSERT) lack activities that would help develop critical thinking in children, says the review done by the National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT).

The review was done following the instructions given by ministry of Human Resource Development as there was controversy regarding the textbook content in state and some BJP leaders had approached union ministry in this regard. However, NCERT was able to review only the English version of the text books.
A team constituted by NCERT involving several subject experts analysed the text books printed and published by DSERT, which are used to teach at schools affiliated to state board in the state, and submitted a report to NCERT. The same has been forwarded to state department of public instructions. The team has done the subject-wise analysis for class 1 to 10 and submitted general observation, suggestions and also listed the mistakes and errors in the textbooks.

As per observation, the content in the textbooks generally lack activities that would help develop critical thinking, and constructive approach has not been given adequate space. Textbooks in general are not learner-centred. “The activities do not create space for learners to connect with their experiences,” it says.
“Though there is no bias in terms of gender, inclusion and environment throughout the text books, they lack activities/tasks/text that would sensitise the learners towards these concerns,” the report mentioned.

NCERT observation

Though an attempt has been made to connect with day-to-day experiences of children, it needs to be made more extensively
Does not provide conceptual knowledge
Burdens the children for rote memorisation
Textbooks do not cater to the idea of inclusion and there are no examples of marginalised groups and children with special needs in the science and mathematics textbooks