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Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Pages of new Std I textbooks focus on 68 skills based on storytelling, songs & puzzles
Pune: The new Std I textbooks for state board schools introduce a fresh, activity-based approach to learning for more exciting classrooms across Maharashtra. Moving beyond traditional methods, these books focus on developing 68 key skills through storytelling, games, puzzles, songs, and hands-on activities with consideration to children's emotional worlds and their preferences. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Designed under National Education Policy 2020 guidelines and inspired by the CBSE pattern, the curriculum includes three subjects—Marathi, mathematics and English. The emphasis is on understanding rather than memorising, with concepts taught using local contexts and the mother tongue to make learning relatable and enjoyable. Special care was taken to include elements of India's traditional knowledge systems while also preparing children for future challenges. Experts said this is a big step towards making education child-friendly and meaningful. With more space for creativity and expression, these books are expected to make the classroom a place where curiosity and joy lead the way. Rama Kulkarni, principal of SPM English Medium School's primary section, said, "The textbooks have more focus on activity-based learning with NEP as the base. For instance, instead of reading and writing, the curriculum has listening and communication skills." Although there is not much difference in the language subject textbook compared to the last year, the focus is on enrichment. Ajay Kale, a primary teacher at District Council School in Siddhewadi in Tasgaon in Sangli district said the textbooks are contextually relevant, taking local conditions into account, with a foundation in the mother tongue. Kale, who is also a state-level expert guide in Std I curriculum training, said, "Independent space is provided for activities. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Indian knowledge system has been incorporated. Priority is on 'how to learn' from a child's perspective. The difficulty level in mathematics has gone up." The National Council of Educational Research and Training prepared the curriculum based on the central and state syllabus frameworks. Former vice-president of State Headmasters' Association Mahendra Ganpule, said the textbooks emphasise activities, and efforts were made to bring good quality education. "Effective implementation of NCERT guidelines was ensured while preparing the curriculum and textbooks. Importance was given to activity-based and experience-based learning for students. The creation of new textbooks reflects an effort to prepare school students from the primary level to face upcoming challenging situations and various competitive exams," he added. Head: Emphasis on expression The textbooks emphasise activities and language Improvement in communication skills Introduction to the Indian knowledge system Focus on understanding concepts in the mother tongue Use of local context as a reference Learning mathematical concepts in simple language Special efforts for language enrichment What's On The Pages? The Marathi textbook includes stories, picture stories, letters, phonetic symbols, reading lessons, language puzzles, language games, and activities, along with nine poems Mathematics textbook explains concepts in a simple language Content aligns with educational goals, curriculum objectives, skills, and learning outcomes Textbooks have activities, games, stories and songs Marathi I 80 pages Mathematics I 104 pages English I 76 pages
Time of India
24-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Haphazard resurfacing of Apte Road after drainage works irks commuters
1 2 3 Pune: Shoddy reinstatement work on a stretch of Apte Road has irked regular commuters, who are facing difficulties negotiating uneven chambers and gaps developed in the concreting done for post-project resurfacing. The civic administration had recently initiated major drainage line works on the road, which were completed in March. Subsequently, the road surface was reinstated, but within two months, road users started facing hardships. Commuters said that while the flow of drain water has stopped, rainwater has been accumulating at various spots owing to inadequate provisions. Ajay Kale, a regular commuter, said reinstatement works are not done properly. "Early rain has deteriorated the road condition. We fear that the situation will worsen during the proper monsoon due to poor quality repairs," he said. Drainage work was underway here for almost two months, starting from the Deccan Gymkhana end towards HDFC Bank chowk. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had replaced old pipes with new ones that have a bigger capacity. Commuter Rishi Deshmukh pointed out that the civic body concreted the dug-up patch instead of re-tarring. "We can see that the concrete patch does not match the rest of the tar road. Gaps have developed within two months and now look like potholes. The road surface has become uneven; it has hardly reached the status of how it was before the work was undertaken," he asserted. Deshmukh added that the problem is not confined to Apte Road. "The situation on other roads in the city where reinstatement has been done is mostly similar," he told TOI. Many commuters also highlighted that vehicular movement on Apte Road has gone up in the last few years as commercial activities have increased in the area. Civic officials, meanwhile, claimed they would carry out inspections of the road, and take up repairs in the next few days. "We will check the status of the reinstatement and initiate repairs accordingly. Some chambers were repaired recently; road repairs will be extended to other locations as well," officials from the road and drainage departments of PMC said. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
