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Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
From massaging grandparents' feet to discussing contemporary topics: a unique summer homework for Haryana Govt school students
During their month-long summer vacation starting June 1, students from classes 1 to 5 in Haryana government schools will engage in assignments instead of conventional homework. And, instead of school teachers, parents will evaluate their children's performance based on engagement in these activities. According to officials, this year, traditional homework has been replaced with experiential learning, encouraging students to connect with their families and actively participate in domestic tasks. These will include massaging their grandparents' feet, listening to their stories, and contributing to household responsibilities. Officials said the approach aims to foster familial bonds, respect for elders, and hands-on learning, making summer vacations more enriching and enjoyable. Pramod Kumar, State Programme Officer, NIPUN, told The Indian Express Thursday, 'For decades, teachers have assigned homework focused on handwriting improvement and various project works. However, this time, students from classes 1 to 5 will engage in activities that align with their natural interests, contribute to household responsibilities, strengthen family connections, and show respect for their elders.' Haryana NIPUN is a state-level initiative launched in 2021 to align with the Central government's NIPUN Bharat Mission, aiming to achieve foundational literacy and numeracy in both Hindi and English for all children. 'Summer vacations are meant to be enjoyable for children. We have designed a special curriculum that enables them to learn and contribute meaningfully while having fun. They will be encouraged to sing traditional songs, listen to stories from their elders, and discuss contemporary topics, ranging from recent events like Operation Sindoor to everyday subjects such as the rising prices of gold,' Kumar added. The Haryana School Education Department has already provided teachers with a detailed outline regarding the summer vacation programme. Parents will be invited to visit schools in July to share their children's performance in these activities with teachers. 'For evaluation purposes, parents will observe their child's engagement in activities for 72 hours during the vacation period, grading them based on participation, effort, creativity, and learning. Simple tasks like neatly arranging bedsheets, pillows, and blankets after waking up will also be considered. This approach fosters parent-child interaction and promotes shared responsibility in the learning process,' said Kumar. He said this new plan replaces the conventional, monotonous homework with a more engaging, experiential, and joyful learning framework. He added as it is designed to enhance foundational literacy and numeracy in a practical, contextual manner, the holiday homework shifts the focus from rote memorisation to meaningful, hands-on, and reflective learning experiences. From June 1 to June 30, children will engage in activities aligned with their interests, hobbies, and natural surroundings. These tasks will include conserving electricity and water, observing plant growth, tracking weather changes such as rainfall and temperature, and familiarising themselves with digital tools like Google Pay, Paytm, Google Maps, and Duolingo. Additionally, they will be encouraged to mark days on calendars, explore regional languages such as Haryanvi and Punjabi, and participate in traditional games like Ludo, Snakes and Ladders, and Antakshari. Officials said watching sunrises, moon phases, and stars will spark curiosity, while crafting toys and learning about natural cycles will foster a deeper, more joyful connection with science, the environment, and creativity — all seamlessly integrated with foundational learning objectives. Children's summer assignments will include civic and academic engagements, such as memorising Aadhaar and family phone numbers, learning the names of national and local leaders — including the Prime Minister, President, Chief Minister, MPs, and MLAs — and integrating core subjects like Mathematics, English, Hindi, Environmental Science, and Social Studies into their learning. Sukhbir Siwach's extensive and in-depth coverage of farmer agitation against three farm laws during 2020-21 drew widespread attention. ... Read More
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Teachers must play a proactive role in nurturing new gen: CM
Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said basic education was the very foundation of nation building and teachers must play a proactive role in shaping the future of the country by nurturing the new generation properly. "A teacher's true respect lies in the success and values of the students they nurture. They must take their jobs seriously and make every moment count as time waits for no one," he said while laying the foundation stone for 43 CM Model Composite Schools and 66 CM Abyudaya Composite Schools. On the occasion, the CM also inaugurated smart classes in 7,409 schools, ICT labs in 5,258 schools, and distributed 51,667 tablets to teachers. He also launched digital libraries in 503 PM SHRI schools, and an educational broadcast studio at the State Educational Technical Institute. Launching the projects worth Rs 3300 crore, Yogi recalled that before 2017, schools under the Basic Education Council were plagued by dilapidated infrastructure, neglect and disorder, with low student enrolment and high dropout rates. But in the past eight years, the education scenario in the state has transformed drastically, he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 40분 후, 영어가 다르게 보일 겁니다. 직접 확인해보세요 스티븐영어 지금 시작하기 Undo "The schools underwent a significant transformation only after we launched Operation Kayakalp. Under this, almost 97% of schools were saturated with basic infrastructure such as drinking water, toilets, boundaries, playgrounds, smart classes, and digital libraries, resulting in student enrolment crossing 800 to 1200 in several schools," he said. About the composite schools, he said these model schools, to be set up in each assembly constituency in the upcoming years, will cost Rs 25-30 crore each and will offer a complete educational experience from pre-primary to senior secondary within one campus. Equipped with science and computer labs, a stadium and a multipurpose hall, these schools will serve as a new model for education. Transferring Rs 1,200 per student to the bank accounts of their guardians via DBT for the purchase of uniforms, sweaters, school bags, shoes, socks, and stationery, Yogi said, "Parents and teachers should ensure the funds are spent solely on the children's needs and not for any other purpose." Directing officials to ensure the rational deployment of teachers to meet the pupil-teacher ratio in schools, the Chief Minister said, "Every school must have an adequate number of teachers to ensure quality education for every child." The Chief Minister also proposed engaging BEd and MEd students in the NIPUN spot assessment to gain hands-on learning and familiarize them with modern educational tools like smart classes and digital libraries. Further, Yogi asked officials to conduct summer camps properly. "These camps are a platform for the holistic development of children. Activities such as sports, music, dance, drama and yoga should be included in the camp," he said. The CM also instructed schools to begin preparations for International Yoga Day on June 21, ensuring the implementation of the yoga protocol prescribed by the Ministry of AYUSH. He encouraged promoting indoor activities that help alleviate stress among children. Aimed at enhancing children's talents, the Chief Minister announced plans to organise school-level sports and cultural competitions at the block, district, division and state levels in Nov-Dec. On accelerating the School Chalo Abhiyan, Chief Minister Yogi instructed teachers and principals to visit homes and enroll children aged 5-14 years in school. He said no child in any village should be left out of education. During the event, Yogi also took time to visit the exhibition set up by students at Lok Bhavan, engaging with them and learning more about their displays. Yogi later launched the Nipun Plus app for smart assessment of students from classes 3 to 12. He also released books-- 'Sarathi' and 'Anurupan'-- developed by SCERT and honoured five teachers who excelled in the Nipun assessment. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, basic education minister Sandeep Singh, chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, and additional chief secretary, basic education, Deepak Kumar attended the event.
The Hindu
22-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Bridging the learning gap: Why parental and community involvement is key to India's FLN mission
In Lalakhedi village, located in the Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh, Ramprasad, a daily wage labourer, is a father of three school-going children, Anshu, Vidhya, and Gauri, who study in Classes 1, 3, and 4, at a government school, Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Lalakhedi. When asked about his involvement in their education, whether he motivates his children to attend school regularly or complete their homework, or knows what syllabus is being taught in school, he said, 'Yes, but they do it themselves.' Ramprasad says his children return home after school and complete their schoolwork on their own. 'They don't get any homework these days,' he added. Both he and his wife, who is also a daily wage worker, are often away from home during the day, leaving little room for academic support to their children. When asked if his wife gets involved in the children's studies, Ramprasad said, 'She has not studied much, so she is often unable to help.' He added that he has studied till Class 8. Expressing a common belief among many parents, he said, 'There's nothing much to study in Class 1 and Class 2 in any case,' suggesting that early-grade learning is easy and can be the school's responsibility. As schools work toward basic reading and arithmetic, families and communities outside school also play a major part, say educationists, adding without their participation, classroom efforts alone may fall short. However, a significant proportion of India's schoolchildren are not very different from Ramprasad's children. Their parents and the extended community around them are not in a position to play that role. The importance of active parental involvement becomes even more pronounced in the context of the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) Bharat Mission, which aims to ensure that all children acquire Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) skills by the end of Class 3 by the year 2026-27. FLN levels at this age are important for future studies and skills, and then employability. The school's FLN efforts include ensuring the child's ability to read age-appropriate texts with comprehension and carry out basic mathematical tasks like addition, subtraction, and multiplication. To support and assess the progress of children under the NIPUN Bharat mission, the government has introduced PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), a national assessment centre under NCERT which aims to establish a framework for assessing learning outcomes across States and ensure that FLN goals are being met effectively. PARAKH helps schools and policymakers identify gaps early and make informed interventions. The success of these goals and programmes hinges not only on what happens within the classroom. There is a need for more community-level campaigns and support mechanisms that can bridge the gap between school, home and studies. The problem is not just access or infrastructure, but a lack of interconnectedness—between parents and teachers, between policy and practice, and between the child's world inside and outside school. Filling this void requires a coordinated, community-powered movement, not just classroom-based reform. Root causes Jayant Joshi, a retired government school principal who is now involved in developing FLN workbooks (Abhyas Pustika), is engaged in creating training modules for teachers under the FLN programme in Bhopal. He shares the challenges he has observed at the ground level while working closely with families and communities. He noted that children often miss school during harvest or the 'katai' seasons, as they are expected to help their families. Many children are tasked with looking after younger siblings when their parents are away at work, which further affects their attendance and learning consistency. He observed that teacher training does not translate into actual ground work due to differences in teaching methods, lack of understanding and, sometimes, just inertia. Mr. Joshi says that while the special FLN workbooks are designed for students to carry home and revise what they've learned in school, parental involvement remains minimal. Many families, particularly in rural and tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh, come from farming backgrounds or belong to Adivasi communities, where the parents themselves often haven't received formal education. 'They believe that whatever little their children manage to learn in school is enough. Most parents only check whether their child has passed or failed,' he added. Abdul Qayom Khan, principal of a government school in Kupwama, Kashmir said that students in his school are from different language backgrounds. Not all understand Hindi, Urdu or English, thus teaching class 3 the basic concepts of addition-subtraction in their native language poses obstacles for teachers and for students both. They are also first generation learners so 'the school does not expect parental support….students showing up to the class is the most ambitious expectation we hold,' Mr. Khan added. While in Kashmir, the political disturbances can take a toll on students' learning, elsewhere in India, other external factors such as transport connectivity, lack of infrastructure, harsh weather, irregular availability or unwillingness of teachers to work in remote locations, and seasonal agricultural work often takes priority over education. A non-profit intervention Avinash Verma, who works as a Programme Officer in Patra, Dhar (Madhya Pradesh) with the SRF Foundation, shared that a CSR programme of the company in partnership with the government has adopted several government schools with the aim of transforming them into model schools. The SRF Foundation is the social responsibility arm of SRF Ltd., working to improve the quality of education in government schools across India. 'Our first priority is to develop or repair the school's infrastructure then we move toward strengthening the academic structure,' Mr. Verma said. Their efforts include teacher training, setting up computer labs, digital classrooms, Science labs, and creating subject-specific reading corners. They also ensure the availability of equipment and stationery needed for academic activities. 'It is equally important to build teachers' capabilities to make full use of these facilities, and that's why we focus on teacher training and hold regular competitions. The recognition and involvement motivate teachers,' he added. He further explained that SRF volunteers hold regular meetings with the village sarpanch, Anganwadi workers, teachers, and parents to assess the school's needs and align efforts accordingly. These community meetings have helped in regular interactions between parents and teachers, as well as the attendance count of every student. 'Some parents argue that teachers aren't teaching, and so they stop sending their children to school. These kinds of doubts often come up and are openly addressed in the meetings,' he said. Mr. Verma talks about a common issue observed on the ground: 'Sometimes students lie to teachers, saying their parents asked them to come home early, and then tell their parents that the teachers weren't present. These situations lead to misunderstandings, but regular communication helps us tackle them.' He noted that hygiene, clean bathrooms, water availability, internet availability, and quality of mid-day meal keep the parents enthusiastic about sending their children to school. 'We take time to explain to parents that the teachers in government schools are well-qualified and have cleared competitive exams, unlike many in private schools,' he said. 'To build trust, we even invite them to join the children for a mid-day meal at school so they can see the quality of food being served.' The role of School Management Committees Sometimes, a pro-active School Management Committee (SMC) can turn things around such as in the Corporation Elementary School in Mogappair, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Ms Krishnaveni, Headmaster of the school, shared that the SMC associated with her school comprises 25 members, including educationists, volunteer parents, and community volunteers. The school runs classes from kindergarten to Grade 5 and currently includes 25 children with special needs, including students with autism. 'Interested parents join the committee as volunteers and that way they help their child and other children too through the daily tasks of reading and writing,' Ms. Krishnaveni said. What sets this school apart is the everyday involvement of at least six to seven parents who come in to assist students with reading and writing. The school also conducts special coaching classes for both children with special needs and others in core subjects like Maths, English, and Tamil, for two and a half hours daily. Supported by the Tamil Nadu government, the school has been provided with workbooks and learning materials - the SMC enhances this further by creating laminated grammar and Math activity sheets, promoting newspaper reading, and sharing library books to improve students' reading habits. They also engage students in practicing tongue twisters in Tamil and English to help develop vocabulary and improve speech, especially for students with special needs. Ms Krishnaveni said that the government conducted the FLN assessment in November 2024 for Classes 3 and 5. From Class 3, 20 students were selected through a government lottery system to take the test. The results of the assessment are yet to be announced. However, Ms. Krishnaveni went a step further. Once the selected 20 students completed the assessment, she conducted the same test for the rest of the class as well, comprising 40 students. 'This was to understand where each student stands and to identify who needs additional attention.' She noted that among the 40 students in Class 3, three have autism and five are on the dyslexia spectrum. Despite these challenges, she said the majority of students performed well. 'About 90% of them did well, though 10% struggled with English. For those students, we're currently holding special English support classes after school,' she added. She also pointed out that 20 students have shown advanced writing skills. Ms. Krishnaveni mentioned the importance of community involvement in a child's learning journey. 'It's not just the teachers. We have coaching volunteers, parents, and even school staff like sweepers stepping in to help. One of our sweepers conducts drawing classes to keep the students engaged and reduce boredom,' she shared. 'I strongly believe that one teacher alone can't make a difference. We need a group, a community, that supports students daily, helping them achieve the basics,' Ms. Krishnaveni said. Statewide FLN missions The Central Square Foundation (CSF), a non-profit dedicated to enhancing students' learning outcomes through its system-level interventions and State partnerships, works with 11 State governments as a technical support partner to design and implement statewide FLN missions. Ms Shaveta Sharma-Kukreja, CEO & MD, says these collaborations support States in creating roadmaps, developing content, strengthening teacher capacity, and building monitoring systems to ensure the effectiveness of FLN efforts on the ground. CSF also advocates for a community-led approach to improving learning outcomes, aligning closely with the goals of the NIPUN Bharat Mission. Ms. Shaveta noted that CFS is developing easy-to-understand communication materials, supporting States in conducting FLN-focused SMC orientation sessions, conducting training for headmasters and mentors, as well as supporting the State in organising parent-teachers meetings. 'The success of the NIPUN Bharat Mission is not just a government priority, but to achieve its objectives, it needs to follow a whole-of-society approach and be energised by members of the community,' she said. Ms. Shaveta further notes, 'By equipping SMCs with the right knowledge and tools, and empowering parents, we aim to make them true partners in ensuring that every child in Grades 1-3 can read with understanding and solve basic Math problems.'
