VIJAYAWADA: The State government on Saturday issued orders introducing semester system in all government schools from Class I to IX from the next academic year (2023-24) and for Class X from 2024-25 onwards. Commissioner of School Education S Suresh issued the orders in line with the National Education Policy-2020 and the government’s proposal to make a switch to CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) syllabus.
Officials of the School Education Department have explained that only textbooks will be based on the semester system, while the format of examinations and other procedures will remain unchanged. As the academic authority, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has started revising syllabi and textbooks in a phased manner. It has conducted a detailed study on the curriculum, syllabus, and textbooks of NCERT, as well as other State boards in the country and abroad.
Parents, schools assn divided
Meanwhile, various associations are divided on the government’s latest decision. “The gove r nment should have discussed the matter with school associations, authors of textbook and subject experts before taking such decisions. Implementing NCERT textbooks will not only impact local culture and literature, but it is also an insult to the authors of the textbooks in the State,” Municipal Teachers’ Federation State president S Rama Krishna rued.
“The textbooks published by SCERT and the exam system of four unit tests, quarterly, halfyearly and annual were being implemented smoothly in the State. But the government’s decision to introduce CBSE syllabus will have a negative impact on the current education system,” Headmasters’ Association State president GV Narayana Reddy said. Menwhile, Parents’ Association State president Sikharam Narahari begged to differ.
‘Pvt schools in confusion due to lack of clarity’
“In my individual capacity, I believe the move to introduce CBSE curriculum will help in facing the competition from the corporate schools. Having said that, I also feel that these decisions will be fruitful only if the GOs are actually implemented,” Sikharam opined. Meanwhile, private schools have found themselves in a fix.
“The decisions of the education department are a bit confusing. The SCERT’s role is not understood. If government schools switch to CBSE syllabus, there is no clarity regarding private education system, where over 40% students in the State are studying,” AP Private Schools’ Association State president, Chandrasekhar Rao said.
It may be recalled that the SCERT had formulated bilingual textbooks for Class I to V in trimester system and Class VI textbooks in two-semester format from the academic year 2020-2021. Bilingual textbooks were introduced for Class VII and VIII in two-semester system from 2021-22 and 2022-23, respectively.
On the direction of Suresh Kumar, the School Education Department took opinions of various stakeholders and impact studies on new textbooks that concluded that following a uniform pattern like implementing the semester system will be helpful to both students and teachers.
SCERT director Pratap Reddy said, “Textbooks for Class I to V students will be published in the two-semester system from the next academic year. We will continue to conduct exams in the summative and formative system.”
