The CBSE is revamping K-12 education. Read on to find out how
Lately, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has been in the limelight for all the right reasons. It has been indulging in developmental activities and revamping of school education system. The recent engagements CBSE has been involved in, include issues related to proficiency tests for tenth standard students (Students’ Global Aptitude Index (SGAI) to be held in 2011, Complete and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE), and making efforts for establishment of research and development centre in India. Introduction of the above mentioned schemes is to enable student friendly education and introducing learning centric culture in the school.
The proficiency test for tenth standard students has been outsourced by CBSE and is being
developed in form of pilot paper by Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE). The aim of the test is to examine the understanding of students of the five subjects rather than direct recall or memory based capabilities. The final version (two and a half hour test) papers are to be developed by January. The tests will commence in May-June 2011.
The CCE is a new project under which CBSE is trying to encourage student participation in group activities during school hours and discouraging carrying work back home in form of homework. The information on CCE programme has been cited on CBSE website including details on Formative Assessment and Summative Assessment.
The most interesting initiative taken up by CBSE has been its plan to set up a research and development centre on the model of public private partnership (PPP). For the purpose of the same, CBSE is to partner with internationally reputed not-for-profit institutions.
The idea behind creating this place is to provide an educational resource pool, building teacher capacity through training, creating conducive teaching learning environment, defining assessment policies, student learning, professional development of students, and teacher recruitment and evaluation; within the framework abiding to international quality standards. This would encourage best practices amongst the schools, working within guidelines prescribed by CBSE. Additionally, the centre will act as an aid to Human Resource Development Minister, Kapil Sibal’s educational reforms.
With these reforms underway, CBSE is opening doors for students to receive quality education, with equity (with respect to examinations) and access to internationally standardised educational applications and resources. On the flip side, it is too early to comment on the success of these efforts as application of any initiative in a real life situation is not free of the challenges that accompany it. Especially, incase of our country
