Opinion | Commencement of New Academic Session

Educational institutions across the valley have reopened few weeks ago after winter vacations and the yearly annual exams/summative assessment for all classes baring 8th class culminated a couple of days before. It marks the beginning and commencement of the new academic session in valley. With the appearance of Narcissus, Deffodills, Dandelion, Wild Tulips and other spring flowers on the enchanting landscape of valley to adorn it, our little chaps also feel thrilled to register their new aspirations and dreams they anxiously desire to realise during the new academic session. Authorities at the helm have issued strict instructions to start the teaching learning process in schools immediately after the culmination of summative assessments. Educators who happen to be the main pillars of education system, have also geared up and readied themselves to adopt newer and innovative maxims of teaching in the larger interests of student community. After the completion of evaluation process, teachers find themselves engaged these days in orchestrating the timetable for different classes. It is pertinent to mention here that while preparing a balanced timetable in schools, many things have to be taken into consideration. A teacher having a humanities academic background should never be forced to teach sciences, similarly the one from science background should never be compelled to embrace social studies, it will not only yield undesirable results but will also have negative impacts on students learning. The one entrusted with the job of preparing a timetable must give wide choice and liberty to teachers to choose their assigned subjects. Timetable is just like a mirror reflecting the daily work of teachers  and their academic background. A timetable is the foundation on which cognitive, moral and emotional development of students is laid and expected in the long run. Thus it must be prepared meticulously and with utmost care and caution. After timetable, the resources holding much importance around which the whole teaching learning process in schools revolve are the textbooks for effective and result oriented teaching learning. Infact textbooks play a pivotal role in enhancing knowledge and information which benefit both students and teachers. Our schools both private and public are adopting books prescribed by BOSE right from the primary level which undoubtedly are an outcome of extensive consultation with stakeholders, experts and research work of months together. But the reformation in these books and switching to innovative and play way techniques of teaching can’t be ruled out. The team of experts from BOSE looking after the textbook formulation must incorporate latest and updated informative content alongside qualitative paper and pictures in the books to allure the student community. Since the academic session has just commenced, these books must be made available within a week or two in every school of valley. Though students have been asked to return back last year’s books to school for promoted students to next classes but BOSE must get vibrant enough to distribute the fresh lot. The sooner students are provided the fresh textbooks the better it is. Teachers must go through the contents of the book to select which one to teach first for their easy comprehension and understanding. If they find any difficulty or tough contents in the book, apart from consulting guide, they can make use of information technology to equip themselves well so as to impart smartly in the classroom. In today’s digital and tech-savvy era, learning any concept or content is just a click away. So we can make use of this blessing of science to make our children capable of meeting any academic challenge in future. After completing one or two chapters, respective teachers must go for the class tests, it would be a better way to assess students and to check the impact of his teaching skills. Students whose performance proves dismal in such tests can be put to remedial teaching during zero class hours. Such tests must be repeated after the completion of every two chapters, this way not only the students would learn better but teachers would also feel easier to evaluate them. The enrolled students of public schools mostly come from  humble backgrounds, but some among them are impoverished who need financial assistance to continue their studies lest they quit half way. School poor fund committees must prepare a list of such students in advance to help them in purchasing necessary items like pens, notebooks, pencils, shoes etc. in Mid Day Meal charts of school- pulses, vegetables, cheese and eggs must be incorporated on rotational basis, this will pave the way for their better physical and mental growth. As an academician i humbly request every educator to be concerned about the future and career of children who come from economically fragile families and we get handsome salaries only to teach them, mould them and to build them. It will be the best service to society as teachers are the moral and spiritual guides.