WE HAVE heard that the students of secondary schools will get new textbooks in the next session, i.e. 2013, on the basis of a new curriculum, which is being prepared.
It is noticed that curriculum is being prepared hurriedly. Curriculum should be written by secondary school teachers who have vast knowledge about secondary school curriculum and have comprehensive knowledge about contents. All the works should be guided by an experienced consultant. But our curriculum and textbooks are being prepared by some college and university teachers who are not experienced in the secondary level education.
Curriculum for VI-VIII grades has been finalised. And on the basis of new curriculum textbooks are being written but we the general people cannot see the curriculum and the textbooks.
A friend who is working with secondary education asked an NCTB official for a copy of the new curriculum but was turned down. It is a secret, he was told. Why? I think it should be put on the internet so that people can give suggestions and opinions about it.
I am also interested to have a copy of the new curriculum. I know a person who is involved in writing the curriculum but he refused to give me a copy.
I got some idea from a letter in a newspaper a few days ago regarding the new curriculum. What I learnt from the letter is: some contents of VIII math will be shifted to grade VII and VII goes to VI only. There have been a lot of changes in the math curriculum in the global world that should be considered otherwise our children will be lagging behind. And the way of teaching has also been changed. Through investigation, inquiry and discovery students will learn mathematics.
Probability has been taught in the secondary curriculum of almost all the countries but not in our country.
I would like to request to the authorities to put the new curriculum on the internet seeking suggestions. Texts should be written by those who have comprehensive knowledge of updated pedagogy, content knowledge and have teaching experience in secondary schools.
Md Tofazzel Hossain
Aruapara, Kushtia