Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty released the draft of the Kerala Curriculum Framework by handing it over to former Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar here on Thursday.
In his address, the Minister said the public could still give its opinion on the draft, and arrangements for it would be made for 10 days on the website of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).
He said the framework was prepared on the basis of suggestions sought from the public and students and elaborate discussions on them. The curriculum was being revised in a manner that could be a model for all., Mr. Sivankutty said.
Public discussions held for this had yielded a document that was probably one of the largest in the area of public education. This was the first curriculum revision since the State was formed in which the opinion of students was sought, he said.
The last comprehensive curriculum revision took place in the wake of the Kerala Curriculum Framework of 2007. Some changes were made to textbooks in 2013, but it was after 10 years that the curriculum was being revised now, Mr. Sivankutty said.
As many as 168 new textbooks for Classes I, III, V, VII, and IX would have to be printed as per the revised curriculum for use in the next academic year, he said.
Mr. Jayakumar said this was a historic moment as let alone the opinion of children, not even that of those concerned with the education sector was heeded during curriculum revision in other States or even at the Centre.
Textbooks contained knowledge but also communicated to a generation of students values, democratic and political consciousness in a subtle manner, especially in these troubled times. The State’s achievements in education were a result of government efforts, but also the importance given to it by society, he said.
He also called for an institutional mechanism to ensure that all lessons complied with the spirit of the framework.
Minister for Transport Antony Raju presided. The report on the public discussions was released by handing it over to Kannur district panchayat president and curriculum committee member P.P. Divya and the student report by handing it over to student representatives.
General Education Principal Secretary Rani George, curriculum committee member Anita Rampal, Director of General Education Shanavas S. and SCERT Director Jayaprakash R.K. were present.
