School Education department mulls uniform syllabus & study material

The School Education department has set the ball rolling for the preparation of a uniform syllabus and study material for Art Education and Work Education that is being taught in the primary and upper primary level in schools across the state.

Currently, though the subjects are taught at the primary and the upper primary level, with no specific textbook or syllabus there was no parity in teaching them in the schools which resulted in a lack of coordination with the Education department. These subjects are compulsory. With the upgradation of the curriculum, health has been added with physical education and the subject has been named as ‘Health and Physical Education’. Similarly, art education has been christened as ‘Art and Work Education.’

Till the 90s, ‘Work Education’ as well as ‘Physical Education’ was compulsory in the school curriculum.

In the late 90s, the subject was taught as an additional subject and after deducting 34 marks from what a candidate secured in the subject, the remaining marks were included in the grand total of the secondary (Madhyamik) examination. After 2011, when the Mamata Banerjee-led government came to power, there was modernisation of the syllabus and the two subjects were excluded from the Madhyamik level.

Udayan Bandyopadhyay, chairman of the expert committee of the School Education department said: “I have received a communication from the Commissioner of School Education to take necessary measures for framing of syllabus and preparation of study material. We are working on it and will submit the same with the state Primary Board and the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education.”

Different schools have been using separate books or study materials available in the market to teach students the two subjects. Headmaster of Jadavpur Vidyapith, Partha Baidya welcomed the move of the Education department and said that a dedicated curriculum will augur well for the student fraternity.