[ Tension after ‘Social Studies’ is compulsory in 11th and 12th classes]
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Subject teachers are excited about the inclusion of social studies as a compulsory subject in classes 11 and 12, while private schools are dissatisfied. The government has started the implementation of the new curriculum by approving the ‘New School Curriculum Draft, 2076’, in line with Nepal’s constitution, federalism and the vision of a prosperous Nepal.
The draft has given priority to the structure of credit hours and vocational education with the vision of capable citizen development for building a prosperous nation based on socialist-oriented social justice.
A meeting of the National Curriculum Development and Evaluation Council chaired by the Minister of Education, Science and Technology on January 19 passed the draft and decided to implement the new curriculum gradually from this session.
The new draft is based on the principles of fundamental rights of the constitution, structure of federal, state and local level, issues of socio-economic transformation, school sector development program, contribution to education in the long term development of the country and competency and child psychology.
Topics related to these bases will come up in social studies. The new single curriculum aims to prepare students for employment, build capacity, develop skills and knowledge, establish values and empower students on the basis of quality education.
Ganesh Prasad Bhattarai, director of the Curriculum Development Center, said that the new curriculum would be implemented in class 11 from this year.
After the implementation of social studies and life-sustaining education as a compulsory subject in class 11 from this academic session, the subject teachers have formed a social studies society and are engaged in orientation on the subject matter and goals of the curriculum.
The social studies society formed under the leadership of Dilli Sharma, a member of the thematic task force of the center and the principal of Vijay Smarak Mavic, is collecting suggestions on thematic training on state and district basis as well as social subjects that are being revised in class 19 and 10.
According to Coordinator Sharma, the society on Sunday consulted with 100 subject teachers from Morang, Province No. 1.
Coordinator Sharma said that the aim of the social studies subject is to build good citizens with the development of critical skills.
He said, “The aim of this issue is to produce teachers who can fulfill their social duties and responsibilities instead of giving more importance to money than service in life.” This subject will do the work of filling humanity with human beings. ”
Govinda Bhandari, a student of social studies, said that it was suggested to give space to the experimental side without giving much meaning to the text and not only the history of the winners in politics but also the history of social life.
Textbook author Madhav Dahal said that the social environment and situation would be covered by social studies and that the new curriculum was timely and teachers should teach it with interest with local examples. At present, there are 10,899 community and private schools in the country with classes 11-12.
According to the new structure of school education, classes 1 to 12 are considered as the middle level.
There is a shortage of subject teachers in private school social studies and teachers who have completed post-graduate education are needed to teach at that level.
Secretary of the Higher Education and Schools Association (Hisan) Ram Hari Silval said that there was no dispute over the implementation of the new curriculum as per the new constitution.
“We are not against the new curriculum, but the government is slow to understand,” he said. Six months after the Corona epidemic, the learning of alternative systems has been recognized. We haven’t had enough discussion on the subject of the new curriculum. Some of its complications remain. We expect the government to understand the reality and make a decision. ”