Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has rejected the school education structure suggested by the National Education Policy (NEP). As per NEP 2020, the school structure is divided into four stages starting from pre-primary to secondary education. However, the draft school curriculum formulated by the state has divided the same into three stages.

Nevertheless, a change has been recommended to facilitate admission to the first standard at the age of six instead of the current age of five years as instructed by the NEP. Another recommendation is to limit the number of students in a class to 20 in order to achieve excellence in the teaching-learning experience. 

The classrooms should be equipped with adequate infrastructure and other systems to facilitate cooperative learning,  explorational activities and democratic performances of children. The curriculum draft also suggests that if the number of children is less, it will aid inter-school engaging joint activities by utilizing information technology. 

It is proposed to include cyber law as part of the curriculum. Apart from this, social services, immunization, hygiene, disaster management, first aid, road safety, juvenile justice, mental health, etc may also be included. 

Structure of the National Education Policy (5+3+3+4)

  • Five year foundational stage from age three to eight (Pre-primary to Grade/Class 2)
  • Three years preparatory stage (Class/ Grade 3, 4 and 5)
  • Three years in middle stage (Class/ Grade 6, 7 and 8)
  • Four years in secondary stage (Class/ Grade 9, 10, 11 and 12) 

Kerala Curriculum Framework (3+7+5)

  • Three years child development stage from age three to five
  • Seven years primary stage from age six to twelve (Class/ Grade 1-7)
  • Five years secondary-higher secondary stage from age 13 to seventeen years (Class/ Grade 8-12)

 

Need for a suitable curriculum
The approach of the government is not to implement the NEP as it is. The state’s new curriculum framework will be more suitable taking into account the circumstances in Kerala, Education Minister V. Sivankutty said.