Dr. Cheema: Govt. out to ruin academic year for class XI, XII
Dr. Cheema: Govt. out to ruin academic year for class XI, XII Chandigarh: Wary of fate and future of schools affiliated to Punjab School Education Board as it has failed to finalize the syllabus and study material for history subject for the classes XI and XII for the current academic year. Nearly four and half months have already passed this year. Lambasting the Punjab government and the board for its criminal negligence, former education minister Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema said the board is offering the syllabus and study material in installments and till date only one chapter of history for class XII had been released. Since the first chapter itself was full of blunders, factual errors and indiscrete language offensive to the religious and cultural sentiments of all the communities, the board conceded to make suitable amends. Shockingly, the board has only English version of the first chapter of the subject of history for class XI while overwhelming majority of the students opt for Punjabi as medium of instructions in Punjab schools. Thus, nearly 90 percent students of history in this class have no study material, even one chapter of study material despite that the students have to appear in their half yearly examinations in September and nearly half of the syllabus is normally covered by this month, asserted Dr. Cheema. Perhaps, it may be unparallel in the academic world that not to talk of books, the board has not decided on the syllabus itself till mid of the session. This seriously flawed approach has ruined the acadmic life,” said Dr. Cheema pointing that the students concern is the last priority of the state government which is disgusting and disappointing. Dr. Cheema pointed that the expert committee appointed to set up the syllabus and study material in its wisdom had rightly suggested to continue the previous syllabus for the current academic session hoping that the new syllabus and study material would be prepared and be ready much before the beginning of the new academic session 2019-20. Unfortunately, the suggestion was turned down without applying mind by powers that be, he added. Former education minister suggested that Syllabus be prepared immediately and made public and the study material prepared on war footing and instantly made available to the students to save their precious year of academic life. However, the government should not adopt adamant attitude and make it point of prestige but instead retract to previous syllabus and study material and defer the change to next year. -PTC NEWS
