'Write' to education?

A year after the Right to Education Act was implemented, principals and parents are worried that the new curriculum does not give emphasis on writing in early classes, which may affect a child's academic performance in later years Worried education activists, stressed out parents, and of course overburdened students may have had reason to celebrate when the Right to Education (RTE) Act was implemented last year, putting an end to the inordinate amount of pressure that was earlier exerted on students to perform well academically. The Act has stipulated that no student can be barred from promotion between STD VIII and I.Parents fear that lack of stress on writing may have negative after effects in later gradesWhile they are happy that children had an easier and less stressful time coping with their academic responsibilities, principals in schools across the city are also slightly worried, as they fear that the emphasis on objective, oral and project work may diminish their students' ability to write cogently and fast, skills that will be indispensable in the later grades.u00a0Parents too are keeping a keen eye on their wards to monitor the possible repercussions of the radical changes made to the curriculum with the passing of the act.Indra Menon, Vice Principal of Children's Academy, Malad, said, After the act was passed, we had to implement the changed pattern. Under the new system, there is more objective, oral, and project work, along with study tours for students.u00a0This helped them to score more marks and pass their exams this year. The percentage of failure was very low. While that is a positive outcome, it should be kept in mind that the students will not get enough writing practice. This can have a deleterious effect on their performance in grades IX and X.Micheal Pinto, Principal of Holy Name High School, Colaba, said, If students fail, it is also a failure on part of the teacher. There were not many failures this academic year compared to the last, owing to the revised curriculum.u00a0Students enjoyed studying, and also participated in several activities that have been included in their curriculum, as a result of which they scored high marks. Even though there is less writing to do, the students' creativity will be developed, and this will help average students. I hear that others are worried because the lack of stress on writing may have negative after effects in later grades. But students are extremely smart nowadays and I feel they will pick up fast.Priyanka Rajani, Principal of Vidyanidhi High School and Junior College, Vile Parle, said, The new RTE has brought the international system of teaching to India, and this has definitely decreased the pressure that was earlier put on students.u00a0I agree that the papers are more objective based nowadays. But we are giving them writing practice at stipulated periods, and this will help them maintain a high speed of writing, which will stand them in good stead for future grades.Dinesh T, parent of a student in a school situated in the western suburbs, said, I give my children writing practice every day, by making them write a paragraph from any textbook, so that they maintain a decent writing speed. Other parents also should adopt this practice with their children at home.u00a0I started giving special attention to writing skills after the RTE was implemented last year, because there is now very little writing to do for children between STD I and VIII.ExpertspeakDr Jayant Sarkar, M S (Orthopaedics), said, The mind has to think before the hand can write. Since there is a small time lag necessary for mind-hand coordination, writing is a more time consuming process than speaking.Thus some amount of writing needs to be included in the curriculum for the students. So the schools should devote some amount of time to writing practice in classes, she added.