Team Herald
PANJIM: The last time the syllabus of Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools was revised was 11 years ago in 2006. While educationists feel there is need for an update, the Board is not convinced of this.
Speaking to Herald, Goa Headmasters Association (GHA) President Vithoba Desai said there is definitely need to review the syllabus as it has been a long time since the last review. “All these year’s experts have recommended some or the other suggestions in the syllabus so all these suggestions have to be considered comprehensively,” Desai said.
Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) Chairman, J R Rebello, however, doesn’t agree. “The new syllabus of NCERT was introduced in 2006 and at present there is no thought to update the syllabus. NCERT today is followed in India now with states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh also implementing this syllabus from this academic year and most importantly NCERT is linked with NEET and JEE exams,” Rebello said.
Desai added that the NCERT syllabus was meant for a common standard, and Goa being a highly literate State has to implement a syllabus of a higher standard giving excellence. “If we see the objective of NCERT syllabus is literacy and not excellence,” Desai said.
He added, “Goan students do well at SSC and HSSC level but fail at National competitive exams and we have also observed that students passing out through CBSE schools in Goa have an edge over other students. The same NCERT books are used by CBSE schools in Goa but their syllabus is much higher and advanced.”
Another educationist also said that general knowledge subjects must be introduced as the students are not weak in maths, science and English, but lag behind in GK.
Further it is also observed that CBSE is better than that of state specific boards as the members at CBSE review their syllabus on a routine basis.
