MP teachers unimpressed by activity based learning

Teachers in the state gave thumbs down to activity based learning (ABL) even in state chief minister Shivraj Singh Chhouhan's own constituency. The ABL was launched in primary schools under Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) with support from UNICEF few years ago. Under activity based learning system a teacher is expected to improve efficiency of a student to a certain level so that he can become eligible for next class.

"It puts an additional burden on us and does not gel with our deep-seeded examination based system," said a teacher in primary school of Bagri village on condition of anonymity. Bagri falls under Vidisha constituency from where state chief minister Chouhan had recently contested elections.

"The activity based learning has made the students careless since the state decided to abrogate board examination pattern in fifth class. Even a student of class third knows that it is mandatory for teachers to make him clear his examinations. As a result he does not bother to come to school, even if he comes he learns nothing but play with the apparatus provided for the purpose," says another teacher and demands, "this ABL system must go."

Most teachers at high school and higher secondary level feel practical difficulty to deal with such students who gets admission in middle level classes and carry no elementary knowledge.

"We remain silent, since we have to follow instructions. This system is making them (students) careless, irresponsible and disrespecting to teachers in higher classes. Higher authorities have few options to listen to us or incorporate our suggestions," rues a teacher Gopiram Katare in Diwanganj middle school.

Higher rank officials also admit that activity based learning and later at middle level activity learning methodology have ruined the education system.

State government has limited monitoring options at remote and rural areas. Most teachers stay in towns and bigger cities. They do not want to live in villages. Moreover documentation process for mid-day meal scheme, daily roaster maintenance, other government assigned works like census and elections put them in a corner.

"They have at least two hours each day which go waste and not in favour of a student," admits HN Nema, assistant director in Vidisha district. He says regular monitoring is only possible when you have few villages and you are not charging anything from anyone.

Noted educationist Dr Anil Sadgopal, who had introduced practical-based education in middle schools has a different but convincing logic, "when universities will not improve their curriculum and when teachers with cooked degree will join schools as faculty, it will happen. There is no surprise in it. We must look into if any student has learned something in the face of all odds. If we need to improve our elementary education system we need to improve our university education system from where these teachers obtain their degrees," he said.

There are nearly 6000 schools in rural areas of Vidisha district and as many as 200000 students get education in these schools.