'Cutting down classroom syllabus to facilitate experiential

Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar Sunday said the government is reducing the classroom syllabus in a phased manner so that students get required time for "experiential learning", sports and life skills.

Javadekar also stressed that extra-curricular activities should have equal importance as classroom learning.

He was speaking at the inauguration of Malpani Foundation's Dhruv Global School at Nande Village, near Pune.

"We need to have equal focus on experiential learning, sports, physical education and life skills education for the holistic development of the child. We are trying to reduce the burden of classroom syllabus in a phased manner to facilitate this thought", he said.

This year we are reducing the syllabus by 10% and by 20% in the following year so that kids can get required time for experiential learning, sports and life skills, he said.

Javadekar opined that public and private sectors both have an equally important role to play when it comes to education.

"Under 'Samagra Shiksha' drive more than 11 lakh schools are being given a special grant ranging between Rs 5000 to Rs 25000 for procuring books for library and buying sports equipment separately", he said.

Javadekar said, "Around 3000 'Atal Tinkering Labs' have been set up in schools across the country for introducing children to the modern science in an appropriate way".