
The teachers, student unions and parents of students in Andhra Pradesh are urging the State government to review the implementation of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) system in all the government and government-affiliated management high schools.
Teachers have concerns
The teachers are worried that Class X students of the current academic year will be the first batch to write CBSE exams.
Currently, teachers are required to teach Classes VI and VII using the State syllabus, then switch to the CBSE syllabus from Class VIII onwards.
Teachers find it challenging to manage both the State academic calender for some classes and the CBSE calendar for others within the same institution.
Schools with inter-board junior colleges face the additional burden of juggling three different academic calendars.
Consequently, teachers are demanding the cancellation of the CBSE syllabus in favour of the State syllabus, pointing out that the central syllabus prioritises North Indian culture and history over the Andhra Pradesh and South India.
Municipal Teachers Federation State President S Rama Krishna emphasised, "Separate examination systems within the same state lead to unnecessary stress and confusion among students and teachers. The government must ensure a unified examination procedure by abolishing the CBSE syllabus to maintain consistency and fairness. It is crucial to clarify the examination procedure and internal assessment methods for CBSE schools to avoid disruption and ensure students are well-prepared and stress-free."
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Andhra Pradesh State Secretary Suluru Yachandra pointed out, "The previous government introduced CBSE without considering implementation difficulties or providing proper training and facilities for teachers. Consequently, teachers are not fully engaged in teaching the CBSE pattern. This year, Class X students will face their first public examination under the CBSE syllabus, and their marks are crucial for their future. The government must address the confusion caused by multiple academic calendars and inform students and parents about the examination system in advance. Mid-year changes cause significant stress for students."
A parent from Guntur, K Venkata Sundara Ramaiah, stated, "We need clarity and consistency in the education system for our children. The State education department should address these concerns quickly to keep the education system effective."
S Narahari of the AP State Parents Association said that the experimental implementation of CBSE by the previous government has left students' futures uncertain. The lack of adequate teacher training for CBSE has made it difficult for students to succeed in the exams.
"The new government should urgently conduct training programmes for teachers or appoint proficient CBSE instructors. State syllabus teachers, especially in subjects like Hindi, Physics, Zoology, and Biology, need special training to teach CBSE textbooks in English. We demand the new government arrange these training sessions immediately," he added.