Andhra Pradesh: Urge to review CBSE implementation in schools

Vijayawada Vijayawada: Teachers, students’ associations and parents of students in Andhra Pradesh are urging the state government to review the implementation of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) system in all government and government-affiliated management high schools. Teachers are worried because the Class X students of the current academic year will be the first batch to take the CBSE exams. Currently, teachers are required to teach Classes VI and VII using the state curriculum, then switch to the CBSE curriculum from Class VIII onwards. Teachers find it challenging to manage both the state academic calendar for some classes and the CBSE calendar for others within the same institution. Schools with inter-board junior colleges have to bear the additional burden of handling three different academic calendars. As a result, teachers are demanding the scrapping of the CBSE curriculum in favour of the state curriculum, pointing out that the central curriculum prioritises North Indian culture and history over that of Andhra Pradesh and South India. S Rama Krishna, State President of the Municipal Teachers Association, stressed, “Different examination systems within the same state create unnecessary confusion among students and teachers. The government must ensure a unified examination process by eliminating the CBSE syllabus to maintain continuity and fairness. To avoid disruption and ensure that students are well-prepared and stress-free, it is important for CBSE schools to clarify the examination process and internal assessment methods.” Suluru Yachandra, State Secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Andhra Pradesh, pointed out, “The previous government introduced CBSE without considering the difficulties of implementation or providing proper training and facilities for teachers. As a result, teachers are not fully involved 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 clear the confusion caused by multiple academic calendars and inform students and parents about the examination system well in advance. Changes in the middle of the year cause a lot of stress for students.” K Venkata Sundar Ramaiah, a parent from Guntur, said, “We need clarity and continuity in the education system for our children. The state education department must address these concerns immediately to keep the education system effective.” S Narahari of the AP State Parents Association said the experimental implementation of CBSE by the previous government has made the future of students uncertain. The lack of adequate teacher training for CBSE has made it difficult for students to succeed in examinations. “The new government should immediately organise training programmes for teachers or appoint skilled CBSE trainers. State curriculum teachers, especially in subjects like Hindi, physics, zoology and biology, need special training to teach CBSE textbooks in English. We demand the government to arrange training sessions,” he said