by Dr Mushtaq Rather
This blatant profiteering erodes the public’s trust and damages the reputation of these institutions.
Textbooks are indispensable tools for achieving curricular goals and objectives. As such, the design of textbooks must be meticulously organised and crafted to render them more effective and engaging. Compiling textbooks in various subject domains demands expertise of the highest order, requiring mastery over content matter and a clearly defined pedagogical framework.
Historically, the essence of classroom teaching and learning was centred on textbooks. Teachers typically adopted a restrictive approach, imparting information in a rigid and non-flexible manner. This approach relied heavily on textbooks, with teachers rarely exploring beyond them to refine concepts. As a result, learners developed the skill of rote learning, cramming information without fully understanding its context.
In recent decades, the education sector has undergone significant transformations, opening up new channels for disseminating learning content to modern-day learners. National Curricular Framework (NCF) documents, including NCF 2005, NCF (Foundational Stage) 2022, and NCFSE 2023, have established a procedural framework for achieving curricular goals. These documents empower learners as co-creators of knowledge, rather than mere recipients of information.
Although NCF documents emphasise the importance of textbooks, they strongly discourage teachers from being entirely dependent on them. Instead, these documents – often referred to as the Bible of Indian Education – encourage teachers to move beyond textbooks, exploring learning horizons and refining concepts from the learner’s perspective. The NCF grants teachers a degree of autonomy, enabling them to judiciously utilise available resources and adopt a constructivist approach to teaching and learning.
As one educator noted, “The textbook is just a guiding path for the teacher.” Teachers hold absolute discretion to explore requisite ways and means to consolidate concepts for modern-day learners. By adopting this approach, educators can foster a more engaging and effective learning environment.
The textbook controversy continues to simmer, dominating public discourse and social media platforms. Memes, reels, and discussions on the issue have flooded online spaces. However, in our region, the understanding of curriculum has been unfairly limited to textbooks alone – a misguided notion.
Textbooks are, by no means, the entirety of the curriculum. The term “curriculum” is not restrictive. Unfortunately, our understanding has been confined to textbooks, neglecting the broader domain of curriculum that extends far beyond.
According to the National Curricular Framework for School Education 2023(NCFSE), which draws its essence from the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP2020), the curriculum encompasses the entirety of organized experiences of students in institutional settings towards educational aims and objectives. The NCFSE emphasizes that the elements constituting and bringing life to the curriculum are numerous, including goals and objectives, syllabi, content, pedagogical practices, assessment, teaching-learning materials, school and classroom practices, learning environment, and institutional culture.
Across the educational landscape, regardless of whether the institution is government-run or private, the curriculum remains uniform. However, textbooks may differ.
The Union Public Service Commission’s recent announcement of the final results of the Civil Services Examination 2024 has highlighted the crucial role of NCERT books in shaping the success of IAS aspirants. The top rank holders have consistently praised the quality and relevance of these textbooks. It is, therefore, puzzling that NCERT books are often maligned, even for elementary classes.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has taken a significant step towards addressing this anomaly. By making it mandatory for all schools affiliated to the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education to use standardised textbooks, the government has struck a blow against the monopolistic practices of private schools and publishers. This decision was prompted by numerous complaints from parents regarding the exorbitant costs of textbooks and the lack of transparency in the selection process.
The introduction of standardised textbooks has been widely welcomed as a progressive move. However, some vested interests have sought to discredit the initiative by spreading misinformation. They claim that JKBOSE textbooks are not designed by subject experts from NCERT. This allegation is baseless, as JKBOSE has the authority to review and update its textbooks periodically, incorporating local content while retaining the core material from NCERT.
Education experts concur that NCERT textbooks are in no way inferior to those published by private companies such as Oxford, McMillan, and Oswal. While the quality of the paper used in JKBOSE textbooks may be compromised due to budget constraints, the government is mandated by the Right to Education Act 2009 to provide free textbooks to over 12 lakh students at the elementary level.
The notion that establishing an educational institution is a not-for-profit endeavour has become increasingly obsolete. Private educational institutions are now viewed as lucrative business ventures, attracting major investors. While this influx of capital has enhanced the infrastructural landscape, it has also created a host of problems.
Private schools have begun to overstep their bounds, setting up uniforms and book outlets on school premises. This blatant commercialisation has eroded the public’s trust in these institutions. Although private schools have undoubtedly contributed to raising academic standards across the country, their unholy alliance with publishers has resulted in exorbitant book prices, leaving parents with no choice but to acquiesce.
The monopoly on textbooks has reached alarming proportions, with books available only at designated shops. Parents, eager to provide their children with quality education, are willing to make sacrifices, often without questioning the costs. The argument that private schools should have autonomy in choosing textbooks is being used to justify this exploitative practice.
Proponents of private schools claim that publications from renowned houses such as McMillan, Oxford, and Lucent are of superior quality. However, it is questionable whether teachers in these institutions possess the requisite pedagogical skills to effectively utilise these textbooks. The emphasis on rote learning and the lack of emphasis on critical thinking skills, case studies, and project work raise concerns about the quality of education being imparted.
Besides, the practice of changing textbooks every academic session is a clear indication of profiteering. A kindergarten student is expected to study 14 books, costing over Rs 4,000, which is a clear violation of the National Bag Policy 2020. This blatant disregard for regulations is a stark reminder of the exploitative nature of the private education sector.
For a skilled teacher, a textbook is merely a tool, and their creative approach can elevate learning to new heights. The overemphasis on textbooks is a clear indication of the commercialisation of education, where profit takes precedence over pedagogy.
The contribution of private schools to raising academic standards will undoubtedly be remembered. However, these institutions must refrain from prioritising business interests over their core responsibility of providing quality and equitable education. By adhering to their primary objective, private schools can regain the trust and faith of the general public.
The exorbitant prices of educational materials, such as a drawing book of average quality being sold for Rs 510, are a stark reminder of the profit-driven motives of some private schools. This blatant profiteering erodes the public’s trust and damages the reputation of these institutions.
In contrast, the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) must ensure the timely distribution of textbooks before the commencement of each academic session. Furthermore, JKBOSE should enlist the expertise of its top professionals to contextualise and update textbooks at regular intervals, maintaining the integrity and sanctity of the original NCERT books.
(The author is an educator based in Mattan, Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir. Ideas are personal.)
