The Kerala School Curriculum Steering Committee has given its consent to 173 new textbooks for Classes 1,3,5,7 and 9. These textbooks, as per the newly introduced Curriculum Framework, are set to be printed in February, reported The Hindu. The textbooks are available in Malayalam, English, Tamil, and Kannada.
More than 900 teachers spent one and a half years working on the curriculum reform. Speaking at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, the minister shared that all books in the new curriculum will now include the Malayalam alphabet. He also mentioned that input from children and the panchayat level was actively sought. He also emphasised the popularity and transparency of the process, noting that the curriculum underwent a comprehensive and time-consuming revision.
Earlier, Kerala’s general education minister, V Sivankutty, disclosed that textbooks for Classes 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 are scheduled for release in 2025.
In October 2023, Kerala introduced a new Curriculum Framework, shaped by the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023 but with several important modifications. After 16 years, the state has made significant changes to the curriculum since the last update in 2007, which was aligned with the National Curriculum Framework 2005. Additional modifications were made in 2013. However, no changes occurred in the curriculum for the past 10 years.
The curriculum committee acknowledges the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, but it highlights that the state has prioritised democratic discussions in shaping the new curriculum framework.
In an official statement, the General Education Department states, “The modifications in the curriculum were attempted via a popular and transparent approach. Instead of following the directions of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the new framework was formed based on democratic discussions and considerations on preserving the authenticity of the state.”
The department also announced that, for the first time in the state, the introduction of all textbooks will include the Preamble of the Constitution. Additionally, the textbooks will feature illustrations showcasing drawings submitted by students from various classes.
The Kerala education department revealed that the textbooks for Classes 5 to 10 will emphasise on key sectors such as tourism, agriculture, information technology, textiles, and skill development. The curriculum aims to instill a vocational attitude among students while incorporating essential lessons on cleanliness, civic sense, gender justice, and scientific temperament.
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