State Education Policy: Semester system may be introduced from class VIII onwards

MP | 10 Sept 2023 | Kolkata: The Gazette notification on State Education Policy (SEP) 2023 uploaded on Saturday, highlighted that a semester system may be introduced for an enhanced system of formative assessments from Class VIII onwards in a phased manner over the next three years. 

It was also stated that the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) may consider introducing a semester system in Class 11 and 12 as it will ease the transition from school to university in a phased manner. 

The 178-page policy includes some recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and many other recommendations given to the committee of educationists formulated by the state.

The policy also included the three-language formula to be introduced in schools, for the students of classes 5 to 8 depending upon the availability of infrastructure and resources. 

It was suggested that the first language would be the medium of instruction of the school, for instance Nepali in Nepali medium school, Santhali in Santhali medium school, Rajbanshi in Rajbanshi medium school, Bengali in Bangla Medium school, English in English medium school, Urdu in Urdu medium school, Hindi in Hindi medium school, Kurmali in Kurmali medium school amongst others and the second language may be English (in non-English medium) or any language other than first language depending upon the choice of the student. 

The third language may be any other language opted for by the students, other than the first and second languages. 

The three-language formula shall be applicable for the upper primary level only as the language learning ability in the primary stage should not be burdened, keeping in mind the developmental needs and abilities of students at that age, the policy stated. 

It stated that the existing structure of school education in the state, 5+4+2+2, which includes one year of pre-primary and four years of primary till Class 4, four years of upper primary, two years each of secondary and higher secondary of the existing school education structure will be kept as it is because any significant modification will lead to a major reshuffling of resource allocation and be detrimental to the education quality delivered to the students. 

Only the first two years of early education at the Anganwadi centres need to be included. A unique identity card with an embedded memory chip may be developed which may contain basic and academic records from age 3 onwards till class XII. 

Given the declining central research grants for state Higher Education Institutions, Bengal proposes to set up its own State Research Fund under the West Bengal State Council of Higher Education (WBSCHE) to strengthen the research base of the HEIs. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/state-education-policy-semester-system-may-be-introduced-from-class-viii-onwards-532325