GANGTOK,: The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) held
the inaugural ceremony for the extension of Special Numeracy Programme at its
office, at Lower Burtuk here on Thursday.
The
event was attended by Education minister Raju Basnet as the chief guest, along
with representatives from Jodo Gyan, New Delhi, SCERT principal director and
director, and other officials from the department.
In
his welcome address, SCERT director Dr. Rabin Chhetri informed that the Special
Numeracy Programme was initiated by the State Education department to
revolutionise the pedagogy of mathematics. The programme aims to make learning
mathematics more engaging and enjoyable for students, effectively addressing
their math-related anxiety, he added.
The
director further emphasized the importance of foundational literacy and
numeracy, as outlined in National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which mandates
that children should acquire strong literacy and numeracy skills by Grade 2. By
Grade 3, students should be competent to learn independently, he added.
The
pilot project was launched in August 2023, training SRGs (State Resource
Groups) across 34 blocks and 212 mentor teachers. From the current academic
year, the programme will be extended to all 768 government schools in the
State.
The
programme report, presented by the programme coordinator, provided key insights
into its implementation in districts.
Between
February and November 2024, 11 district-level workshops were conducted for
SRGs, nodal teachers, and mentor teachers at nodal schools. Additionally, three
State-level workshops were held in May, September and October 2024 in Gangtok.
A
delegation of 33 SRGs, eight nodal school principals, 24 nodal school teachers
and five nodal officers visited Jodo Gyan Kendra, Heritage School and Shiv
Nadar School in New Delhi to observe and adopt best practices in mathematics
pedagogy.
A
notable outcome of the programme was the improvement in students' numerical
abilities, with nearly 50% of children responding correctly to questions
involving numbers up to 50 after a shift in the assessment process.
For
the upcoming academic year, the programme will be further extended to 768
schools with cluster-level workshops to be conducted by SRGs every six weeks,
regular school visits by SRGs to support mentor teachers, online training for
SRGs and mentor teachers, revised assessment methodologies for Grades 1 and 2,
and development of SRGs and nodal schools.
The
programme will be implemented across seven cluster-level venues in Gangtok,
Gyalshing and Pakyong districts, five in Soreng, 14 in Namchi and six in Mangan
district.
Following
the presentation, a video documentary showcased the programme's implementation
in classrooms. The teachers shared their experiences. Gay Tshering Bhutia from
New Secondary School, Namchi remarked that despite initially disliking
mathematics, the rigorous training he received over the past 18 months
transformed both his perspective and that of his students, fostering a newfound
appreciation for the subject.
The
event also included a felicitation ceremony, where SRGs, SCERT, DIET faculty
and nodal officers were honored by the minister for their contributions to the
programme.
In
the concluding session, the Education minister formally launched the extension
of the Special Numeracy Programme.
In
his address, Basnet acknowledged the urgent need to enhance arithmetic skills
among primary school students. Citing a 2024 report, he revealed that 35-40% of
primary students in Sikkim struggle with basic arithmetic operations,
underscoring the need for immediate intervention. He reiterated that
mathematics phobia must be eliminated, emphasizing that teachers play a crucial
role in ensuring students can pass their board exams successfully. He also
referenced the Chief Minister's Charter School Programme in Pangthang, which
focuses on developing a strong foundation in English literacy. The initiative
teaches primary school students to read, write, and form complete sentences. An
additional school has been added to this programme, and the minister encouraged
teachers to study and integrate its approach into their classrooms.
With
the Special Numeracy Programme now extended Statewide, the Education department
aims to transform mathematics education in Sikkim, ensuring every child
acquires essential numeracy skills for a stronger academic foundation.
