Tuesday 28 April 2020

5.a. Discover Secondary Education





This series of articles is about the classes 9 and 10. It comprises of three articles to give comprehensive information about this vast and most important level of education.
Malcolm X has said, “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. It is very much apt for this phase of education.
How are these different from the previous classes?
This is the first stage of career-driven studies. Now the students have to decide, beforehand, the course of their future life. Up to class 8, they have studied all the subjects compulsorily to gain the multifarious knowledge of the basic level. In the senior classes, they get some elective subjects, besides the mandatory ones. These electives form the precursor of their future career.
Therefore, the students are required to give thought by delving into their strong/ weak areas. On the contrary, it is very important to have a passion for at least one area/ subject besides standard knowledge of different subjects.    
Importance of Class 9
It is an important milestone in the entire academic journey. Board Examinations of Class 10 are, now, just one year away.  It is the foundation stage for learning and developing a conceptual understanding of all the subjects.
Case study
For the sake of better understanding, we take up the case of Shobhit. He has passed out from Class 8, somehow managing to get through to the next class. Sports take up a large part of his active time. His parents, Ritesh and Rajeshwari are excessively busy in their professional and social lives, getting hardly any time to look into the academic progress of Shobhit and his younger sister, Medhavi.

Shaurya, captain of his school team, is a high-achiever. Besides his good performance in the sports field, he tops in academics, as well. He is the star of the school and has great affection for Shobhit. Shobhit also holds him in high esteem and shares his problems with him.

He was disturbed to see Shobhit’s result of class 8. One day, when the soccer match was called off, due to the rains, he took the time to counsel Shobhit. He told him, “Friend, the real academic journey begins from this stage. It does not really matter how you have performed, so far. Work harder and it is, certainly, possible to set the ball rolling. Follow these important tips and just see the lofty heights you, too, can achieve.”

11 tips for success in the studies
Believe in yourself
Robert Collier had said, “Your chances of success in any undertaking can always be measured by your belief in yourself.”
Shaurya confided, “Do you know the reason for my success? I always believe in myself. My long-term and short-term goals are clear to me and I am confident of achieving them. So, develop the self-belief and reach to the top.”
Compete with yourself
He said, “Compete with yourself only. Keep shattering your own records but never be satisfied.”
Time to be devoted for the self-study
One should study for a minimum of 6 hours daily. It would not only help in scoring good marks but also to be well-prepared for facing the Board Examinations. 
Regular follow up of the studies at school
A student must learn the class-room task on the same day after coming back from the school and finish the home task as well. He or she should also actively complete any projects and worksheets given from the school. The most important part is the regularity. 
Apportion proper timing for each subject
For example, languages and literature may be given less time than subjects like Science; Mathematics; Social Sciences; Accountancy; Computer Science, etc. The goal must be to master all the subjects. The chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Therefore, any weakness may affect the overall result.
Maintain good health
It is very important to maintain good health because the students cannot afford to fall sick at this level. It would cause a terrible loss of time and energy. Therefore, take a healthy diet, do exercises, and remain active.
Plan according to the syllabus
It is best to plan according to the syllabus. Due dates for completion of each chapter must be fixed in the beginning of the year. Follow up needs to be taken. It is suggested to make a date-wise schedule on MS Excel Worksheet as per the following example:
Subjects
Chapters
Target date
Date finished
Hindi
1


2


3


4


5


English
1


2


3


4


5


Mathematics
1


2


3


4


5


Physics
1


2


3


4


5


Chemistry
1


2


3


4


5


Biology
1


2


3


4


5
































Please note that this chart is only indicative. The actual one would be much bigger and more detailed.
Play
Shaurya said, “It may sound strange but playing regularly for some time in the evening will always rejuvenate you. You will, then, study with a renewed vigour. However, fix a proper time for it and try not to cross it.”
Extra-curricular and Co-curricular activities
He added, “Don’t shy away from participating in these activities in the school. Besides keeping you in the limelight these are quite helpful in the academics also.” 
Prepare notes
After a thorough reading of the book, underline the important portions and make point-wise notes. These notes do not only help you retain it for a longer period but also are helpful for the tests and examinations. However, making notes does not require you to copy the chapter in an exercise book.”

Shobhit was full of confidence and determination to do well not only in class 9 but in future as well by following these useful tips.

#SecondaryEducation #DiscoverSecondaryEducation #SecondaryClasses #ElevenTipsForSuccessInSecondaryClasses 
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The author R. C. Verma has crafted this 3-Article series to give comprehensive information about the education details of classes 9 and 10 with the focus of Indian Examination Systems. This article is first in the series. Hope to get readers’ response. Mail ID: vermarajesh55@gmail.com


5. b. Discover Secondary Education-Different Educational bodies





In our country, education is provided by Public as well as the Private schools. At the class 10 level, the examination is conducted by the centralized bodies, called Examination boards.
The main Boards are:
1.    Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
2.    Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE)
3.    State Education Boards (SEBs)
Out of these, CBSE and ICSE conduct examinations at the national level while SEBs conduct these examinations at the state levels. Their syllabi and teaching methodology differ from each other considerably.
CBSE

·     The board conducts two examinations — the All India Secondary School Examination, AISSE (Class X) and the All India Senior School Certificate Examination, AISSCE (Class XII).
·       CBSE is recognized by The Government of India.
·       CBSE syllabus is a combination of textbook studies, assignments, worksheets and project work. The student gets equipped to face difficult entrance examinations of professional institutions. CBSE curriculum is quite organized.
·       The emphasis is given to logical reasoning and developing the applied methods of education.
·       Focus is on active learning, especially of Mathematics and Science subjects.
·  Their syllabus is designed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
·  CBSE allows private students along with regular students to appear in their examinations.
·       20000+ schools in India and 200+ schools in 28 foreign countries are affiliated to CBSE. Therefore, in case of a change in location the student studying in CBSE schools does not suffer because of the same curriculum all over the country and even in some foreign countries. 
·       CBSE supports both English and Hindi languages.
·       CBSE emphasizes on the holistic development of the student.

ICSE


·   Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) is in charge of conducting the Class 10 and Class 12 examinations.
·       ICSE is not recognized by The Government of India but recognized globally.
·       In ICSE, the syllabus is bit more elaborate as compared to CBSE. However, it helps in building a strong foundation. It is suitable for advanced studies in educational institutions abroad.
·       ICSE supports only English as the basic language and for the medium of instruction.
·       The ICSE students are required to develop analytical skills, problem-solving abilities and practical knowledge.
·       Focus is on balanced and active learning of Science, Arts, and the languages.
·       Here, internal assessments and lab work are very important.  
·       Overall scores are inclusive of those obtained in the practical tests.
·    The students opting for a career in English Language and Literature should prefer ICSE.
·    ICSE board has many combinations of the subjects to offer to students- such as computer science, environmental science and even interior design.
·     For a student desirous of appearing in ICSE examination, it is compulsory to have studied in ICSE School.
State Boards
·       State Boards are recognized by the Government of India.
·       Their syllabi are comparatively easier as compared to CBSE and ICSE. However, the students face problems while appearing in the entrance examinations of professional institutions.
·       Their syllabi are designed by the Department of Education of their particular states. Therefore, in case of the change of location to a different state can prove to be quite challenging for the students.
·       The State Boards give more emphasis to their regional languages while English is an optional subject. The student, who finds English to be difficult, can write their papers in the Regional language also. 
·       Their curriculum is less loaded as compared to the CBSE and ICSE.
·       Fees of the schools affiliated to the State Boards are lesser than those affiliated with CBSE and ICSE boards.
·       Even though CBSE and ICSE students are considered to be more competent as compared to the students of the state boards but if varies from student to student. Some students of the state boards prove to be mighty successful in their professional lives. 

Besides these boards, there are some other educational bodies and institutions as well. Their details are as follows:

National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)
·    It is run by the National Board of Education under the Ministry of Human Resources Development of the Government of India.
·  This body conducts two examinations- Secondary Examination (Class 10) and Senior Secondary Examination (Class 12) on All India basis.
·       It also imparts Vocational Education.
·       Its courses are equivalent to CBSE and are offered in rural areas.
·       The combination of the subjects is quite varied.
·   It is very good for the students who have to resort to home education due to various reasons.
Islamic Madrasas
·       Some of these are autonomous institutions.
·     These are also affiliated to: The state boards or Darul Uloom Deoband or Darul Uloom Nadwtul Ulama.
·       They offer education to the students for Islamic studies and other subjects.
·      The medium of instruction is mostly Urdu though they are also given the knowledge of English.

Autonomous schools
The most prominent ones are as follows:
1.    Woodstock School, Landour, Uttarakhand:
·       It is about 150+ years old school.
·       It runs American Co-educational program with US accreditation through the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
·       It also offers courses in Indian Classical Music and Dances.
·       It offers US advanced placement program.
·       Grade 10 students also take the Cambridge University IGCSE examinations.
·       It has been officially accredited as International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.
2.   Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Puducherry
·       This school is run on the spiritual guidelines of Maharshi Aurobindo.
·       It has got Schools named Sri Aurobindo International School in Hyderabad and Mother’s International School in New Delhi.
3.   Patha Bhavan, Santiniketan
·       It was established in 1901 by Nobel Laureate, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore to educate the students amongst the serene natural surroundings. It has produced scholars of International repute like Mr. Amartya Sen.
4.   Ananda Marga Gurukula, Jamalpur, Bihar
·       It was established in 1955 by Mr. P R Sarkar as a spiritual institution with courses in Tantra, yogic science.
·       However, the organization gained a bad name later because of involvement in some suspected terrorist activities.

There are some private schools that have dual affiliation with one of the School Education boards of India and International Baccalaureate Program and/ or Cambridge International Examinations. For a list of schools connected with IB programs, please connect through this link: https://www.ibo.org/programmes/find-an-ib-school/ and for Indian schools connected with CIE programs please surf the Internet through this link: https://www.schoolmykids.com/education/list-cie-cambridge-schools-in-india
International schools
·       There are some International schools which offer 10th and 12th standard examinations under the International Baccalaureate, Cambridge Senior Secondary Examination systems or under their home nations’ school boards.
·       These are run by foreign embassies, High commission, and some expatriate communities.

In the concluding article of this series we will explore curricula of different examination boards and other details.

 The author has referred to the following websites for developing part of the content.

#SecondaryEducation #DiscoverSecondaryEducation #CBSEExaminations #ICSEExaminations #StateEducationBoardsExaminations #NIOS #IslamicMadrasas #InternationalBaccalaureateExaminations #CamridgeInternationalExaminations #InternationalSchools #AutonomousSchools
The author, R .C. Verma, has written this series of articles about Secondary Education giving comprehensive details. This is the second article of the series.     

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