TSAT Panel Focus On Literacy, Numeracy

“This is not a test. It is a guide to understanding and developing student capabilities,” Education secretary Dr. Yogita Rana said, describing the foundational learning study as the outcome of three years of academic work and a tool to strengthen classroom practice rather than rank children.

The discussion featured Dr. Rana, director of School Education Dr. Naveen Nicolas, mandal education officers, school complex headmasters and teachers from primary and upper primary schools. The focus remained on how FLN should be applied in classrooms, how learning gaps can be identified early, and how teachers can respond through planned instruction.

Dr. Rana stressed that teachers must clearly understand FLN guidelines and assessment practices and translate them into daily classroom work. She emphasised phonics-based reading in early grades, mock tests to identify learning levels, and remedial support through teacher-led and peer groups. Reading practice, she said, should include timed exercises, word counts, comprehension and sentence formation using naming and action words with pictures.

Dr. Nicolas spoke about integrating assessment into regular school routines. He explained the 5+1 model, which allows five days of teaching followed by assessment on the sixth day through workbooks, giving teachers a clear picture of student learning. He urged teachers to use the Class III item bank developed by the state government and called on mandal officers and headmasters to act as academic leaders, follow guidelines closely and motivate teachers to raise learning standards.