Govt school students disappointed over lack of activity-based learning in schools

Hyderabad: Several teachers have rued the absence of activity based learning and focus on extra-curricular activities in government schools in the city.

Activity based learning has always led to better retention of concepts, especially among children. However, it is one of the most ignored learning approaches in government schools. Students not only want to understand concepts in Mathematics, Science and Environment studies through activities but also want to learn basic medical needs, cooking, gardening, pottery, carpentry and more.

Students want these to be included in the curriculum or at least in extra-curricular activities.

M. Khaja, a government school teacher said most of the students are forced to earn money as they come from economically poor backgrounds and are already doing part-time jobs. “They either deliver newspapers, milk packets or are domestic helpers. They wish to learn gardening, carpentry, pottery, cooking and basic computer skills in schools to earn better,” he said.

There are several activities to teach students about friendship, the environment, pollution, measurements in Mathematics, etc. However it is hardly being practised, added teachers.

“Students also express disappointment when we force activities on them rather than asking what they would like to learn. We just want them to do the same old things like drawing and painting, without asking them about their interests,” said Mohan Kumar, a volunteer teacher, employed in government schools in the city.

Education was a major casualty during Covid-19. The worst affected have been the students studying in primary schools as they do not even know basic concepts. Thus, activity-based learning is the need of the hour, especially in primary schools as 90 per cent of brain development happens by the age of five.

However, a few teachers also said, no matter how much they want to help the students learn through activities, it is not possible because of two reasons. One is a lack of space and the second is a lack of facilities provided by the government, said Irene S., headmaster at a high school.