Pakistan may take leaf out of CBSE book

Updated on: Tuesday, November 29, 2011

India's education reforms may serve as a blueprint for the sub-continent. The CBSE's ambitious new system of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE), in place of a single-board exam, is gathering steam not just in India, but in neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Bhutan, too.

Vineet Joshi, chairman of the CBSE board, has already sent a presentation on the CCE to Bhutan and is in the process of sending it to the Aga Khan University Examination Board in Pakistan. "I think this is a very welcome move for students in these countries. I have a feeling that the situation in these countries vis-a-vis education is very similar to our country. India's experiences with the new system of continuous and comprehensive evaluation will be useful to countries like Pakistan," Joshi says.

During a meeting of the Council of Boards of School Education in Delhi last week, not only were representatives of Indian boards in attendance, but a senior civil servant from Islamabad, Ramzan Achakzai, was present, too. Achakzai is the secretary of the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen, comprising the heads of all national and provincial educational boards in Pakistan.

Not only is Achakzai impressed with the new system, but he even plans to present a paper on it back home in Pakistan, in a bid to impress the Pakistani establishment about its benefits. He will discuss the new system with heads of education boards and textbook committees in Pakistan, as well as with the government.

"CCE involves a very dynamic and interactive education system, where students are not simply passive learners but actively participate in the system. This will provide a good opportunity to maximize learning levels. This will also enhance the knowledge levels of teachers and help them figure out their own deficiencies," says Achakzai.

In Pakistan, like in India, Achakzai believes that the board examination system, which involves assessing a student based on a single exam at the end of the year, only tests a student's memory and ability to learn by rote. He believes that with the present system, teachers are in such a hurry to finish the syllabus that they are left with little time for other activities, such as the overall development of the child.

"CCE does not simply cover the subject matter but also focuses on co-curricular activities and helps build the character of the child and creates good citizens," feels Achakzai.

While he is clearly in favour of CCE, he hastens to add that this system has its share of drawbacks. For starters, he says it depends heavily on the credibility of the teacher. The CCE system involves school teachers assessing children on many parameters throughout the year. Achakzai's concerns mirror those of several students and educationists in India, who feel that it is important for teachers to be impartial during their assessment.

Ramzan Achakzai, a senior civil servant from Islamabad, plans to present a paper on Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation in Pakistan. He will discuss the new system with heads of education boards and textbook committees in Pakistan, as well as with the government.

Times of India

Pakistan may take leaf out of CBSE book

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