No birds & bees for Plus II, for now

Updated on: Thursday, August 06, 2009

Kolkata: Students of classes XI and XII need not learn about the birds and the bees during school hours for the time being.

The school education department has decided to put on hold the much-hyped (and controversial) ‘lifestyle education’, which it had made mandatory in classes VI to X. Many teachers’ groups had raised objections to teaching the subject in middle and high school, which covered, among other things, sex education.
It is not known whether the government bowed to pressure. The official justification, as given by West Bengal Higher Education Council, was that it will impose excess pressure on students who are already studying environment science and are required to write an exam on it.

There is, however, utter confusion among various education groups, including various teachers’ associations, with many not even aware if the subject is now being taught in schools till Class X. The controversial topic deals with, among other things, gender relations, adolescence problems and AIDS awareness.

Rabindranath Halder, principal of Sanskrit Collegiate School, said: “The subject (lifestyle education) is being taught in schools with one class every week. But since examinations are not taken, no one took it seriously. I think it should be extended to classes XI and XII, since students in those classes attain maturity. It was almost mandatory for Plus-II students. However, I would also suggest that the council include lifestyle education under the exam system. Or else, no one takes it seriously.”

“We think lifestyle education needs to be extended till Class XII. However, the government should first take the initiative to implement it till Class X much more effectively. Otherwise, it is of no use,” said Deepak Das, secretary of West Bengal Government School Teachers’ Association.

School education minister Partha De, however, refused to specify a timeframe to extend lifestyle education till Class XII. “All I can say at this moment is that lifestyle education is being pursued in schools till Class X. With time, we will extend the course till Class XII as well. We will not introduce examinations on the subject, since we have now embarked on an exercise to make the examination system stress-free.”

Swapan Sarkar, secretary of West Bengal Higher Secondary Council, however, said: “There is no question of extending lifestyle education till Class XII for the moment.”

Principal of Bethune School, Shukla Roy, however, is opposed to extending lifestyle education in classes XI and XII. “There is already pressure on students following the introduction of environment science. Now, if an additional subject is introduced, it would unnecessarily burden students even more. It is a well thought-out decision of not introducing the subject at the Plus-II stage. Let students settle down with a bifurcated syllabus in Plus-II. Then, the government may extend the subject. However, I agree it is something that cannot be done away in Class XII.”

No birds & bees for Plus II, for now

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