Nothing
wrong with NCERT books
Sir,
Apropos
letter published in your esteemed Daily
on 15.2.03 under the Caption ''Teaching
Science in Schools''. The learned writer
who presumably has studied the texts of
science (NCERT and others) with his own
wisdom and expressed a definite level of
concern for bringing a positive,
uptodate, comprehensive and sustainable
balance within theory and practice of
science has also found faults in
curriculum planning, poor quality of Text
books (NCERT) lack of motivated teachers
and in depth knowledge in them etc.
The
learned writer may not perhaps be aware
of that in J&K State there is
District Institute of Education and
Training at District level which assists
in drawing the curriculum, provides
training and motivation to the teachers
on regular basis accepts suggestions from
all concerned including from those like
that of present writer. At state level
there is State Institute of Education
(SIE) which passes regular inputs to
DIETS and other schools. As far as
indepth knowledge and study of subject by
the student is concerned, it depends upon
many a factor which essentially include
his IQ, the environment of Child, his
parental stock, relative devotion of time
with other subjects etc. But we have not
to forget that it is the present system
which has contributed many a scientist of
International standard whether in phyics,
or any other field.
I feel
sorry to mention that in pointing errors
in NCERT books, the writer himself has
erred in finding the errors.
He
mentions that the source of acid rain has
been misrepresented in 8th class book.
This is not correct. The chapter
''Conservation of natural resources''
specifically mentions that emission of
toxic substances in the atmosphere do
cause pollution and can cause acid rains.
As there is no misrepresentation as far
as acid rain is concerned. His
observation that budding for
plant/propagation through sexual as well
as vegetative means has not been
comprehensively dealt is thoroughly
incorrect.
In fact
budding is only an asexual mode of
propagation and has been diagrammatically
explained in the book (Page 168 and 169)
which is sufficient for class 10th
standard.
His last
observation that in lower class science
books, respiration and breathing have
been termed at par though both are
conceptually different is also not
correct. Basically both the processes are
conceptually same involving use of oxygen
for oxidation purposes. The main
difference between the two is that
breathing takes place in higher animals
(involves breathing apparatus like nose
and lungs) and respiration does not
require breathing apparatus as the gasses
enter by diffusion processes (NCERT 19th
book page 157). Respiration takes place
in lower animals.
The
learned writer therefore, may give a
fresh look to the basics of the topics
touched in the letter and make an attempt
to develop confidence in NCERT books
which are contributed by men of eminence
at national level as against those
private costly books being taught in
private schools which are burdening the
parents subscribing to such private
schools and find their source in NCERT
books through non Hi-Fi English.
Yours
etc...
J P Sharma
Ward No. 2 Bishnah
Jammu.
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