The Kerala government has included preamble to the Constitution of India in the revised school textbooks. This decision was made by the CPI(M)-led Left Government with an aim to instill constitutional values in the minds of children. The revised textbooks for classes 1 to 10 will now include preamble for the first time.
173 new textbooks approved for classes 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th
The General Education Minister V Sivankutty, who is also the chairman of the State Curriculum Committee has approved 173 new textbooks for Classes 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th as part of the curriculum reforms implemented after a decade. It is the first time that the preamble of the Constitution is included and printed at the start of every textbook, said Sivankutty. He further stated that the LDF government has made it clear since the beginning that the southern state would pursue reform activities upholding constitutional values.
NCERT textbooks already carry preamble to the constitution
Jayaprakash R K, the director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), said many NCERT textbooks already carry the preamble to the Constitution, but it is the first time that Kerala is coming out with such an initiative. "The Preamble will be part of all the revised textbooks in the state. It will also be made a part of the teacher's training. This will help both teachers and students understand the core of the Preamble to the Constitution," he told PTI.
Books to be published in various languages
According to General Education Minister V Sivankutty, the books will be published in various languages including Malayalam, Tamil, and Hindi. The objective of this initiative is to create awareness about the significance of the Constitution among youngsters.
Teachers will get training
According to a statement of the SCERT Director, Teachers would be given training to impart the meaning and message of the Constitution and its preamble to the children during the time of their teaching. It may be difficult for the children to understand the concept of the constitution in the lower classes, but they will be able to understand its basics by the time they come to at least 5th standard, he added.
Revised textbooks to be out next year
According to the General Education Department sources, the revised textbooks would reach students weeks before schools reopen for the next academic year.
(With Inputs from PTI)
