Right changes in textbooks...too early or too late?

Students in a fix over algebra errors

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: SSC students who spent the year studying income-tax — a chapter in the algebra textbook — were in for a shock after the state education board issued clarifications on the subject, detailing a method of calculating income-tax that was completely different from the one in the textbook. The clarifications also mentioned an important change in the way binary numbers were written.
Many schools received the corrections only last week. Some have not received them at all.
Teachers are upset that they are unable to teach students the new methods of solving algebraic problems because the latter are on study leave. “We photocopied the circular for all children and handed them out on open day. I’m just sorry that I couldn’t teach my students the new methods of calculation,’’ Holy Family High School (Andheri) mathematics teacher Susan Babu said. The income-tax differs for various tax slabs (like for senior citizens, men and women) and the clarifications have outlined a method of calculating tax that’s completely at variance from the textbook.
“The textbooks were written before the budget speech last year so they mentioned the old method of calculating income-tax. However, the clarifications are based on the new method outlined in last year’s budget,’’ a board official explained. He added that students who did not receive the circular and computed tax according to the textbook would not lose out on marks.
The algebra textbook isn’t the only one that’s riddled with errors. Geometry, history, civics, geography and economics texts also had many mistakes. Many of them, though, were minor errors in spelling and syntax. One of the textbooks, for instance, mentioned Soviet Russia but the clarification mentioned the full form of the USSR.
THEIR SAY
THE EXPERTS
We have not received any circular from the board on corrections in class-X textbooks. But we have heard about the issue from other schoolteachers. I am not overly worried about this; I’m sure that a teacher who has knowledge of the subject will spot the errors and teach the subject correctly. But that does not mean there is no problem; children often rely solely on textbooks.
Yasmeen Chhagla | PRINCIPAL, CUMBALLA HILL HIGH SCHOOL, NAPEAN SEA ROAD
The new curriculum has been introduced in class X for the first time this academic year, resulting in practical difficulties for the board. I feel that the board is doing its best. Textbooks were delayed by a month last year and arrived in July. We received corrections throughout the year from the board for textbooks in almost every subject. But, at this time of the year when children are busy focusing on examinations, any correction in textbooks will disturb them.
Fr Francis Swamy | PRINCIPAL, HOLY FAMILY HIGH SCHOOL, ANDHERI
Ithink it’s too too late for corrections in textbooks. Students have stopped coming to school and are on study leave. It’s difficult to get across several pages of corrections to students. Students are upset at getting so many corrections before the board examinations. Even teachers are confused.
Najma Kazi | PRINCIPAL, ANJUMAN-I-ISLAM’S SAIF TYABJEE GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL
THE BOARD
Care will be taken to ensure that students are not affected and do not lose out on marks in the class-X examinations.
Vinay Dakshindas | MAHARASHTRA STATE BOARD OF SECONDARY AND HIGHER SECONDARY EDUCATION SECRETARY