Agriculture Now a Mandatory Subject for Classes 6 to 8

The Maharashtra state's education department has announced that starting from the next academic year, an agriculture curriculum will be implemented as a mandatory subject for students in grades 6 to 8. The curriculum, developed by the state's agriculture department, will provide practical knowledge of farming to students.

City school teachers express concerns over teaching practical aspects of agriculture in urban settings following the inclusion of agriculture in the curriculum, as per Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020.

Despite the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020 promoting the inclusion of vocational subjects like crafts, entrepreneurial skills, traditional and local arts, agriculture, and others that highlight local expertise in the curriculum, city-based school teachers are raising concerns about the feasibility of providing practical agricultural experiences to students within an urban setting.

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The school education department has decided to introduce agriculture studies as a compulsory subject starting from Class 6. The state agricultural department has been tasked with finalizing the curriculum for this subject.

During a recent gathering in Pune, the Minister of School Education, Deepak Kesarkar, directed the Director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) to formulate a proposal for the introduction of an agriculture curriculum.

Maharashtra Prathamik Shikshan Parishad (MPSP) Director was instructed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the agriculture department, ensuring seamless integration of the curriculum.

According to an official from the education department, the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) entails the inclusion of vocational subjects like agriculture in the school curriculum. A collaborative effort between officials from the state's agriculture and education departments, as well as agriculture university professors, has resulted in the formulation of a comprehensive plan to incorporate agriculture education across all grade levels.

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"The introduction of the agriculture syllabus will be rolled out in three phases, spanning Classes 1 to 5, 6 to 8, and 9 to 10. This comprehensive curriculum will encompass a wide range of agricultural topics, including the importance of agriculture, available career opportunities, and valuable farming knowledge."

According to an official from the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), the state government has given its approval to include agriculture as part of the work experience curriculum for students in Grades 6 to 8. The decision was made in response to a previous report by the SCERT on agricultural education. The SCERT officer also mentioned that additional guidelines regarding the implementation of this new subject will be released soon.

-HT 

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