NEW DELHI: From the 2023-24 academic session, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is adopting National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage 2022, developed by National Council for Educational Research and Training.
The foundational stage is supposed to be of five years, from nursery to Class II. However, it now includes four classes — nursery, KG, Class I and Class II. Some schools say they are in the process of starting lower KG (LKG) as it existed prior to Right to Education Act, while others are waiting for some more clarity.
The circular, issued by CBSE secretary Anurag Tripathi on Friday, said, “CBSE has adopted National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage 2022 and the new structure of five-year education at the foundational stage will be introduced in the session 2023-24 in those CBSE schools that offer education at the foundational stage to students in the age group of 3-8 years.”
Earlier, the Union education ministry also issued a circular, stating that the entry age for students in Class I should be 6 years. In Delhi, a child is 5 years old in Class I.
The circular adds, “While schools offering classes I to X/XII may make efforts to gradually augment the infrastructural requirements to include pre-primary classes, schools already running foundational classes may continue to offer 3 years of pre-primary education.”
CBSE has also instructed schools offering foundational or preparatory education to adhere to the recommendations regarding curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and other areas. The framework “includes many examples and illustrations, which play a critical role in its implementation. They help to clarify abstract concepts, reinforce learning, and make new ideas more accessible to practising teachers”, said Tripathi. “Myriad examples are aptly incorporated to enhance understanding, foster engagement, and elaborate concepts that can be implemented in day-to-day teaching. So it is critical that teachers look at these illustrations and contextualise them according to the needs and contexts of children.”
However, schools are still deliberating on how to implement this shift. Sudha Acharya, principal of ITL Public School, Dwarka, said, “We are deciding to start with lower KG from the coming session with a small batch.” Acharya is also the chairperson of National Progressive Schools Conference, a consortium of private schools.
Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu Public School, added, “We will have to wait for a notification from Directorate of Education on how to go about it. If we are to start with LKG, students who pass out of nursery this year are to be admitted to which class?”
