The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA)’s Navaprabha programme that aims at academic improvement of students is being given a fresh impetus this year.
Navaprabha provides academic support to Class 9 students who are lagging behind in studies owing to social, financial, and other reasons so that they can come on a par with other students. Launched last year, the ₹3-crore programme is being expanded to cover aided schools too. “This is the first RMSA programme to be extended to aided schools by the Union government,” Rahul R., State Project Director, RMSA, said.
Navaprabha lays stress on improving students’ grasp of fundamentals so that they achieve the requisite learning outcomes without fail. While Science, Mathematics, and Malayalam were included under the programme, English too will be covered from this year. Over 60,000 students in the State are expected to benefit from the programme.
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“We often see that students who suffer a setback in studies fail to catch up. This is what we want to address. Under the Public Education Rejuvenation Campaign, there is no room for academic backwardness,” say RMSA officials.
Only 15% of Class 9 student strength in a school is included in Navaprabha. The students who are faring poorly in academics are identified through a pre-test – the Onam examinations in this case and on the basis of the result, selected for the programme. Classes are held for these students before or after school hours. At least 60 hours of academic support – 15 for each subject – is envisaged under Navaprabha. Tests held post the help sessions will reveal the progress a student has made and on the basis of teachers’ feedback, other interventions are made. Each child is given ₹400 as incentive for their refreshment and academic needs.
Academic support and monitoring are the other aspects that Navaprabha is focussing on this year. For this, the RMSA has developed a portal and a mobile application. The website will host resources for teachers such as modules with textbook content that has been simplified for easy comprehension by the students, and worksheets drawn up on the basis of these modules. Learning material developed by individual schools will also be uploaded on the website to facilitate their sharing by all schools. “The entire approach is integrated with the RMSA joining hands with agencies such as the SCERT to meet the objective,” Mr. Rahul said.
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The mobile app, accessible only to teachers and RMSA officials, will also enable monitoring of Navaprabha. Students’ attendance, additional resources required, and assessment could be tracked centrally through the app.
An expert panel has been entrusted with providing necessary support to students and teachers round the clock. Moreover, Deputy Directors of Education, District Education Officers, and DIET faculty in the respective districts have been given training in monitoring the performance of students in schools in their limits.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate this year’s Navaprabha programme at a function at St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School on October 19. Minister for Education C. Ravindranath will preside.