The Telangana State Council of Education, Research and Training (TSCERT) is being questioned about its approach to curriculum development. It seems that the council may be importing curriculum ideas without conducting original research. This raises concerns for teachers and students in the state.
For example, the decision to introduce a ‘Happiness Curriculum’ in schools was borrowed from the Delhi government’s curriculum. The curriculum was designed by the State Council of Education Research and Training of Delhi, not TSCERT. This decision was made at a higher level, and TSCERT had no role in its introduction.
The ‘Happiness Curriculum’ aims to create awareness among students about mindfulness and understanding their actions. While the intentions behind the curriculum seem noble, it is based on foreign sources. The research on experiential learning and happiness comes from outside the country, without TSCERT experts evaluating the reasoning behind it.
Political and official interference seem to prevent TSCERT from acting as an independent academic body. The reliance on ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle’s ideas in the curriculum has been criticized for not being relevant in modern times. For example, Aristotle believed that trees and children do not feel happiness, a view that contrasts with contemporary scientific findings.
The question remains why TSED and TSCERT adopt ideas without scrutinizing their relevance to modern education. The lack of original research by TSCERT raises concerns about the quality of education in Telangana schools.
