New subject for children on cards

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

BHAKTAPUR: In a bid to equip schoolchildren with basic life skills and acquaint them with various occupations, Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) is all set to introduce a new subject ‘Career, Occupation and Technology Education’ in grade six from the upcoming academic session.

Deputy Director of CDC Tek Narayan Pandey informed that the new subject will be taught in around 25 schools of selected districts and later be extended to other districts after necessary changes.

At a time when the new generation is lacking in self-reliance and losing the dignity of labour, the new subject will help generate dignity of labour and orient them towards occupations, Pandey added.

Textbooks on the subject will be prepared in line with the National Syllabus Framework-2007 and School Sector Reform Plan.

Subject committee Coordinator Dinesh Kumar Shrestha said the new subject is divided into three sections — career education, occupational orientation and technological education — and these orient schoolchildren to explore their potential so that they can choose the right career.

The course also orients students towards indigenous as well as latest

technology.

The course, which will initially be introduced from grade six to eight, aims to cultivate positive attitude towards labour, make the children self-reliant and inquisitive about local occupations.

Unlike the running pre-vocational education in grade eight, the course rouses interest in career through exploration of local occupations and indigenous skills so that children can make up their mind on a career, said Sagar Lamsal, a subject committee member.

The newly introduced course has 100 mark weightage and 5 periods a week of teaching.

After basic schooling, grade one to eight, schoolchildren can choose between general school or vocational education.

CDC also decided to revive Moral Education in grades six to eight after a  gap of a decade.