Evolving Curriculum, Elusive Quality: A Study of Secondary Education in Select Public Schools in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh (India)

Repudi, H K and Ranganathan, Shubha (2014) Evolving Curriculum, Elusive Quality: A Study of Secondary Education in Select Public Schools in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh (India). Masters thesis, Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad.

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Abstract

The present study focussed on lacunae in the implementation of quality-improvement strategies in two secondary schools in Andhra Pradesh. This study is done in the background of recent changes in the 8th standard curriculum in government schools. In May 2013, the Government of Andhra Pradesh introduced a new syllabus with a new evaluation system in all Secondary Schools in Andhra Pradesh. This was based on the recommendations of the National Curriculum Framework (2005) and State Curriculum Framework (2011). The previous syllabus focused on rote learning of theoretical concepts and reproducing them in exams, but the recently introduced syllabus has included more activities in the teaching-learning process as well as implemented a process of continuous and comprehensive evaluation. This study attempts to determine how this new curriculum is being transacted in schools. The research is framed by the theoretical premises and assumptions of critical psychology and critical pedagogy which focus on unequal distribution of power and draws attention to social inequalities in the educative process. Critical pedagogy thus aims towards social justice. Previous studies have identified many issues in curricular transactions such as discrimination, poor utilization of school resources, lack of supervision, and inadequate training of teachers. This study explores the problems faced by multiple actors involved in secondary school, namely, students, teachers, school administrators, and parents. Data was collected from two adjacent Government Zillah Parishad schools (Schools A and B), in remote areas of Guntur district. Qualitative methods, viz. observations and in-depth interviews were conducted with students of Class VIII, teachers, headmasters, village educators, School Management Committee (SMC) members, and parents.

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