Learning Outcomes Might Soon Become Part of RTE

It has been proposed to include learning outcomes in the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

The NCERT had prepared a draft on the learning outcomes for school children and till the 31st of January had sought feedback on the draft through its unit, Central Unit of Education Technology. The draft covers all classes and includes learning outcomes for Hindi, English and Urdu. Stemming from the National Policy on Education, 1986 and the Programme of Action, 1992, which had emphasized laying down “Minimum Levels of Learning (MLL)” and periodically assessing children’s progress, suggests that learning outcomes should be the points of reference for conducting any learning achievement surveys. This makes sharing learning outcomes with “parents and community at large” a necessary thing.

Talking about the learning outcome of children with special needs, the draft says “learning difficulties mentioned need to be taken care of to help children with special education needs accomplish the identified learning outcomes under each curricular area. The accomplishment of learning outcomes by children with severe cognitive impairments (intellectually challenged) may be kept flexible, if need be.”