CBSE's AAPS turns parents into unpaid teaching assistants

Hyderabad: There seems no end to the surprises the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) thrown at parents, all, in the name of online schooling of children of primary classes with its Alternative Academic Calendar for Primary Stages (AAPS).

However, schools are trying to convince parents that they need not worry about the CBSE alternative calendar and take fewer troubles. Provided they pay the fee handed over to them. Padmavathi, (name changed), a mathematics teacher from a reputed school in Nallagandla said, "Implementing everything, or even a part of the AAPS give a hell of trouble to the parents."

Reason being, literally the mothers and fathers have to work along with the teachers of their wards as unpaid-teaching assistants for months. "They have to be part while teaching the theme of each and every chapter with us," she added.

As if that is not enough, the AAPS also ropes in other family members like siblings, grandparents and others as part of imparting several chapters. Take, for example, the Class I, five chapters of mathematics covers different themes. But, the catch is, parents have to prepare or buy teaching aids like "number cards, paper cards with the numeral on one side and the same number of dots on the other. And, they have to ensure that the Domino cards/ paper cards are divided into two parts which have less than nine dots on each part," This, is to teach reading and writing of numerical and covering other themes.

John, (name changed), father of a Class 2 student, of a school in Nallagandla collects activity fee, along with an increase in the tuition fee. But, parents have to do all the preparation to set the stage ready for the online classes. It is not the lone case, another school which takes its name from a US city where the uranium bomb was made in WW-II had handed over a fee-bill to parents, and shell out increased tuition fee.

Malini (name changed), an IT professional and one of the parents of such schools located in Miyapur struggling between her work-from-home and her children's online classes have been scouting for a Telugu teacher. To teach reading and writing to her Class I daughter and Class IV son. Because their Telugu teacher in the school has resigned.

She reacts calling a mother teaching, what is prescribed by AAPS under Environmental Studies to her Class IV son on fuels would be a disaster. Reason being, the AAPS asks parents to tell children different fuels used at home. Then, they may be asked to collect data on price and consumption of petrol/diesel over the last five years and compare them with respect to the use, cost, availability, pollution emitting aspects.

That makes "me being a user of clean energy (LPG) cooking food at home. And, his father and grandfather polluting the environment for the last five years," as they use petrol-driven cars to go to their offices, she added.

If the AAPS has to be rolled out, each parent of Class I and II have to give a solid six months time for their children's online education. Similarly, parents of Class III to V have to give eight months of their time to engage with children. Besides, they have to make room to give extra time, for two more subjects- Art education and health and physical education.