IN QUEST OF QUALITY
 

The MLL approach emphasises on the learning skills rather than rote memorising or curriculum completion. Thus teaching is directed towards ensuring that all children attain the basic minimum skills or competencies at the level of mastery.

Recognising the need to provide all children with access to education of comparable standards, the National Policy on Education, 1986 recommended laying down of Minimum Levels of Learning for primary classes. A committee was set up in 1990 under the Chairmanship of Dr. R.H. Dave to define learning outcomes in three subjects, namely, Language, Mathematics and Environmental Studies. Prior to this, the NCERT had evolved a national curricular framework and the minimum learning continuum based on the experience of the Primary Education Curriculum Renewal Project.

The need to lay down `Mimimum Levels of Learning'(MLL) emerges from two basic concerns:

(i) excessively heavy curriculum and low quality of learning at primary levels;

(ii) need for equity.

The MLL approach seeks to focus on a minimum quantum of learning which practically all children, even the disadvantaged, can acquire. The effort is, therefore, to combine quality with equity.

In the MLL approach, achievement is defined in terms of acquisition of competencies. Every child should have mastered the basic minimum competencies by the end of the corresponding age or stage of development.

The MLL approach emphasises on competencies as distinct from the traditional memorisation of content or covering the syllabus. Thus teaching is directed towards ensuring that all children attain the basic competencies at the level of mastery.

The scheme envisages specific changes in the teaching-learning process by making them competency-based, activity-oriented and enjoyable. It encourages the use of locally available materials as teaching aids, in addition to the conventional standardised material.

In the first phase, 15 locations were identified in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Karnataka. About 2,000 schools, 9,000 teachers and 400,000 learners were brought within the project's ambit.

The MLL approach is now sought to be integrated with the school system and teacher training programmes. It is an integral part of various schemes, including all primary and basic education schemes and the DPEP, and extends to all children, whether in the formal school stream or in non-formal education.

MLL Emphasis

BLENDING QUALITY with equity.

LIGHTENING THE curriculum load by emphasising competencies expected to be mastered by every child rather than the content.

ENSURING ACQUISITION OF basic compencies and skills by end of the corresponding age or stage of development.

PROMOTING THE mastery learning not only by the brighter and efficient students but by all children.

CONTINUOUS AND comprehensive evaluation in the class in order to give the teachers a diagnostic tool and facilitate remedial teaching.

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MINIMUM LEVELS OF LEARNING

The MLL initiative brings in a holistic approach to improvement in the quality of classroom transaction and has a sharper focus on the learning outcomes. The strategy integrates curriculum and text book revision, teacher orientation, revamping evaluation procedures and reorienting supervisory personnel. The accent is on inducing greater accountability, on progress oriented monitoring and clearly focussed performance parameters. It represents a shift from input orientation to outcomes and processes.

In recent years, current curriculum is being analysed and efforts are being made to make it more functional, relevant and achievable. Prof. Yash Pal Committee which went into these issues recently felt that the existing curriculum is too heavy and the burden of non- comprehension and overload of content are forcing the students to resort to rote memorisation. The Committee has stressed that emphasis should be on concept formation rather than on content.

The issues of content vs concept, understanding vs rote memorisation, unachievable content load vs achievable set of competencies have been addressed in the MLL approach.

The MLLs are now being laid down for the upper primary stage by a national committee chaired by Prof. R.H. Dave.

Major Activities

ADAPTION OF MLL by the State Govts. and translation into the regional languages.

REVIEW OF existing textbooks and preparation of competency based text- books and workbooks.

CONDUCTING PRE-TEST to as certain existing levels of achievement.

ORIENTATION OF teachers enabling them to adopt activity oriented, child centred and competency based teaching learning process.

DEVELOPING COMPETENCY based, teaching learning aids.

IMPLEMENT A system of continuous and comprehensive evaluation.

PREPARATION OF competency based test items.

IDENTIFYING LEARNING levels, learning difficulties leading to remedial teaching.

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