‘Student life is all homework, no play’ 

 

EXPERTS SAY Too much homework could make children dislike studies, emphasise need to make it creative, engaging

MUMBAI: A recent manual published by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) suggesting guidelines to homework states that schools must assign only 20 to 25 minutes of homework every day.
ILLUSTRATION: SIDDHANT JUMDE DE But educators said that a student in Mumbai spends more than three hours a day completing homework, after six to eight hours of school and an additional two to three hours of attending coaching classes. This leaves them with little time for play or recreational activities.

“Homework is essential to reinforce and repeat what is taught in schools, but the burden doubles as tuition classes run at their own pace and assign additional work to students,” said Dr Samir Dalwai, development paediatrician and president, Indian Academy of Paediatrics, Mumbai.

This practice is likely to create a dislike for studies among children, said specialists. “If homework has to be given, it should at least be creative and engaging. Teachers can also pace out the work so that students do not end up with too much work on weekends,” said Dhaval Mody, a psychiatrist.

A few city schools are trying innovative ways to lighten the students’ burden, but the results are limited.
Campion School in Fort, for instance, doesn’t give homework for students up to Classes 5. Even those in Classes 5 and 10 are assigned only a couple of application and result-based questions as homework.

Similarly, Lady Engineer School, Tardeo, assigns only classwork for students till Class 4. “The focus is on developing motor skills in the early years and so, there is no need to assign homework,” said Eric Elavia, the school’s principal.

But principals admitted they cannot extend this practice to the higher classes.
“In secondary classes, there is no escape from homework, as there are marks for books, project completion, journal submission and other tasks, which need to be done at home,” said Elavia.
Meera Isaacs, principal, Cathedral and John Connon School, Fort, said, “These days, even scoring a 90% is insufficient. If students are to score well in the board exams, they need to practice and revise daily.”
Isaacs said that parents pressurise students even for school projects.

“We introduced ‘Splashes’ as a fun activity in which students make charts and collages on different topics. This can be easily done by gathering some data from the inter net and using their own creativity but even that becomes competitive,” said Isaacs.

 YOUNG VOICES Puja Pednekar puja.pednekar@hindustantimes.com
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