Page 14 - EW-June-2025

Education News

DELHI IBM, Microsoft and Intel for teacher
CBSE image makeover training and digital education. Other

new initiatives are introduction of
a comprehensive Parenting Calen-
dar to strengthen the home-school
partnership and mandating use of
the mother-tongue or home language
during foundational and preparatory
stages of education. The latest in this
reforms series is a May 16 circular to
establish ‘sugar boards’ in affiliated
schools to reduce the sugar con-
sumption of children.
This circular is timely because
education and health are inter-
dependent. Sick and ill children
can’t learn. In middle class India,
sugar accounts for approximately
13 percent of daily calorie intake
of children aged 4-10, and 15
percent for children aged 11-18.
CBSE secretary Himanshu Gupta (centre): slew of initiatives This far exceeds the World Health
Organisation’s recommended
ince himanshu gupta (ias), an Bengaluru, Cathedral & John Con- cap of 5 percent. Proliferation
alum of IIT-Delhi and former non, Mumbai, Dhirubhai Ambani of sugar snacks, beverages and
Sdirector of education of Delhi International, Mumbai, The Shri processed foods, often easily
state under the Aam Aadmi Party Ram School, Delhi and the Doon available in school environments,
government which had made school School, Dehradun have opted for contributes significantly to excessive
education a top priority during its affiliation with the rival pan-India sugar intake. NCPCR (National
two terms in office (2014-2024), was CISCE (Council for Indian School Commission for Protection of
appointed Secretary of the Cen- Certificate Examinations) which Child Rights) in recent consultative
tral Board of Secondary Education has 3,100 affiliated schools country- meetings with various stakeholders
(CBSE) — India’s largest national wide. Although CISCE has a smaller in K-12 education, has supported this
school examination board with number of schools affiliated with it, CBSE initiative.
30,700 high-ranked affiliated prima- the management of this exam board, “Establish ‘sugar boards’ where
ry-secondary schools — in November successor of the pre-independence information is displayed for educat-
2023, he has launched a slew of ini- Senior Cambridge Board, believes ing the students about the risks of
tiatives to contemporise and upgrade that its syllabus and assessment sys- excessive sugar intake. These boards
this somnolent syllabus-setting and tems are qualitatively superior. should provide essential informa-
school-leaving exams board. Evidently, Gupta intends to cor- tion, including the recommended
CBSE is an autonomous subsid- rect this perception and give CBSE daily intake, sugar content in com-
iary of the Union education ministry an image makeover. Reportedly with monly consumed foods (unhealthy
but is widely perceived as being strong backing from Sanjay Kumar, meals such as junk food, cold drinks,
less than autonomous because it is IAS, alum of St. Stephen’s College, etc), health risks associated with
vulnerable to the diktats of minis- Delhi and Secretary in the Union high sugar consumption, and health
ters and obedient bureaucrats more education ministry’s Department dietary alternatives. This will educate
focused on reviving India’s ancient of School Education and Literacy, students about informed choices and
glories and mythology than on intro- Gupta has rung changes in the CBSE promote long-term health benefits
ducing contemporary curriculums syllabus to stimulate creativity and among students. Affiliated schools
and pedagogies in K-12 education. conceptual grasp of students instead have been asked to organise semi-
Therefore, a large number of of memorisation skills, introduced nars and workshops in this regard
schools top-ranked in the annual over 33 skill subjects in secondary and by July 15 submit a brief report
EW India School Rankings (the and higher secondary classes and along with photographs of these
world’s largest schools ranking sur- has signed collaboration agreements activities on https://shorturl.at/
vey) including Inventure Academy, with Unesco, the British Council, E3kKc,” says the May 16 circular.

14 EDUCATIONWORLD JUNE 2025