UNIT III – Management of Various problems at Secondary and Higher

Secondary Level.

2. Crowded classes - The classroom size correlates to learning outcomes. From less
individualized instruction to greater distractions and disciplinary issues, filling
classrooms with more students than intended can affect teachers’ ability to teach
effectively and students’ ability to learn. Here are several ways overcrowded
classrooms affect learning.

 Greater Noise and Distractions-

Having more of anything can lead to chaos. An ideal classroom would be limited
to 15 to 20 students, but many classrooms today have over 30 or even 40
students. Naturally, the more students there are, the noisier it gets—even in
classrooms that are effectively managed. The increased noise level can make it
harder for kids to concentrate, affecting learning outcomes, and more difficult
for teachers to focus, leading to more stress and possible burnout.

 Less Personalized Instruction

The greater the number of students in a classroom, the less attention each student
can receive from the teacher. This particularly affects students who are
struggling and need the extra attention. This impacts learning outcomes, as these
students are more likely to have lower test scores and grades as a result.

 Increase in Disciplinary Problems

Overcrowding can lead to a chaotic classroom environment that is more difficult

for the teacher to manage. The increased number of students leads to a greater

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 likelihood of disruptive behavior and conflicts among students, especially with
fewer resources to accommodate the extra students. Teachers in overcrowded
classrooms often devote more time to dealing with behavioral issues and less
time to teaching—something no teacher desires.

 Poor Building or Environmental Conditions

Schools with overcrowded classrooms are also more likely to have poor building
or environmental conditions, as noted by the NCES, which cited a study claiming
that overcrowded schools “were more likely than schools that were either under
enrolled or within 5% of their capacity to have at least one building feature in
less than adequate condition.” This could include poor air conditioning and
heating systems, lighting, ventilation, indoor air quality, acoustics or noise
control, and physical security.

 Increase in Illness Risk

The poor building conditions found in overcrowded schools also pose health
risks for students and teachers. Poor ventilation, lighting, acoustics, and
classroom temperatures can expose students toallergens, pollutants, and even
chemicals that affect health, attendance, and performance. Of course, in terms of
the ongoing fight against COVID-19, overcrowded classrooms don’t lend
themselves to social distancing and therefore make it easier for germs to spread.
This has become a major concern for parents, teachers, and students.

There are solutions for school overcrowding, but they are not simple ones. Major
repairs, renovations, and even total building replacements are sometimes
necessary. To ease overcrowding, many schools implement strategies such as
staggered student schedules or the use of portable classrooms.
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1. Keep Everyone Busy

The more students you have in your classroom, the easier it is for a few distracted
kids to derail your lesson. Because of this, it's absolutely essential that you keep the
whole class busy as much as possible.

Get the kids working right away at the start of each period. I typically have two
different assignments for students to complete: one that they complete when they
walk in the room, as well as a mini lesson with associated independent work that I
assign in small, ability-level-based groups.

When students enter the classroom, I have an agenda for the class period written
somewhere very visible, which includes an assignment the class should begin
immediately. That first assignment is usually a task that can be completed at their
mixed-ability-level table groups. After everyone is working, I work with one small
group of students at a time.
It's important to differentiate your instruction as much as possible, especially in an
overcrowded classroom. This short bit of time you get with each small group of
students is your moment to teach a mini lesson, assess their work, or get them going
on their next task that you have designed for their ability level.

2. Use Flexible Grouping

All classes have students at different ability levels who learn at different paces. This
becomes even more pronounced when there are more students in the class. Because
a large class size requires greater student independence, put a lot of thought into how
you want to group students for particular lessons. Don't be afraid to move kids from
group to group depending upon their ability for a specific assignment. If students are

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not engaged—if the work is either too challenging or boring—then classroom
management will become an issue. Flexible grouping keeps students working on
tasks that are just right for them, and it keeps you in touch with their individual
needs.

3. Keep Lessons Short

It can often be harder to keep a larger group engaged in an extended lesson. Because
of this, it's important to be strategic about how you structure whole-class instruction.
You'll often find that you can streamline your lessons and keep your students'
attention more effectively. Of course, small-group lessons will also need to be short
in a large classroom so you can fit in time to work with as many groups as possible.
Don't be afraid to practice your lessons and time yourself. You'd be surprised at how
trimming down your instruction can make all the difference.

Overcrowded classrooms can be stressful, exhausting, and intimidating. But with

some organization, you can make the best of a less-than-ideal situation. Some of my
best years of teaching were in packed classrooms because I was challenged to figure
out how to manage an overcrowded classroom, which made my teaching better
organized. It's not always easy, but it's a challenge you can overcome!

5. Current issues and problems at higher secondary level :-

Secondary school students face a variety of challenges, including

1) the inability to manage the curriculum due to previous learning gaps and

2) increased pressure of board exams.

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STUDENT-FACING CHALLENGES
LEARNING GAPS FROM ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

Many of the students at the secondary level lag behind on elementary-level

competencies. For example, the 2017 ASER report found that only 43 percent of the
children surveyed at the secondary level were able to perform basic arithmetic
operations such as division. This presents a huge learning gap that is only intensified
when advanced curriculums are introduced in secondary school in preparation for
the board exams. Students are left behind from day one, and don’t have the
opportunity for one-on-one instruction to catch up, and just fall further and further
behind.
HIGH STAKES ASSOCIATED WITH BOARD EXAMINATIONS

Board examination results continue to be the metric of success in secondary

education in India given that performance on these exams determines higher
education and career choices for most students. However, the exams themselves are
tailored towards rote-based learning and do not correlate with the competency-based
learning of the elementary grades.

As a welcome shift, India has recently announced its participation in PISA 2021.
Measuring ourselves against global benchmarks is a great first step towards
reforming our education systems. However, the testing approaches of these exams
are very different from the board exams in India and tend to have a heavier emphasis
on conceptual learning. While state and central government board examination
systems themselves must undergo reform, they continue to remain the yardstick of
success in the short term. Until that changes, teaching pedagogies will need to
balance conceptual learning with board exam success.

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SCHOOL-FACING CHALLENGES

In addition, schools themselves are faced with several issues that affect the quality
of the education they provide, such as 1) a shortage of skilled teachers, 2) lack of IT
infrastructure, and 3) an absence of life skills training for students in this age range.
TEACHER AVAILABILITY AND COMPETENCY

According to findings from the All India Survey of Higher Education (AISHE)
released in July of 2019, substantial teacher posts remained vacant: 21.6 percent of
sanctioned posts for grades IX and X and 26.5 percent of posts for grades XI and
XII. Filling these teacher vacancies across the country has been particularly difficult
due to the subject specializations required at the secondary level. Further, improving
quality and building expertise among ‘in-service’ teachers is also a major challenge
in secondary schools. The institutional structures needed in schools to help teachers
are sorely lacking and there is very little coordination across primary, secondary,
and teacher education programs.

POOR IT INFRASTRUCTURE

Computer aided learning could be a useful teacher tool, given low teacher
competency and availability. The secondary schools are not equipped with adequate
IT infrastructure, namely adequate number of computers, projectors, power backups
and internet connectivity. Available EdTech solutions are usually in English
language and are not designed for students coming from low income backgrounds.
ABSENCE OF LIFE SKILLS TRAINING

Adolescent kids need support with life skills in various areas. However, our school
system does not provide any support for school teachers to fill these gaps. Teachers

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struggle with dealing with these issues in their classrooms, further leading to poor
academic performance.

Unit IV : Components of School Management and Administrative setup in

Education
1. What are School Records?
• Record, according to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English is:
(i) A written statement of facts, events, etc
(ii) The known p[as of someone’s past behavior]
(iii) Anything that provides information about the past, etc.
• From these definitions of the dictionary, one can safely say that school records
are written statements of information (facts, events, etc) about a school’s life.
• “School records are the written document which reflects the efficiency and
achievement of the school and students”.
• Tella (1991) defines school records as “the totality of documents, structures
(of relatively permanent nature) that are of sentimental, economic or historical
value to a particular school.
• On the other hand, Ajayi and Ayodele (2002) see school records as “pieces of
information on relevant events about a school”.
• They are at times referred to as the encyclopedia of school activities.
• School records are also kept because of the useful information they provide
about the students, teachers, the school and the educational system in general.
Types of school records:
According to the Punjab Education Code, every recognized school must maintain
the following registers and records:
1. A copy of Punjab/Karnataka Education Code
2. Admission withdrawal register
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 3. Students attendance register
4. Teachers attendance register
5. Cash book
6. Statistics register
7. Teachers salary register
8. Punishment register
9. Log book
10. Scholarship register
11. Visitors book
12. Fee register
13. Order book
14. Private tuition register
15. Students behavior register
16. Library’s catalogue and library issue register
17. School examination, departmental and other exams, result register
18. Property register
19. Student fund register
20. Correspondence register

Importance: Student records and registers help schools track attendance, academic
progress., health records, has prescribed.
Land disciplinary actions. This information is essential for making informed
decisions about individual student needs and school-level strategies.

2. Co-curricular activities : Need and importance of organization of co-

curricular activities

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Co-curricular activities are those activities that are undertaken along with academic
studies. Typically, co-curricular activities are carried out outside the normal
classrooms, but they supplement the academic curriculum and help in learning by
doing. These activities help students to develop problem-solving, reasoning, critical
thinking, creative thinking, communication, and collaborative abilities.
Co-curricular activities in school might be compulsory such as music, art, or drama
classes that take place during the day. Others could be voluntary, such as
participating in a school sports team, school debating teams, or student newsletters
editorial team. In either case, participation helps students in emotional development,
social skill development, and overall personality development. Therefore, the
importance of co-curricular activities is immense.
In the 21st Century, the world is changing fast. Therefore, the conventional
education curriculum, which was developed in the early 20th Century, has to pave
the way for a new kind of education and learning. In the book 21st Century Skills:
Learning for Life in Our Times, the authors Bernie Trilling and Charles Fadel have
premised that “the world has changed so fundamentally in the last few decades
that the roles of learning and education in day-to-day living have also changed
forever”.
Also, in the book Five Minds for The Future, the author Howard Gardner has
outlined five specific mental abilities that will help one be successful and happy. The
five mental abilities or Minds as written by Howard Gardner are – The Disciplinary
Mind (expertise in various subjects), The Synthesizing Mind (ability to integrate
concepts from different disciplines to solve a problem), The Creating Mind (ability
to think creatively to solve problems), The Respectful Mind (appreciation of the
diversity in individuals), and The Ethical Mind (fulfilling one’s duties and
responsibilities in the society as a citizen).

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 These concepts emphasize that in the 21st Century, education and learning must
surpass the four walls of a classroom. So, the core aim of education and learning
should be to foster holistic development. However, the importance of co-
curricular activities cannot be overlooked in fostering holistic development.
Holistic development essentially means intellectual, physical, emotional, and
social development, which can be achieved only through proper education.
Therefore, education plays a fundamental role in holistic development.

3. Government administrative setup and authorities :

The administrative machinery is sole responsible for the spread of education. Due to
the rapid growth of scientific and technological advancement in our country, there
was an increasing awareness among the people and each vibrant individual process
should be based on the integrated development of the citizen.
Moreover, it was increasingly realized that all relevant instruments and agencies
which are responsible for this growth should be integrated in order to ensure all-
round development. Therefore, a comprehensive approach has to be adopted in
science, technology, arts and crafts, and humanities for the development of the
country.
In pursuance of this idea, a new Ministry has been created under a suggestive name
i.e., Ministry of Human Resource Development, on 26th September, 1985. The
nation as a whole should find resources for the vital area of education and in this
endeavor the center and states should play complementary roles and become real
understanding-partners. It is important that, in the formulation and implementation
of the policy and programs, there should be close and continuous consultation
between the Central and State Governments in the true spirit of partnership.
Regarding the cooperation of the Centre and the States, Maulana Azad said that,
“Education was of course, a State subject and the Centre have never believed in
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interfering. But the Centre could also not sit back and say that their responsibility
was over. The center could offer advice, give help and make efforts towards the
implementation of the schemes. The reform of the education system as a whole and
fulfilment of the plan-targets aimed at uniformly high standard of education
throughout the country. We have, on the one hand to wipe-out the deficiencies of the
past 200 years. On the other hand, we have to remove the lethargy of the people and
bring to the town and countryside, a new vision and a new energy. We cannot
accomplish this task unless we cooperate in this collective venture of national
redemption. ”
The Indian Education Commission popularly known as the Kothari Commission
1964-65 observed, “We are convinced that the radical reconstruction of education
that we have recommended in this report will not be possible less:
(1) The Government of India provides the needed initiative leadership and financial
support, and
(2) Educational administration, both at the Centre and State levels is adequately
strengthened.”
So the Central Government is an advisory and coordinating authority so far as the
educational role is concerned. The constitutional provision reveals that Central
Government is expected to play a significant role in the field of education. It is a fact
that the centralized system of educational administration has many advantages.

4. Types of school board :

a. S.S.C and H.S.C :-
Every state in India has a state education department that conducts board
exams for classes 10 and 12 and every state has its board and follows its syllabus
and grading system.

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 Students preparing for state-level engineering and medical entrance tests can
take advantage of this course as it focuses on topics of regional relevance and content
relevant to their local area. The syllabus is usually limited in comparison to other
boards.
b. CBSE :-
The most common education boards in India is the Central Board of Secondary
Education (CBSE). It is managed and controlled by the Union Government of India.
The board offers various subjects after class 10th in Science, Commerce,
Arts/Humanities stream and forms the base for all national entrance examinations,
especially Medicine and Engineering domains conducted within the country.
c. ICSE :-
The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education is a national examination board
by the University of Cambridge, in India. It is the most challenging of all the boards.
Over 2300 schools are affiliated with ICSE within India and abroad.
The certificates given by the board are recognized by colleges and universities in
India and internationally. ICSE focuses on math and science but also gives equal
importance to the humanities. This course has been designed to provide practical
knowledge and build analytical skills.
d. IGCSE :-
Many schools in India are now getting affiliated to Cambridge International.
Cambridge International conducts the IGCSE and AS & A Level exams. Cambridge
International is part of the University of Cambridge. Cambridge curriculum starts
from Primary, Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary to Advanced. This is called
the Cambridge Pathway. Cambridge Pathway gives students a clear path for
educational success from age 5 to 19.
IGCSE exams are conducted at the end of Cambridge Upper Secondary (14 to 16
year olds), and AS & A Level is conducted at the end of Cambridge Advanced (16
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to 19 year olds). Schools may choose to hold the examinations in June, November
or March. The March series is only conducted in India to benefit students who wish
to apply to Indian universities for higher education.

5. Structure and function of –

a. NCERT – (National Council of Educational Research and Training)

NCERT is an autonomous organization setup in 1961 by the Government of India

to assist and advise the Central and State Governments on policies and programs for
qualitative improvement in school education. Major objectives of the NCERT and
its constituent units are to:
1. Undertake, aid, promote and coordinate research in areas related to school
education;
2. Prepare and publish model textbooks, supplementary material, newsletters,
journals and other related literature;
3. Organize pre-service and in-service training of teachers;
4. Develop and disseminate innovative educational techniques and practices;
5. Collaborate and network with state educational departments, universities, NGOs
and other educational institutions;
6. Act as a clearing house for ideas and information in matters related to school
education;
7. Act as a nodal agency for achieving goals of universalization of elementary
education.
In addition to research, development, training, extension, publication and
dissemination activities, the NCERT is an implementation agency for bilateral
cultural exchange programs with other countries in the field of school education.
The NCERT also interacts and works in collaboration with the international

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 organizations, visiting foreign delegations and offers various training facilities to
educational personnel from developing countries.

NCERT Functions:

The key functions of National Council of Educational Research and Training are:
 Curriculum development
 Textbook development
 Teacher training
 Educational Policy Formulation:
 Research and development

b. SCERT- (State Council Of Educational Research and Training

The SCERT is known as State Institute of Education (SIE) in some states. It is an integral part of
Directorate of Education and is the academic wing of the state Department of Education. It
provides academic guidance to the Regional officers, District Education Officers Block
Education Officers and Principals of schools. SCERTs are headed by Directors and under them
ate joint Directors of different sections like curriculum Development, Textbooks production
division, Non-formal education, science and maths division integrated education for disabled
children, population education, etc.

Functions-

 It provides academic inputs and infrastructure for schools and DIETS.

 It supports training programs of primary and secondary teachers in the state
and frames their teacher education curriculum.
 It prepares the curriculum and text-books for school education.

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  It conducts research on school education and disseminates policy making
decisions and improved techniques and practices in the schools
NCTE-
It encourages the teachers to conduct small-scale researches and action
researches.
NCTE -National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) was set up in 1973
as an advisory body to advise Government of India, State Governments and
Universities regarding all matters concerning teacher education. In August
1995 it attained the status of a statutory and independent body and was given
the power of accreditation/non-accreditation of the colleges and the
departments of education. Today, it takes policy decisions and develops new
curriculum framework to improve the existing courses and structures of
diploma, bachelors, Masters in education and other courses related to teacher
education as well as implement and regulate the teacher education system of
India. The NCTE works in accordance with the NCTE Act and its rules and
regulations.
Structure –
The NCTE headquarters comprises thirteen Divisions namely:
i. Academic Division: It co-ordinates with experts for different academic
functions aimed at strengthening the activities related to teacher education
in India.
ii. Accounts Division: This division has the main task of preparing the annual
budget and ensuring systematized judicious utilization of funds.
iii. Administration Division: It is involved with the procurement,
housekeeping of general administration as well as office work related to
advertisement, recruitment and automation for smooth functioning of the
council’s work.
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iv. Appeal Division: The NCTE has an online appeal process to redress
grievances of the teacher education institutions all over the country. This
division takes care of the appeals made to and from the appellate authority.
v. Coordination Division: It co-ordinates with the internal divisions of the
NCTE, the four Regional Centers and associated organizations such as
UGC, AICTE, NAAC etc.
vi. Electronic Data Processing (EDP): The EDP division is entrusted with
strengthening of IT activities which includes maintenance of data related
to online applications for various matters.
vii. Establishment Division: It facilitates the recruitment of experts/staff as per
the requirement of the NCTE headquarters and its regional centers.
viii. Inspection Division: It selects institutions and visiting teams for inspection
of teacher education institutions/programs so that inspection/appraisal
reports can be developed and necessary actions can be taken for ensuring
quality education in the country.
ix. Legal Division: It deals with the litigation matters and court cases related
to the NCTE headquarters and its regional committees.
x. Regulation Division: It is involved with the development and
implementation of Statutes, Regulations, Standards, norms so as to
facilitate systematic functioning of the NCTE.
xi. Right to Information Division: It deals with to the information sought by
the public or any government organization in the country.
xii. Vigilance Division: It is involved with the development and
implementation of surveillance system so as to minimize the scope of
corruption and malpractice in the NCTE.
xiii. VIP Division: This division deals with top-priority cases relating to
references received from VIPs such as the Ministries, Members of
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 Parliament and other dignitaries. Each division has its specific functions
and responsibilities and they work in close coordination with each other to
achieve overall objectives of the NCTE.

Functions of the Council-

The NCTE is a regulatory body involved in the development, implementation
and regulation of the teacher education system in India. The council is the general
body of NCTE. It is the highest decision making body of the NCTE. It performs the
following functions: Undertake surveys and studies relating to various aspects of
teacher education and publish the results there of for consumption by the
stakeholders.
Make recommendations to the Central and State Governments, Universities,
UGC and recognized institutions in the matter of preparing suitable plans and
programs in the field of teacher education. Coordinate and monitor teacher education
and its development in the country. Lay down guidelines in respect of minimum
qualifications for a person to be employed as a teacher in schools or recognized
institutions.
Lay down norms for any specified category of courses in teacher education,
including the minimum eligibility criteria for admission thereof, and the method of
selection of candidates, duration of the courses, course contents and mode of
curriculum transaction. Lay down guidelines for compliance by recognized
institutions, for starting new courses, and for providing physical and instructional
facilities, staffing pattern and staff qualifications. Lay down standards in respect of
examinations eligibility criteria of teachers and teacher educators their
qualifications, criteria for admission to such examinations and schemes of courses
or training. Lay down guidelines regarding tuition fees and other fees chargeable by
recognized institutions (NCTE Regulation:
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 “Guidelines for regulation of tuition fees and other fees chargeable by unaided
teacher education institutions, 2010”) Promote and conduct innovation and research
in various areas of teacher education and disseminate the results there of. Examine
and review periodically the implementation of the norms, guidelines and standards
laid down by the Council and to suitably advise the recognized institutions. Evolve
suitable performance appraisal systems, norms and mechanisms for enforcing
accountability of recognized institutions. Formulate schemes for various level of
teacher education and identify recognized institutions and set up new institutions for
teacher development programs. Take all necessary steps to prevent
commercialization of teacher education.
Perform such other functions as may be entrusted to it by the Central
Government, and Conduct inspection to ascertain the functioning of the institutions
and communicate the feedback for their improvement and growth.

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