Coimbatore school education department is on a campaign to bridge learning gaps. How, though?

Following the district's poor performance in the State Level Achievement Survey (SLAS), the Coimbatore School Education Department has launched a focused action plan to bridge learning gaps and improve academic achievement among primary school students.

The response is being given in primary and middle schools, with the aid of the Diets Institute of Education and Training (DIET), the New Indian Express reported.

According to TNIE, an education officer stated that students have been divided into four learning levels under this scheme – A, B, C, and D – as per their performance.

"On this basis, teachers will put more focus on C and D category students. Their pedagogy will focus on understanding concepts rather than mugging up. Teachers must first make their reading and writing skills very strong," he added.

"After this, headmasters will check students' learning outcomes twice a week. Second, Block Resource Teacher Educators (BRTEs) and Block Educational Officers (BEOs) will monitor students' assessment reports and also observe students. In order to monitor this, two blocks have been assigned to the educational officers and senior lecturers in DIET. Lastly, the Chief Educational Officer and the principal of DIET will check students' learning outcomes with headmasters once in a month," he added.

He also pointed out that officials will implement ongoing monitoring and assessment of student performance as per the action plan, with special emphasis on schools that had weaker results.

The district of Coimbatore was at the bottom in the State Level Achievement Survey (SLAS), leading to the quick implementation of the action plan. The Thondamuthur and Sulur blocks were among the weaker performers.

The SLAS test, carried out at the state level some months ago, included students in Classes 3, 5, and 8 to review levels of learning, the sources said.