Patna: Bihar’s Education Minister Sunil Kumar has said that English must now be made part of the school curriculum across the state, citing its importance in modern disciplines such as management studies and artificial intelligence.
Speaking at a two-day workshop organised by the Education Department at the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Kumar acknowledged that English is currently not being taught in many schools in Bihar and stressed that “the time has come to include it in the subject list.”
The minister proposed that each district should establish a model school with improved infrastructure and quality teaching. “Excellent teachers will be appointed, and schools will have at least two computers for students in classes six to eight,” he said, highlighting the need for computer literacy from an early age.
Kumar also said the government is committed to ensuring that teachers receive timely promotions and salaries, and emphasised that children should be made aware of the positive developments taking place in Bihar. “District Education Officers must ensure punctuality among teachers and focus on securing the future of children,” he added.
To promote experiential learning, Kumar suggested educational tours for high-performing students, both within Bihar and in other Indian states, to expose them to the historical and cultural heritage of different regions.
Tighter monitoring and digital tools
Additional Chief Secretary of the Education Department, Dr S Siddharth, announced a new digital attendance monitoring system to be rolled out in government schools. Each school will be provided with a tablet connected to the state’s e-Shiksha Kosh portal. The system will require daily photo uploads of students and teachers for facial verification. “There have been complaints of irregularities in online attendance. Strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty of tampering with records,” he warned.
These images will be cross-verified with student attendance records at the departmental level. District Education Officers will also be able to inspect schools by reviewing the uploaded photographs.
Renewed focus on academic progress
Dr Siddharth said schools would resume after the summer break on June 23, and teachers would be responsible for checking the homework completed during the holidays. A parent-teacher meeting on the following Saturday will focus on informing parents about their child’s academic performance, particularly identifying subjects in which they may be struggling.
A diary will be maintained in each school to record daily teaching activities and monitor syllabus completion. This diary will be reviewed during routine inspections by District Education Officers and District Programme Officers.
He also urged school administrations to ensure timely completion of the syllabus ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, which could potentially disrupt the academic calendar.
