Now primary education will be till VIII standard

The Maharashtra state's education department has taken a step forward by issuing a notification on redesigning the schools' primary education structure. Now, VIII standard will fall under the primary education.

According to the notice, issued on Thursday, from the new academic year 2014-15, the primary education will be extended to standard VIII which was earlier restricted till VII standard. Considering the Right to Free and compulsory Education (RTE), Maharshtra Government has made the changes in their primary education pattern.

The joint secretary of state education department, NU Rurale says "this pattern is followed by almost all boards of the country, except for few states in south India, However, with RTE in force, every state will have to change. Since the RTE covers children from the age group of 6 to 14 years, it is necessary that class VIII be included in primary education."

After this declaration, the state government will have to face a big challenge to provide extra class rooms to those schools who run only primary education section. Talking on this issue Rurale says "we are already in the process of identifying such schools and making arrangements to provide extra class rooms."

"The other challenge is going to be for primary teachers who would now have to equip themselves for teaching students of class VIII," says Martin Mujawar, an education expert.

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