MP begins four-day training for 153 SRG members on NCF 2023, new NCERT textbooks

Madhya Pradesh has begun a four-day state-level orientation program for 153 members of the State Resource Group (SRG) to strengthen teaching practices for Classes 6 to 8 under the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023 and newly developed NCERT textbooks. The training started on Sept 28.

The participants specialize in Mathematics, Science and Social Science and are receiving academic support from partner organization Peepul and subject experts from the Curriculum Cell of the State Education Centre, according to an official press release.

The training is focused on helping SRG members understand the changes introduced through NCF 2023 and the new textbooks, along with the teaching-learning methods needed to implement them effectively in classrooms.

The education department said the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 seeks to develop an education system capable of preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

NCF 2023 provides a framework for changes required across different stages of school education and subject areas to support this objective.

For Classes 6 to 8, the department has emphasized strengthening students' foundational competencies and preparing them for subsequent levels of education.

The newly developed NCERT textbooks for Class 7 include substantial changes in content organization and the approach to teaching and learning.

The orientation program is designed to build the capacity of SRG members to understand these changes, the educational vision underlying the textbooks and strategies for using them effectively during classroom instruction.

The opening day included introductions among participants and an overview of the sessions planned during the program. Trainers also reviewed the previous year's training before discussing the recommendations of NCF 2023 and key features of the revised textbooks.

Participants were given a detailed understanding of changes in textbook content and the pedagogical approach adopted to support student learning.

The sessions were structured to connect these changes with practical classroom teaching rather than focusing only on the textbook material.

Subject-specific sessions were subsequently held for Mathematics, Science and Social Science, with an emphasis on experiential learning.

Practical activities were used to explain concepts including fractions in Mathematics and electric circuits and their components in Science.

The Social Science sessions included activities aimed at helping participants understand weather patterns. The training also focused on connecting classroom instruction with real-world situations by encouraging observation of actual classroom environments.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) was also included in the training as a potential teaching aid. Other sessions planned during the program will cover joyful learning, mental health, ethics and values, skill awareness, AI, the DIKSHA and iGOT portals, and lesson plan development.

The training is part of a wider capacity-building plan for teachers across Madhya Pradesh. The State Education Centre said 1,932 master trainers will be trained across the state's 10 divisions after the current orientation program is completed.

These master trainers will subsequently support the dissemination of the new pedagogical approach and provide teachers with an understanding of the revised textbooks. The initiative is expected to reach approximately 76,000 teachers across the state.

The department's training plan therefore uses the SRG and master trainer structure to extend the classroom-level implementation of NCF 2023 recommendations and the teaching approaches reflected in the new NCERT textbooks for middle-school students.