Orientation of KRPs in teaching English as Second Language

As the follow-up action of this training programme, the teaching-learning materials developed in the workshop were further developed for the preparation of a Training Module at the Board's initiative. A series of meetings were held with MRPs to give effect to this purpose keeping an eye on the teacher-talk section. The module has been prepared and printed both in Bengali and Hindi versions and the copies have been collected by all the District Primary School Councils.
Thereafter,massive training programmes have been held in as 17 (Seventeen) Districts and approximately one lakh primary teachers have been trained through the cascade cum concentric mode in which about 400 KRPs and 1000 RPs from each District acted as trainers. The training of the large number of primary teachers all over the State has been completed. We are now planning for launching fresh programme for receiving the feedback from the grass root level of the Districts Primary School Council in this regard. We also undertook a key Resource Person Development Programme at the end of October 2005 in the premises of the Board Office for updating the skill of the Key Resource Persons for the forthcoming training programmes.
Another development programme has also been taken up in respect of revising the syllabuses for English language upto Class V. As directed by the Govt. of West Bengal English being introduced from Class I from 2004, the text books of English for Classes I, II and III have been prepared and handed over to the Textbooks Section of Directorate of School Education, Government of West Bengal. The manuscript have been printed and the copies have reached all the District Primary School Councils for distribution amongst the students in time.
The Board is expected soon to arrange for taking up the task for developing all the text books for Classes IV and V in the context of the changed scenario in education and in accordance with the revised curriculum and syllabuses for Primary Section with an emphasis on the development of the competency of the learners in using English through the communicative mode in the class room situationsand in practical situations outside the classroom.

SCHOOL HEALTH PROGRAMME: ORIENTATION PROGRAMME
The West Bengal Board of Primary Education in collaboration with the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal has launched a massive school health programme (consisting of both physical and mental health components) to promote health consciousness and to imbibe in student the culture of good habits for healthy living. The basic components of the programme are as follows:

* Orientation of Teachers and other stakeholders
* Organization of Health check-up Camps for the students and
* Establishment of the liaison between the teachers and guardians/parents and hospitals and NGOs working in the area thus community mobilization towards health education
* Distribution of Medical Kit and First Aid Box among the schools.
A carefully developed Health Education Module through successive workshops has been distributed among the District Primary School Councils. In the inaugural progamme held on the 3rd and 4th November, 2003 Shri Kanti Biswas, Hon'ble Minister-in-charge, School Education, Government of West Bengal, Shri Surya Kanta Mishra, Hon'ble Minister-in-charge, Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of West Bengal, Shri Protyush Mukhopadhyay, Hon'ble Minister of State, Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of West Bengal and Smt. Eva De, Hon'ble Minister of State, School Education, Govt. of West Bengal graced the occasion. Subsequently four workshops each of 5-day duration were held in January-March, 2004 in four zones involving personnel from all the districts for preparation Key Resource Persons. In the districts 25 camps each consisting of 50 teachers have so far been completed in the districts.
The European Commission's Support
The novelty and utility of this type of progrmme impressed the European Commission and they came forward under the Sector Investment Programme with necessary fund for supporting the implementation of the programme.