This is a Nali-Kali classroom. In 2005, Nali-Kali (play-learn), a multi-grade, activity-based form of teaching and learning inspired from the pedagogical practices at Rishi Valley Centre of Education in Madanapalli, Andhra Pradesh, was implemented across government schools in Karnataka. Normally, under this system, classes 1- 3 are made to sit together in a single classroom. Based on their learning levels, they are divided into groups and made to sit in circles. Their curriculum is broken down into small units which are then taught by engaging them in a variety of activities. This model wadevised as an alternative to the ‘chalk and talk’ method that was prevalent earlier where as the teacher taught, students, especially those belonging to classes 1,2 and 3 sat idly and listened. Instead, to make learning more child-centric, fun and dynamic, especially for kids of such tender age, this model was developed and teachers were trained for the same.

It has been close to twenty years since the programme took root in the State’s government schools. In Bhuvan’s school though, the Nali-Kali class has had to often accommodate the fourth and the fifth standard too. There are only two teachers at this school, of which one of them is also the headmistress. And since she had to go for some meetings on the day that I visited the school, there was a single teacher in-charge of the entire school. “On paper, the Nali-Kali method is pretty interesting, innovative and valuable. But, what the Government does not realise is that its implementation in classrooms is suffering on various grounds,” says Bhuvan’s teacher. The most common issue is the problem of shortage of teachers in schools, she points out. “When the class strength is too much, it becomes impossible for one teacher to conduct activities and manage the class. Today is an example. I have to handle all five classes and this includes serving milk to children in the morning, taking lessons that are relevant to all five grades, engaging them in activities as well, serving food in the afternoon and keeping everyone occupied through the day,” she explains.

If five classes in one is a problem at this school, a teacher from a government school in East Bangalore says that even three classes in one is proving to be a problem. “As a concept, Nali-Kali wants students of different age groups and learning levels to sit together and help each other learn better. But with children of this age group it is rather difficult to conduct activities simultaneously for all students or even ask them to help or teach each other,” said the teacher. “We want the government to redesign the Nali-Kali programme such that we have separate classes with separate teachers for each of them. We are against this combined class format. The Nali-Kali is a confused set up. It also feels like it was devised to disguise the shortage of teachers in these schools,” says Basavaraj Gurikar, President, Karnataka State Primary Teachers Association.

Krishnamurthy, who is the DSERT in-charge of the Nali-Kali programme, says that the issue of shortage of teachers is something that the State Government as well as the DSERT is familiar with. “In some cases where the class strength is more than 30 students, we have given those schools permission to divide the children into two groups. In some other cases, we have even given permission to make the third standard a separate class,” he explains. “The Nali-Kali system actually helps the fact that there is a teacher shortage in schools. Since it is a multi-grade form of teaching and in the wake of a huge shortage of teachers, Nali-Kali is the only viable option for us,” he adds.

When asked about why there continues to be such an acute shortage of teachers, Krishnamurthy says that it is up to the State Government to complete the recruitment of teachers. Vishveshwar Kageri, former minister of state for primary education says: “There is a grave shortage of over 30,000 teachers in government schools. How can Nali-Kali show results under such circumstances? Contract teachers are not always trained in the Nali-Kali format. I feel the third standard should be de-linked from the Nali-Kali system. But the matter is so complicated because we also have a shortage of classrooms and staffrooms. This Government is not serious about the urgency of appointment of teachers.”

Lack of flexibility

Teachers across schools recognise the value that Nali-Kali holds as far as changing the education system is concerned, but assert that it is definitely in need of a redesign. And, this is not just because of a piercing staff shortage.“Students in this school know their lessons. But under the Nali-Kali system, that is not enough. The child also has to know the different components of the model. There are activity charts, learning slates, etc. that the child is supposed to be familiar with. Each lesson is tied to a learning slate which offers a condensed pictorial version of the lesson to help the child assimilate the subject better. Often we spend a lot of time trying to get each child to remember the slate that corresponds to his or her lesson. When an examiner comes to test the implementation of the Nali-Kali system, they determine a teacher’s efficiency based on whether the child picked the right slate or not. These are children between the age group of five and eight. Should we focus on whether the child knows the lesson or whether he knows where to find the lesson?” asks yet another teacher.The lack of flexibility in the system bothers most teachers who feel that Nali-Kali, despite its radical methods of instruction, is too rigid a model. “They focus on whether we are following the new format faithfully instead of focusing on whether children are learning. Often, when we realise an examiner is coming to test us, we panic and I spend an entire day training my students to pick the right slates,” says Bhuvan’s teacher.

Did they all prefer the previous model of teaching? “Partly, yes. Especially, when it came to learning languages, I felt it was better when we began with alphabets. Here, under Ra-Ga-Sa-Dha system, we are made to teach children words directly, based on a combination of letters. The idea is to instil confidence in children such that they can make so many words with so few letters. However, I’m not sure the foundation in a language can be instilled through this method where all the alphabets are not taught properly at first,” she says.

Krishnamurthy asserts that DSERT has ensured that there are cluster resource centres across the taluks, who regularly consult teachers to evaluate the progress of Nali-Kali. “We even have meetings with teachers and trainers to understand their difficulties. We have not received any written complaint about any issues pertaining with regard to the curriculum or the mode of teaching,” he argues.

I recalled how as soon as Bhuvan finished reading, the teacher asked him to go pick up a learning slate corresponding to the lesson. Bhuvan walked to the stack of circular cardboard plates. The lesson in his textbook had a number that matched the learning slates. Did he remember that number? It also had an animal’s picture which he is supposed to use to identify the right slate. He fumbled for a bit. It was a test he had been through before. He finally picked the correct slate and his teacher heaved a sigh of relief.