Parents of homeschooling kids demand board for accreditation

BENGALURU: Parents

homeschooling

their children in Bengaluru are demanding a board to give accreditation to their wards and a support group, close on the heels of Maharashtra backing the concept under an open board.


The trend is catching the imagination of Bengalureans as it enables students to spend time on sports and other developmental and

co-curricular activities

. At present, homeschooling parents in the city are finding support in each other on

social media

.

Sunil Sood, who is pioneering an online ‘

homeschool

project for sustainable development’, said: “There is a need for this new community to unite and help each other. Having a board will help streamline things for homeschoolers. Currently, some parents depend on the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), while others rely on international schools where children can be easily admitted on paying fees.”

Sood, an engineer, was himself homeschooled till the age of seven.

Shalini Supriya Linda, a textile designer and a homescooling parent from Sarjapur, said a board will help them grow as a community, but there should be no restrictions or interference.

Shalini’s eight-year-old child has now finished one year of homeschooling. “When we got her into regular schools, she was overburdened with homework. There was absolutely no time for activities like reading and music, and exploring themselves. Now, she is a happy learner,” she said.

A board for homeschoolers is also expected to embolden many people who are unhappy with formal schooling and are looking for alternatives.

Usairah BM, an architect and mother of three, said: “My two older children are in school all the time. I’m looking for homeschooling opportunity for my daughter, but as there is no certain data or point of contact for homeschoolers. I’m finding groups through social media. Having a board as a point of contact will help.”

Mageetha Ravi, a special educator to homeschoolers, said: “In our online project, we’re trying to create a curriculum for homeschoolers based on sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, which also ensures solid foundational learning. A board can work as guide and conduct proper examinations.”

Open schooling curriculum

The number of students getting registered with NIOS is increasing every year.

Many parents find the curriculum provided by NIOS hassle-free. Most of these parents homeschool their children till class 10 and then class 12. NIOS conducts exams at both the levels, twice a year. Its curriculum complies with NCERT norms. Along with having the facility of examination twice a year, it also provides eight opportunities for on-demand exams for students to clear the secondary level.

“Once the student is registered with NIOS, their admission is valid for five years. They can attempt exams any time. The number of students registered with us has gone up at a steady pace in the last three years. Today, students are equally interested in taking up extra-curricular activities and academics,” said LMDV Prasad, regional director, NIOS Karnataka.

“My son went to school till class 8. During his school days, we found that he was interested in sports and other activities more than academics and somehow his aspirations were getting saddled by school work. He has cleared class 10 from NIOS now,” Beena Prabhu, mother of a 16-year-old, told TOI.

Beena said her son is at peace now. A football player, he is planning to pursue learning foreign languages.



Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.