State education board appoints expert committee to go into former social sciences teacher's claims
State education board appoints expert committee to go into former social sciences teacher's claimsu00a0
After constant letters and complaints by a retired schoolteacher regarding mistakes in Std X school textbooks, the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) has appointed a three-member committee of experts to verify his claims.
But board officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the retired teacher's claims lacked substance and that they had finally decided to appoint the committee because they were tired of the man's continuous "harassment" and also because now he had begun approaching the media with his complaints.
Shahaji Dhekne, secretary of MSBSHSE, said that the schoolteacher used to teach social sciences in an Ahmednagar school, from where he retired a few years ago.
"He has been writing in to point out mistakes in the science textbook. Earlier, in 2007, he wrote to say a textbook had 50 mistakes; we looked into it but didn't find any such thing. His letter also didn't give any details, merely mentioning the number of mistakes he claimed. Next year, the number increased to 72 and in the forthcoming, 2011 textbook, which is based on the revised syllabus, the number increased to 123," said Dhekne.
According to sources in the MSBSHSE, officials found it difficult to ignore the former teacher as this year he even wrote letters to media houses and sent a copy to them.
"Firstly, these subjects are not his forte, and he has written about textbooks that aren't even out yet, so we know his claims aren't true. But still, if he has any proof, he can bring it before the committee," said a source.
Dhekne said that the board had replied to the former teacher and told him to appear before the three-member committee of experts and present proof of his claims.
"If his claims are true, we will take appropriate steps," he said.
