Teachers concerned over 'distortion of facts' in textbooks

Raising concerns over “distortion of facts” in school textbooks by equating mythology with history, a section of teachers in the State has come together to submit a memorandum to Primary and Secondary Education Minister Kimmane Ratnakar seeking rectification of such errors. 

The teachers under the banner, All India Save Education Committee, will soon meet the minister and share their concerns. 

They will also demand a discussion with the members of the State Textbook Committee.

The teachers’ group had organised a workshop on Sunday on differentiating mythology from history.

Conceptual errors

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Rajashekar V N of All India Save Education Committee (AISEC) said the participants had made a list of conceptual errors in the textbooks, a detailed list of which would be submitted along with the memorandum. 

“Random claims about several scientific discoveries during the Vedic period have irked the teachers. There were definitely achievements in ancient India.”

“Similarly there are achievements in the ancient period in other societies too. We can be proud of them. However, it is not good to be arrogant and claim that everything was discovered thousands of years ago,” he said, adding that it was important to distinguish between epic and history. 

Due respect

“Epic is a form of literature that deserves due respect. But we have to enjoy it as an epic. We are destroying the beauty of epic by equating it with reality.”

Teachers said they were in a tight spot as they could neither go beyond the syllabus nor teach the text as “facts.” 

“On the one hand teaching this is against our conscience and on the other hand we are bound by the direction to follow the syllabus,” said Chandragirish, a biology teacher who participated in the workshop.