Talk it out | April 22, 2023

Should governments decide what goes into our textbooks?

Nirmita Savadatti

Kenisha Jocelyn

Nirmita Savadatti, 14

Mayur English Medium School, Gokak

Textbooks are an essential part of the education system, as they serve as the primary source of knowledge for students. The question of whether the government should decide what goes into our textbooks is a contentious issue, with arguments for and against it.

The government has the responsibility to ensure that the textbooks are accurate and unbiased, and they reflect the values and beliefs of the country. The government can ensure that the textbooks meet a high standard of quality. Additionally, it can use textbooks as a tool to promote social cohesion and national identity. An advantage of government controlled textbooks is that it can ensure all students consistently receive high quality education and reduce educational disparities.

The potential downside of giving the government control over the content of textbooks could lead to censorship and limit the freedom of expression. The government could potentially use textbooks as a tool for propaganda, promoting certain political or ideological agendas.

In conclusion, while it is important for the government to ensure that textbooks are of high quality and reflect the values of the country, there is a need for caution in giving the government complete control over the content of textbooks. While the government can decide what goes into textbooks, it is important to strike a balance between ensuring accuracy and promoting free expression.

Kenisha Jocelyn, 14

KLE Rayapur, Dharwad

Whether the government should decide what goes into our textbooks has been a talking point these days. But according to me, the government shouldn’t decide what goes into our textbooks. There are a few reasons for my assertion.

The first thing is that we must have textbooks that focus on the immediate problems. For example, in my two and a half years of reading NCERT textbooks, I have come across only one lesson that partially talks about the future problems, and most of the time such lessons are pulled out of the syllabus. The government says that we’re going to achieve sustainable development in 2025, but if such important lessons are struck out from the syllabus how will children learn about the need for sustainable development? We need textbooks that can upgrade our thinking capacity and help us surpass the environmental traumas the future holds. Also, some critical thinkers in the government are channeling their own thoughts and beliefs into the textbooks, which can affect impressionable minds. These are the reasons why I believe the government should not decide what goes into our textbooks. But instead, scientists, philosophers, and biologists should be involved in the process of deciding the content for textbooks.