Class 1 Book Banned for Exceeding Curriculum Content
Students in Class 1 are generally around five years old. At this age, the Curriculum Development Centre decides the level of learning content suitable for them. The main focus for teachers is to help children get used to sitting in a classroom while learning through play.
However, the ‘Hamro Serophero’ book by Ekta Publication has been found to include more content than prescribed, making it unnecessarily heavy. As a result, the Curriculum Development Centre, Sanothimi, has banned its sale, distribution, and use, stating that it contains excessive and inappropriate topics that could negatively affect child psychology.
Reason for the Ban
Centre Director Bijay Badu said, “The Class 1 ‘Hamro Serophero’ book by Ekta Publication carries more academic load than the curriculum allows. For this reason, the book has been stopped from reaching the market. Content meant for 12-year-olds has been imposed on 5-year-old children.”
He added that Ekta Publication has been asked for clarification on why more content than prescribed was included. The authors and editors have also been asked to provide an explanation. According to him, “The curriculum for Class 1 sets 25 topics, but this book contains double that number. Adding topics beyond the capacity of young minds has made the book burdensome, leading to this action.”
Other Concerns in Private Schools
Badu mentioned that in some private schools, certain subjects contain inappropriate material and that reference books are being taught as if they are compulsory subjects. He also stated that in some books, outdated and biased illustrations are still being used — such as depicting women only in roles like washing clothes, cooking, and cleaning — which is considered inappropriate.
Publisher’s Response
Ekta Publication’s Chairperson, Ram Chandra Timoti, said that errors occurred while converting a science lesson in the Class 1 ‘Hamro Serophero’ book into Nepali. He assured that the mistakes will be corrected and a revised version will be sent to the market soon.
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