[MineOffedOvex]

Fine arts, drama, chess are some of the skills that have been identified as part of co-scholastic subjects that the students of samacheer kalvi can learn in the state.

The students’ skills in these special subjects would be monitored regularly and their performance would be added to their marks in the final examination.

“As like CBSE schools, the government schools and private schools will also implement the continuous comprehensive evaluation model in the state from 2012-13. Through this we will introduce various non-academic subjects to the children,” said Zion Matriculation Higher Secondary School principal Dr. N. Vijayan.

The children would be tested in 22 different skills including reasoning, evaluation, analytical, communicative skills in English, fine arts, drawing, chess, scouts and guides and so on.

“We will access them periodically on these skills and about 25 per cent of the total marks will be awarded to them,” Dr Vijayan added.

On chess being made compulsory for school students between age 7 and 17 from the next academic year, Dr Vijayan said, the schools are also thinking about giving additional marks as per their chess ratings to all students except those appearing for board examinations.

“There is less load on children in this samacheer kalvi model and so we can spend 45 minutes every day for chess,” he added.

“Chess will improve the thinking capacity and it will also help in concentration of the students. At present, we are not able to provide chess boards to all children during PT class, but when it is made compulsory, we will implement it,” said E. Baskar Anand, physical education master at Don Bosco School.

-dc chn