THE SLIMMING DOWN. FIVE MONTHS LATER...

'The Slimming Down'.

MS1, MS2, MS3 and MS4 syllabuses have been slimmed down. This work has been achieved by inspectors first, then by teachers who just had to finalize the work and be familiar with it before its implementation. The slimming down has been done in a time record compared to the importance and value of the operation.

If we refer back to the old syllabuses and the 2008/2009 slimming down, we would surely notice the difference in the number of files and contents as well. We would also notice the change in the progression of lessons in term 1 and 2. (Most of the MS1 teachers achieved File 3 by the end of January) which never happened before and which means they can cover the whole program by the end of the school year. The same remark may be true for the other years, and this is a good point.

The negative point is that it has been done hurriedly without the effective participation of the teachers and the inspectors or other experts able to bring the needed plus.

The pupils' books are still the same with plenty of errata of all kinds. The teachers' guides are still unchanged with the already remarked errata. Unfortunately, teachers didn't receive any pictures, audio or video support as mentioned.

The slimming down is a fact but done like its predecessors:

It's a makeshift job but it'll hold.

Nobody can dictate the responsibles what they have to do for it is known. What we need to do is to write to the responsables as Mr. Houari launched it on January . Let's join our voices and tell them to help the pupils and make the teachers' job much easier.

Mohamed07.

Salam



To my knowledge, and as Mr.Mohamed stated, most teachers of MS1 have already covered File Three, which is really an achievement. I would like to confess that it’s not the case with me. Even the previous years, some teachers covered the entire syllabus or most of it; how? I don’t know.

I think that the pupils need too much practice to master any language form; I’m not suspicious about the teachers’ abilities but rather about the weak pupils’ assimilation of what has been taught or what is assumed to be grasped.

How many levels are there in each class?

There are excellent pps who need little guidance but there are even pps who even need help with handwriting.

Please, don’t tell me that it’s not our problem. Since we are face to face with innocent pps, we have to care and look for a solution. Meanwhile, the problem is to be reported to higher institutions by all those who have still a clear conscience, those who still believe that all voices should join in order to solve this problem.

Something I deem among the most important ones is the CONTENT of the book where there’s nothing about our CULTURE and RELIGION. Our pps need to know about their culture as well as the others’ ones. Here starts the building up of one’s self –confidence, one’s respect to one’s Origin, one’s Belonging, and one’s Nation.

I join my voice to Mr.Mohamed’s and Mr. Houari’s to appeal to all those who still care, in order to give the BOOK its due value …it’s really shame to tell the pps, openly or implicitly that their book is not trustworthy.

Last but not the least, I testify that OUR FORUM IS REALLY ENVIABLE! I appreciate variety which is one of its characteristics, and VARIETY is the SPICE of LIFE!

I appreciate sincerity and the will to change things for the better.

BUT I still appeal to every one browsing our forum to say something, to log in and mark their presence… All efforts are needed and all suggestions are important.

I testify that I’m taking profit all time whether with teaching or the fact of finding this space as an opportunity to expand one’s area where one has the right to use English and express what may bother.

Many thanks to every one who cares, to everyone who believes that sacrifice and abnegation are indispensable to achieve success.



Salam