Chennai: Emerging technologies, including AI prompt engineering, data science and computational thinking, are set to be a part of the curriculum for Classes VI-XII in a phased manner from the next academic year.The proposal was discussed at the first review meeting of the high-level expert committee and the recently updated curriculum design committee in the city on Tuesday. Chairing the meeting, school education minister Rajmohan said, “We are aware of AI and it is being taken to several govt schools through the govt. The next step is to ensure that students use the technology well, where subjects such as prompt engineering will help.” He also said that textbooks will not be heavy, but will be text-light and picture-heavy, and lessons will be taught in an interactive manner.Under the proposed plan, Classes VI and VII students will be exposed to digital skills and their applications, while Classes VIII-X students will be taught their practical applications. “We plan to have a preliminary, intermediary and elective structure, with Classes XI-XII students getting the option to choose subjects such as data science,” school education secretary B Chandramohan said.Students will also be taught to use online educational tools. Curriculum design committee chairperson and former ISRO scientist Mylswamy Annadurai said that students will be taught value-based lessons.High-level committee member and ISRO chairperson V Narayanan recommended that basics of health and economics be taught to students from Class VIII, and urged the minister to upgrade infrastructure in all schools.The emerging technologies initiative is an extension of the TN Spark scheme, launched last year. It is currently implemented in around 5,000 govt schools for classes VI-VIII. Officials from the SCERT said that textbooks under the scheme were already made available for classes VI-XII. Blending the curriculum for emerging technologies, new textbooks will be made available for classes IX-X from the next academic year.
