Don't label pupils, urges Alphons Kannanthanam

Kochi: Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam on Friday exhorted principals not to label children but try to bring the best out of them. Inaugurating the all-Kerala CBSE principals’ conference and training oraganised by the Confederation of Kerala Sahodaya Complexes here, Mr Alphonse Kannanthanam said  teachers should allow pupils to flourish in the disciplines they like. “Don’t label them as mediocre or bad, but encourage them to excel in their own chosen fields,” the minister who is also a former bureaucrat said. “The very method of nursery interview today is stifling. Selecting 100 from a lot of 1000 at such a young age through some nonsensical interviews and branding the rest as useless is so mean. These 900 have different talents in them and the schools and the society have a responsibility to identify them and nurture them,” Mr Kannamthanam said.

He said rating those who secure ranks in board exams as the best can be erroneous. “They would have mugged up portions and would have come out in sterling colours, but I have seen them floundering in life skills,” he said. He said the responsibility of teachers and parents is to allow children to explore and experience nature and life. “Let you show them a rainbow, a butterfly and play at will. I have seen parents controlling children in parks also which is never fair,” he added. Mr Kannanthanam exhorted them to let the children grow with their backbone straight. Nearly 1000 principals are attending the two-day conference at Gokulam Convention Centre which will conclude on Saturday.