PANJIM: A delegation of All Goa Secondary School Teachers Association (AGSSTA) on Tuesday met Director of Education Shailesh Zingde and demanded that the schools be allowed to continue with the old time-table, which can support the 100 per cent implementation of National Education policy (NEP) in the State.
The Association brought to the notice of the Director of Education that the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) is framed for proper implementation of NEP, which suggest that as per Section 4.3 G of NCF, the total instruction hours should be 29 hours in a week.
The Association claimed that they were working beyond the requirement of NCF and that they were working 33 instruction hours in a week and as such additional classes in the afternoon was beyond the scope of NCF and hence unwarranted.
The Association stated that as per NCF, the workload was 43 periods and 29 hours per week, whereas teachers were working for 48 periods and 33 hours per week.
The Director of Education told the delegation that time-table should be customise as per the requirement of the school maintaining the instruction hours as mentioned in the NEP.
Zingde suggested that the heads of institutions were free to customise the time-table as per their requirements, provided the total instruction hours were maintained.
When contacted, Zingde said it was ‘healthy interaction’. “The Association had apprehension about timings and workload due to shortage of teachers. I have told them that if any school justifies workload, then we will definitely consider request for additional teachers,” he said.
The AGSSTA delegation comprised Savio Victoria, former president Dattatray Naik, vice president (North) Sandra Cunha, Anthony D'Lima and others.