09 Jul 2020  |   05:45am IST

Goa Board may reduce syllabus to make up for lost teaching days

Decision to be taken after consulting Principals’ Forum, Headmasters’ Association

SHWETA KAMAT

PANJIM: In line with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education is also contemplating to reduce the syllabus for students of Class IX or X to XII, to ease the burden on them, when schools re-open for the new Academic Year 2020-21. Till date, there is no clarity as to when schools will re-open for the academic year, which otherwise open in June.

The Board of Studies of the Goa Board has already debated on the matter and will hold a consultation with stakeholders, including the Principals’ Forum and Goa Headmasters’ Association, to seek inputs on revising the curriculum or going ahead with the same pattern of studies.

Following a suggestion from Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), CBSE on Tuesday announced that 30 per cent of the pre-existing syllabus has been reduced for students of Classes IX to XII, in view of the extraordinary situation in the country. 

Speaking to Herald, Goa Board chairman Ramkrishna Samant said that the Board of Studies is discussing the issue and no decision has yet been taken. “In next few days, we will announce our decision officially,” he said, refusing to comment on whether there is the possibility of curtailing the syllabus. 

“Any decision will be communicated to you (media). We will consult the stakeholders in next two-three days and take their views on board,” Samant said. 

The chairman said that the views of Principals’ Forum and Goa Headmasters’ Association will be communicated to Board of Studies, that will take final decision. 

Schools in Goa are shut since March 15 in view of COVID outbreak. As per latest guidelines issued by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), schools will continue to remain shut till July 31, until further orders. 

A highly-placed source said that while the CBSE academic term starts in February, in Goa, the new term is from June. “If you consider that schools re-open in August, than, we have lost only 45 days of the term. The same can be made up by curtailing Ganesh, Diwali and Christmas holidays,” the source said. 

“Also, we can extend the term by one month, which will help us cover the syllabus,” the source said adding, “This depends only if schools re-open in August; if it delays further, then we have to re-think.”