TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Circular after circular offering one option over another has put school managements in a tight fix.
All three options seem confusing as managements fail to understand the logic behind tampering of the original school timings for a new schedule in the first place.
Granting concessions to primary and secondary schools in the implementation of extended school timings by 30 minutes has actually brought school timings back to the original schedule.
An analysis shows that that the second option (of school timings of five and a half hours) and the third option (a five day week of six hours) does not benefit anyone.
If institutions prefer the first option then the teaching community has to work for 200 instructional days, 237 working days and 1,100 instructional hours.
The second option sees no change or any difference from the first as there will be 200 instructional days, 237 working days and 1,100 instructional hours. There will be a change only in school timings. However if any institution selects the third option, then there will be 179 instructional days, 197 working days and 1074 instructional hours.
Hence institutions preferring the third option will be working for a minimum 40 days less than that of institutions who choose the first option.
One fact that comes to light is that the third option requires a minimum 184 instructional days, whereas the calendar provides only 179 instructional days.
“What about the five days that fall short, this has been totally overlooked,” asks Dattatraya Nayak of the All Goa Secondary Schools Teachers Association (AGSSTA).
He said, “This will definitely lead to disparity and confusion among the teaching community.”
Another head of institution from South Goa said, “I won’t be surprised if schools opt for the third option which is almost at par with the schedules in force prior to extended school timings and worked successfully during the last four decades.”
According to AGSSTA its been almost two months since the first circular dated June 12 was issued by the Education Department.
Since then, two more were issued. “The circulars are issued in total violation of the ‘Goa school Education Rules’ and in total violation of the ‘Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009’.
If one recalls, the first circular dated June 12, 2013 was strongly opposed compelling the government
to amend it with a second circular dated August 6, 2013 granting relaxations to primary section from implementing the half hour extension of school timings and options given to managements to decide about their school timing.
On August 8 it further added secondary schools to the circular dated August 6, 2013 for concessions.
“All the circulars have been issued without considering the effect on school children and the pretext given is that it is issued only in the interest of children,” Nayak said voicing concern about the confusion being created by the Education Ministry.
The Education Department has also been flayed for delay in the distribution of textbooks to students.
