Consensus on beginning new academic from March-end
TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Days after Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar pushed for increasing the working and instructional days for schools in the Goa Assembly, educationists Friday agreed to have a common academic calendar for Classes from Std I to XII commencing from June.
An in-depth deliberation between heads of institutions, teachers and the government here on Friday have arrived at a tentative schedule which will include early examinations for Classes I to IX and XI and thereafter conduct Board exams for Classes X and XII.
The plan is to wind up the Board exams (X and XII) by March 18, while other school exams should be completed by March 9 as against the existing schedule of March 31.
The new academic year would thereafter begin in the last week of March and would break for vacations in the last week of April.
There will be no reduction in the number of vacation days. The focus is on starting a new academic year from April itself, thereby increasing school working and instructional days to meet the requirement of 225 days as compared to the existing 195 days.
Educationists believe that the common calendar will help schools chalk out their sports and cultural activities accordingly and students of Classes X and XII who have to skip such activities on account of exam preparations, would get a chance to participate in the events.
Several suggestions were also put forth by representatives of various institutions from primary to secondary and higher secondary.
A suggestion was also made to decrease the number of days allotted for Diwali vacations instead of students attending school in April after their examinations.
The Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) is confident that the conduct of the X and XII class exams can be carried out simultaneously.
“It was done in the past,” said Chairman J S Rebello adding that the Board can complete the exercise within 15 to 17 days.
Friday’s deliberations however impressed on increasing the number of school working days. It was felt that the move for increasing school timings should be kept on hold for the moment.
All the recommendations have been compiled and a report submitted to the government (Education department) Friday evening.
The Chairman of Goa Board said that the Education ministry will take a final call on the new school calendar and a schedule is expected shortly. Plans are on to introduce the same from this academic year.
The first year of implementation of the new schedule is likely to see a few hiccups during the transition period. However, authorities are confident that the new plan worked out by the government will be in the interest of both students and teachers.
Sources say that the new pattern, when implemented, would bring schooling in Goa at par with CBSE-ICSE.
