Expert panel to submit report on new academic schedule

Schools across the State have lost more than one month in the previous academic year and almost two months wasted in the new session since the pandemic crisis had not improved.

The School Education Department had constituted an 18-member expert committee, led by School Education Commissioner Sigy Thomas Vaidhyan, comprising Director of School Education, Elementary Education, Examination, Matriculation Schools and representatives of parent-teachers association, UNICEF, and IIT-Madras as members to prepare a detail recommendation on how to compensate the loss academic session.

Accordingly, a senior official from the Directorate of School Education, seeking anonymity told DT Next, that the panel has worked out a comprehensive plan, including curtailing 30 per cent of the syllabus for the students from Class one to Class 12 as per the requirements.

"The members have carefully gone through the syllabus of all standards and recommended the omissions", he added.

The official said the committee, in its recommendation, also suggested the cancellation of quarterly exams if the schools were reopened by August or September. "Usually, the quarterly exams with common question papers for students across the State are conducted in September every year," he pointed out.

In addition, the official said, there might be a rotation classroom schedule for students after the re-opening of schools till normality is restored. "Opening schools on all Saturdays, extending the academic session by about one month and declaration of school holidays only for important purposes were other suggestions from the panel members," he said.

Though the committee was asked to file its report by June first week, the delay is submitting its report since the members had to wait for some time due to the recent increase in the number of Coronavirus cases in other districts.

"However, there will not be any further delay as all the precautionary measures will be adopted while declaring new academic schedule for the students," he pointed out.