Students of Stds X and XII to start first, later IX and XI
PANAJI
More than a week after the State’s task force on Covid management gave its nod for re-starting physical classes, the government on Wednesday indicated that schools are likely to open for offline classes before the Diwali vacation for students of classes IX to XII.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the education portfolio said, his government may start permitting schools to commence physical classes in a phased manner before Diwali.
First, students of classes X and XII will be brought back to schools after nearly eighteen months of school campuses shutting down and resorting to academic work through the online mode. At a later date, classes for students of class IX and XI will also start in the physical mode, Sawant added.
“The government will resume physical classes for schools in a phased manner starting from Class X & Class XII before Diwali; classes for Std IX and XI will also start in physical mode later and proper SOPs will be set,” Sawant said at government function on Wednesday.
He also said the exact schedule for schools to re-commence physical classes will be drawn and a final decision taken after the ‘Expert Committee’ meets and gives feedback to the State government.
Consultations will also be held with stakeholders, including school managements, medical fraternity and the teaching community, he said, and added that no firm decision has been taken as yet.
Schools in Goa have suspended physical classes since March 2020 when the pandemic hit and have been carrying out all academic work in the online mode since then.
Some other States, including neighbouring Maharashtra, have already taken the decision to re-commence physical classes.
Interestingly, the order issued by the Revenue Secretary, Sanjay Kumar, IAS, which had lifted the State-wide curfew imposed in May, had mentioned that schools may re-open but put the condition that separate standard operating procedures (SOPs) have to be issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE).
Educationists and experts are worried that delay in commencing physical classes could contribute to irreversible damage including ‘knowledge gap’ for a generation.
Recently, UNICEF India had also begun lobbying with governments to reopen schools as early as possible and warned of a “generational catastrophe”.
“Our message is clear: Governments must prioritize the safe reopening of schools to avoid generational catastrophe. #ForEveryChild, education,” UNICEF India had said.
A State Task Force constituted for monitoring the developments related to prospective third wave of covid will hold a meeting sometime early next month and deliberate on the recommendations given by the Expert Committee for starting the classes in phyical mode. The Expert Committee comprises medical health professionals.
