PANAJI
In a bid to provide exposure to skill education using experiential learning pedagogy and to make learning at schools joyful and stress free, the schools in Goa are directed to implement 10-days bagless period for students of Class VI for the academic year.
The Education department through the Goa Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan has issued detailed guidelines to the schools, in lines with those issued by the National Council of Education, Research and Training (NCERT), as proposed in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Speaking to The Goan, Director Education Shailesh Zingade said that though, the Union Ministry for Education, has proposed introducing 10 ‘bagless' days for students of classes VI to VIII, in Goa, in the first phase, we have gone ahead with only Class VI student across all government-run schools. “We want to go in phase manner,” he said.
Zingade said that Goa Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan has also issued guidelines, in lines with NCERT, to the schools as per the New Curriculum Framework (NCF), aiming to provide the students with practical experience in vocational education.
He said that all the school heads have been directed to incorporate these bagless days into their academic calendar, as per their choice.
The students are encouraged to adopt practice-based activity like carpentry, pottery, electrical work, and gardening apart from conducting interactive sessions with local artisans and craftsmen, to learn about their businesses, and gain understanding of various concepts and traditions, while appreciating the importance of preserving heritage.
“Also, students will be encouraged to pursue vocational courses alongside regular subjects,” a senior official in Goa Samagra Shiksha Abiyan said.
Officials said that such activities are intended to broaden students' horizons and make learning more meaningful beyond the classroom.
Earlier in July, the Union Ministry of Education had notified guidelines for the implementation of bagless days for classes 6 to 8. Developed by the PSS Central Institute of Vocational Education (a unit of NCERT), these guidelines emphasise joyful learning through vocational exposure.
