COVID-19 impact: Education ministry launches alternative academic calendar for primary classes

To facilitate better learning opportunities to children, (NCERT), under the guidance of the MHRD, developed the alternative academic calendar. 

While thousands of students are forced to study from home due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country, the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), under the guidance of the MHRD, developed the alternative academic calendar for their convenience. According to the reports, the decision is taken to engage students meaningfully during their stay at home and make them utilize the lockdown period to the fullest.

Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' released the calendar in Delhi on April 16. Speaking on the occasion the minister expressed the new academic calendar allows teachers to impart education using social media tools and technological tools in interesting and fun-filled ways.

Solving the problem of unavailability of the internet or access to social media tools such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Google, Twitter, etc. The calendar guides teacher to help such students and their parents by connecting with them via SMS and calls. The official statement also stated that the parents have to help elementary stage students to implement this calendar. The calendar will cover all the classes from 1-12 and their subject areas.

The minister also added that the calendar will cater to the needs of all the children including Divyang children (Children with Special Need) with links of Audiobooks, Radio programmes and Video programme.

Containing a week-wise plan, the calendar is consists of challenging yet interesting activities with reference to theme/chapter taken from syllabus or textbook. Most importantly, it maps the themes with the learning outcomes.

Theme mapping along with learning outcome will help teachers and parents track children’s learning progress. The Minister highlighted that the calendar also covers experiential learning activities such as Arts Education, Physical Exercises, yoga, pre-vocational skills, etc.

This calendar also contains class-wise and subject-wise activities in tabular forms. From activities related to four languages as subject areas, i.e., Hindi English, Urdu and Sanskrit to having links for Chapter wise e-content available on the e-pathshala, NROER and DIKSHA portal of Government of India, the new academic calendar is consist of all.

It not only increases the learning opportunities of children while being at home but also gives space to the strategies of reducing stress and anxiety among teachers, students and parents.

This calendar would be disseminated through DTH Channels and also conducting video conferencing with SCERTs, Directorates of Education, SCERTs, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, CBSE, State School Education Boards, etc.

The official statement also added that in the time of health emergencies, the calendar will empower our students, teachers, school principals and parents to find out positive ways to deal with COVID-19 using on-line teaching-learning resources and also improving their learning outcomes getting school education at home.

To check the alternative calendar for primary classesCLICK HERE

Read More: