BENGALURU: Maintaining that a decision on reopening schools will be taken after the lockdown is lifted, Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar suggested pruning of the curriculum in the event of a possible shorter academic calendar.
In a circular to the principal secretary and other senior officials of the department, Kumar said the coronavirus pandemic may impact the new academic calendar and there could be fewer working days. He asked the officials to mark out “excess curriculum” in textbooks for classes 1-10 and PUC which can be dropped if need be. He, however, stressed on retaining the essentials in the textbooks.
“Estimating a time loss of 15 days to two months, identify the parts of the textbooks that need to be dropped,” he said in the circular. The minister also sought an action plan for a module on Covid-19 for schoolchildren and a booklet on it to be distributed among them.
Asking for an action plan on measures to ensure social distancing in day to day activities in schools, he underlined the need for a training for teachers to instil confidence among students and parents against the backdrop of the pandemic.
The department plans to rope in distinguished teachers to contribute content to its Youtube channel Makkalavahini for classes 1-10 both in English and Kannada mediums. Officials are instructed to announce the timetable for the (Teacher Eligibility Test) TET immediately after the schedule for the SSLC examinations is announced.