THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The seven-day National Service Scheme (NSS) state-wide camps for the higher secondary section, scheduled to be held from December 26, is poised to upset the academic calendar in schools. Confusion prevails among teachers and students on whether the schools will reopen on January 1 as scheduled after the Christmas vacation, as the camps will conclude only by the evening of that day.
According to a circular issued by the NSS state programme coordinator, the ‘Samanwayam’ camps will begin on December 26 and will be held continuously for the next seven days. As per the academic calendar, the Christmas holidays are scheduled from December 23 to 31 and schools are set to reopen on January 1.
There are around 1.4 lakh NSS volunteers in the higher secondary section and the camps are to be held in schools that fall within a radius of two to eight kilometres from the parent school. The volunteers are to stay in classrooms and carry out cleaning of the premises and surroundings daily. The circular lays down that participation in the camp on all seven days is mandatory.
Meanwhile, there are demands that the reopening date be postponed to January 3 as January 2 is a holiday for schools on account of Mannam Jayanthi.