HRD minister launched an alternative academic calendar. (image source: NCERT)
After releasing alternative academic calendars for primary and upper primary classes, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Saturday released the same for secondary school students studying in classes 9 and 10 as well. The academic calendar will be common for all schools, students and teachers across the nation and will ensure that students can learn in a systematic and standardised way during the lockdown.
The calendar has a list of activities about which students may be guided through SMS on mobile phones or voice calls. Parents’ help can also be sought for the secondary stage. These activities are devised keeping in mind students who do not have access to high-end infrastructure, as per NCERT. A week-wise plan for the secondary stage (from Classes 9 to 10) has been developed, keeping in view the choice of availability of tools with the teachers. Links for e-resources have been provided along with the activities.
The curriculum has been developed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The calendar, in its first stage, is available for a four-week schedule and can be extended further based on the needs and situation. The calendar has drawn themes and topics from the syllabus and linked it with corresponding learning outcomes and how it can be ensured digitally.
Calling the initiative a necessity, the council stated that during the pandemic it is important to maintain “continuity of their learning in their new classes. In this context, NCERT has developed an Alternative Academic Calendar for all the stages of school education.”
“This calendar includes not only general guidelines and subject-specific activities but also detailed material on the use of different technological and social media tools as well as strategies for reducing stress and anxiety in the present time. This guideline also contains activities related to art education and health and physical education. It also includes reference of many learning resources along with textbooks,” claims NCERT.