The State government will decide soon on extending working days and academic sessions so that teachers and students would be able to cover the portions. Also, now that schools are reopening on January 19 for Classes 10 and 12, the government will also announce board exam schedule for these students, official sources added.
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Chennai:
Usually the academic session for schools starts in June and would end by May after board exams. However, due to the lockdown, all schools were closed since March. After reopening on January 19, there will only be about four months left.
While most of private schools completed at least 75 per cent of the portion through online classes, students from government and aided schools who do not have access to the internet for virtual sessions were left behind.
Though the syllabus would be truncated by about 40 percent, teachers and students are likely to find it difficult to cover even the remaining portion within those four months, a senior official from the School Education Department told DT Next.
“Therefore, the authorities have recommended extending the academic session by about two months,” he said, adding that they have received several requests from teachers, especially from the State-run schools, in this regard.
However, as the CBSE would hold board exams in May, State-board exams would not be delayed, the official said. Even if the academic year is extended by two months, exams would more or less be in line with the central board schedule, he said.
The official added said that the government would also announce the board exam schedule for both Class 10 and 12 students. “The exam related works, including fees collection, will begin soon; the Directorate of Examinations will issue a detailed notification,” he said.
Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Association president PK Ilamaran said that the organisation had already requested the government to extend academic session. “The extension will greatly benefit students from State-run schools as they did not have online classes”, he said.
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