Summer break unlikely for schools

HYDERABAD: Schools and junior colleges may not have summer holidays this year as 120 working days are required for the teachers to cover at least 70 per cent of the syllabus.  According to teachers, board exams to various courses cannot be conducted without completing the syllabus, and that too within four-and-a-half months.

“We generally have 240 working days in a year. We are left with just 50 or so if we go by the academic year. However, we still would need 120 days to complete 70 per cent of the syllabus before the board exams,” said Madhusudhan Reddy, president of Government Junior College Lecturers Association. “We could only bridge the learning gap through online classes. Syllabus was barely taught online. So, we have to complete it before the exams,” said CH Ravi, TSUTF general secretary. “The most probable time to conduct the exams is June,” he added. 

Meanwhile, managements of private institutions have released the schedule and protocols for reopening of schools. Most of these schools are likely to function seven to eight hours a day, six days a week. Many have asked parents to drop and pick up their wards as the school transport system will be unavailable. Schools will also adhere to SOPs by providing sanitisers, mandating the use of masks and enforcing social distancing. Junior colleges with over 300 students will work in two shifts.