The government and private schools have fast-tracked the completion of syllabus for students from Classes VI to X and the focus is on the students appearing for the school final either in April or May. The syllabus has been reduced by 20% removing some ‘dispensable’ topics and chapters in each subject.
Stress on private school students is too much with the majority of the institutions targeting to complete the syllabus by Mid-December in all subjects and revision scheduled to start after Christmas vacation. The stress factor comes from the pressure on Class X students grouped in certain sections with fancy names like IPL or NextGen in the name of teaching them physics, chemistry, and mathematics with focus on the future ‘Intermediate’ and competitive exam needs.
Vikrant, a Class X student, finds it difficult to comprehend everything that is taught to them in a fast-paced manner with all chapters in five subjects completed from August 16 to December 16. “Now the teachers focus only on physics, chemistry, and mathematics aiming at the National Talent Search Examination on January 23. Soon after that, we will be taught our regular subjects as revision to write the school final in April,” Vikrant tells The Hindu.
For the students of other classes in private schools, the working hours have been increased by one hour daily (now from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) to cope with the syllabus. For them, only 50% of the portion is completed and the remaining will be completed by February in time for the pre-final exam, the students have been told.
In a Z.P. High School in Vidapanakal mandal, the teachers have ensured completion of 90% of the syllabus and expect to finish the remaining by January-end, with revision set for February to help students attempt the pre-final examination, which could become the main exam in case COVID-19 protocols come in the way of holding the final examinations.
The schools in Bukkarayasamudram, Havalige, Hindupur, and Kadiri have sufficient staff, but some of the remote schools in ODC and Kundurpi mandals find it difficult and their syllabus is only 50% completed.
While students feel coping up with the subjects could be difficult, teachers say classwork will continue till April-end and hence it is easy to learn with the reduced burden and deny any pressure on the students of any class.
