The HRD Ministry on Thursday announced an Alternative Academic Calendar for the secondary and higher school education system, while it directed the higher academic institutions not to insist for tution fees untill the corona related lockdown period is over.
The HRD Ministry also advised that some students would not be able to pursue their Summer Internship due to the ongoing lockdown, hence, they can pursue internship from home. In case it is not feasible, this requirement may be fulfilled in December 2020.
HRD Ministry's autonomous body, NCERT, prepared the Alternative Academic Calendar which was released by HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal. It contains week-wise plan consisting of interesting and challenging activities, with reference to theme/chapter taken from syllabus or textbook.
"In order to engage students meaningfully during their stay at home due to COVID-19 through educational activities at home with the help of their parents and teachers, the alternative academic calendar has been developed by NCERT," said a HRD Ministry statement.
Most importantly, it maps the themes with the learning outcomes. The purpose of mapping of themes with learning outcomes is to facilitate teachers/parents to assess the progress in the learning of children and also to go beyond textbook.
Releasing the alternative academic calendar, Nishank said the calendar not only covers all the classes from I-XII but also all subject areas of the same.
The calendar would also cater to the need of all children including divyang children (children with special Need) as it includes link for audio books, radio programmes and video programme.
The HRD minister said the alternative calendar also contains week-wise plan consisting of interesting and challenging activities.
Further, it provides guidelines to teachers on the use of various technological tools and social media tools available for imparting education in fun-filled, interesting ways, which can be used by students to learn even while at home.
However, it has taken into account, the varying levels of access to tools like mobile, radio, television, SMS and various other social media, the minister said. The calendar tells the teachers how to guide parents and students through SMS on mobile phones or mobile call. Parents are expected to help elementary stage students to implement this Calendar.