Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal releases alternative academic calendar for classes IX, X

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New Delhi: The Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, on Saturday (May 2, 2020) released the alternative academic calendar for the secondary stage, i.e. classes IX and X.

Speaking on the occasion the Minister said that this calendar 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 learners, parents, and teachers even while at home. However, it has taken into account, the varying levels of access to such tools-Mobile, Radio, Television, SMS, and various social media.

Pokhriyal further added that the fact that many of us may not have internet facility in the mobile, or may not be able to use different social media tools- such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc., the calendar guides teachers to further guide parents and students through SMS on mobile phones or through voice call. 

Parents are expected to help elementary stage students to implement this Calendar. 

The Minister informed that alternative academic calendar for Classes XI and XII and subject areas will be released very soon. He added that this calendar will cater to the need of all children including Divyang children(Children with Special Need). The link for audiobooks, radio programmes, video programme will be included.

Pokhriyal highlighted that the calendar contains a week-wise plan consisting of interesting and challenging activities, with reference to theme/chapter taken from syllabus or textbook. 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 textbooks. 

My dear Secondary School students, I am releasing Alternative Academic Calender today, for your benefit.
During the lockdown period, you can use this calender for week-wise planning, with reference to theme/chapter taken from syllabus or textbook. https://t.co/LsOyxrApSx pic.twitter.com/y4ivsQGzYZ

— Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) May 2, 2020

HRD Minister said that the activities given in the calendar focus on learning outcomes and can thus be achieved through any resource including the textbooks children are using in their states or UTs.

He also informed that the calendar covers experiential learning activities such as Arts Education, Physical Exercises, Yoga, etc. 

The Calendar contains class-wise and subject-wise activities in tabular forms. It includes activities related to four languages as subject areas, i.e., Hindi, English, Urdu, and Sanskrit. 

He further informed that this calendar also gives space to the strategies of reducing stress and anxiety among teachers, students, and parents. The calendar includes a link for chapter wise e-content available on the e-pathshala, NROER, and DIKSHA portal of Government of India.

All the given activities are suggestive in nature, not prescriptive, nor is the sequence mandatory. Teachers and parents may opt to contextualize the activities and do those activities that the student shows interest in, irrespective of the sequence. 

NCERT has already started having live interactive sessions with students, parents, and teachers through the TV channel Swayam Prabha, Kishore Manch Ap and YouTube live on NCERT Official Channel. These sessions are telecasted for primary classes from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, for upper primary classes from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and for secondary classes from 9:00 am to 11:00 am daily from Monday to Saturday. 

This calendar would also be disseminated by conducting video conferencing with SCERTs/SIEs, Directorates of Education, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, CBSE, State School Education Boards, etc.

This will empower students, teachers, school principals, and parents to find out positive ways to deal with COVID-19 using on-line teaching-learning resources at home and in enhancing their learning outcomes.