Karnataka Minister rules out syllabus cut; dept mulls weekend classes

The Department of Primary and Secondary Education is mulling weekend classes to make up for lost academic days, as the minister ruled out any reduction in syllabus.

The department recently said that physical classes for primary grades will resume from October 21. Considering the delay in commencement of classes due to Covid-19, and also to cover the syllabus, the department is thinking of conducting special classes on Saturdays and Sundays, especially for grades 10 and 12.

“There is no question of reducing syllabus this year. If necessary, we will conduct special classes on Saturdays and Sundays,” Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh said.

There had been demands from stakeholders, including private school managements and government schoolteachers, to trim the syllabus.

The minister also said the Department of Pre-University Education will organise bridge courses for PUC-2 students this year so as to make up for the syllabus trimmed during the previous year.

“We are confident of completing the prescribed syllabus on time this year, and even bridge courses will be conducted for PUC-2 students to cover the syllabus cut during PUC-1 courses last year,” he
said.

Department officials said a decision on weekend classes will be taken soon.

The Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka urged the minister to take a decision in the interest of students. “We have already submitted our request to the minister. Hope the department understands that students and teachers are human beings and they too need rest at least one day in a week,” D Shashi Kumar, general secretary of the association,
said.

Several high school teachers have requested the minister to verify the extent of social science and mathematics syllabus before taking any decision. “We need time for revision, to fill the learning gap caused by the pandemic and also to maintain quality,” said a teacher working with a government high school in Bengaluru.

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