Schools in Himachal to remain open during winter months

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 2

Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Govind Singh Thakur today said it had been decided to extend teaching days in schools to make up for the time lost during the current academic session due to the pandemic lockdown. As a result classes will be conducted during winter months and second Saturday holidays to fill the gap.

Thakur was chairing a meeting via videoconferencing with various experts and stakeholders on the report of a committee constituted by the Himachal Pradesh School Education Board, Dharamsala, for a 30 per cent reduction in the syllabus for the current academic session.

To provide additional preparation time, the examinations of schools with winter and summer vacations would be held simultaneously in March-end. The practical examinations would be conducted in April after the written tests.

Several important suggestions had been received from the members of the committee formed to implement the provision of a 30 per cent reduction in the syllabus of Classes IX to XII and providing a 30 per cent additional option in the question papers. The experts are of the opinion that students should be provided with a detailed knowledge of every subject so that they could prepare for competitive examinations in the future.

Secretary, Education Department, Rajiv Sharma; Chairman, Himachal Pradesh School Education Board, Dr Suresh Kumar Soni; Board Secretary Akshay Sood and Director of Elementary Education Shubh Karan Singh attended the meeting.