Concession; no reversal on extended school timing

GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 24 July 2013 21:07 IST

CM Parrikar talking to parents & teachers

Chief minister Manohar Parrikar has assured to give some concessions to schools facing problem due to extended school timing by half an hour, but has refused to reverse the decision taken by educationists.

He had a meeting with teachers and parents at education department hall today afternoon as some sections have objected to the extended timings.

“I will take a decision in this regard by Monday and it would be published on Tuesday thorugh a media advertisement”, Parrikar assured them, after listening to their grievences.

Majority of the parents and teachers gathered at the education department in Porvorim were repeatedly demanding to go back to old timings of five hours.

They put forward several difficulties but mainly that their children had to get up early morning while they reach back late for lunch due to extended half an hour.

Parrikar explained that the decision was taken by teachers, headmasters and principals from primary to higher secondary as the old timings were not fulfilling the basic requirement of 237 working days and 200 instructional days.

He also informed that almost 20 states in the country were running for six hours while Arunachal Pradesh and Jharkhand were running for 6.30 hours, besides other states between 5.30 to 5.45 hours.

“Goa is the only state running schools only for five hours,” he said, “due to which it was extended by half an hour more”.

Parrikar also surprised the parents and teachers by informing them that the Diocesan Society of Education, in the meeting of educationists, had proposed to extend the school timings by one hour, making it to run for six hours.

 

“I fully agree with the Diocesan as they are concerned about education”, said Parrikar, but offered to give concessions to schools if they come with a resolution taken by the PTAs, supported by the management.

He was quite open to shift back to old timings for primary sections but kept his decision pending for secondary and higher secondary streams till Monday.

While informing the audience that some schools have even approached him for a full-day school with remedial teaching, he said he supports these concepts as well as neighbourhood school concept.

“These problems crop up as we take our children to schools from villages to cities”, the chief minister opined.

While some parents and teachers said the half day schools help sending their children for other activities like music and sports, Parrikar was quite critical of sending students for tuitions.

He also brought to their notice that the academic calender is meant for the teachers and not students and teaching community should stay in the school even if children are sent home early.

Parrikar also brought to the notice of the audience the declining educational standard of Goa with our students lagging behind in national level competititive examinations including NEET for medical education.   


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Previous Comments

All our Education system is doing is adding more and more stress to the life of innocent children. Extension of school timings will not only increase the amount of children developing acidity and other health problems but the lack of sleep will also lead to mental health issues. It seems like the Education system is only getting worse by the day. No wonder our country is getting nowhere... its Garbage in - Garbage out system and am sure it wont get any better. Right From the Subjects, Medium of instruction, Mid day meal poisoning, Rapes, and now extra hours and am sure worse is yet to come.

- Savio Noronha, Panjim | 25 th July 2013 11:36

 

Yes I fully agree with the Goa CM and Diocesan implementing half an hour extended school timings. I would rather say it should be 6 1/2 hours. Almost all states in India are having 6 1/2 hours school timings except Goa . Even in Kerala state it is 6 1/2 hours in all schools and and in some schools it is 6 hrs 45 minutes moreover,all the childrens/students and teachers carry their lunch to schools.. The parents and teachers of Goa have to change their old mindset. i mean 'susegad'.It is absolutely correct that goan students are lagging behind in national level competitive examinations.

- John Sequeira, Cochin | 24 th July 2013 23:18

 

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