PANAJI
Schools in Goa are set for their scheduled reopening on Monday, June 21 with all academic work in classes I to XII being conducted in the online mode.
The circular announcing the re-opening of schools on Monday was issued by the Directorate of Education on Thursday evening.
Strangely, the circular directs teachers to physically attend school even though the teaching-learning process is to be held in online mode.
For students who for any reason miss out on the online classes, schools have been asked to support them by making suitable alternative means available.
"The schools have to come up with alternatives for students who cannot participate in online teaching learning,” the circular says.
Besides online teaching, the circular also advises teachers to reach out to those students not connected via online means by using worksheets, lectures and other tools.
Meanwhile, the circular insisting on physical attendance of teachers in schools has surprised many.
Last year too, the department had initially insisted on physical attendance of teachers but had later relented after several teachers tested positive for Covid and a few even succumbed.
The department then left it at the discretion of Principals or Headmasters to permit teachers to work from home.
The circular issued on Thursday says only those employees who have children or ward with benchmark physical or mental disabilities or those who are pregnant are permitted to work from home.
The circular further says that online classes will be conducted till schools reopen for regular (physical) classes, when teachers are expected to cover the entire syllabus and no student is left out.
The proposal to commence the academic year for class I to XII on June 21 as per the academic calendar notified earlier this year had been moved before the government by the Directorate of Education earlier this week.
It had proposed continuing the teaching-learning processes to be conducted in the online mode.
Earlier in the day the chief minister had indicated that the government has given its green signal for schools to reopen.
While speaking on the sidelines of a function on Thursday morning Sawant said, “Schools across the State will commence from Monday, June 21 in online mode."
Sawant, who also holds the education portfolio had also said he has left it to the Director Education to take the call of whether to ask teachers to physically attend work at their respective institutions or be permitted to work from home.
