Month-long summer vacation begins from today; Education dept calls to exercise caution
PANAJI
Schools across Goa recorded around 95-100 per cent attendance in the month of April, as the government implemented transition of the academic calendar from June.
The month-long summer vacation for students of Class VI to X and XII will commence from Thursday, May 1, with the Education Department appealing to students and parents to exercise caution while enjoying the vacation, especially considering the heat-wave-like conditions.
Director Education Shailesh Zingade has appealed to parents to refrain from allowing their children to venture into natural water bodies like rivers, lakes and even if the kids are insisting, then the parents should accompany them.
Nearly 2,153 schools commenced their academic term for Class VI to X and XII in April. Students and authorities expressed satisfaction with the new arrangement, and were happy to see students, teachers, parents as well as school management coping up to the hot weather.
Though, the classes were restricted till 11.30 am, in some schools, regular classes for Grade 12 was held up to 1.15 pm, while in some cases, schools were shut on Saturday for middle section. In some cases, schools organised extracurricular activities, while the majority commenced the new academic portion.
Zingade said that the department did not receive any complaints from schools or parents and overall response was very positive.
State Education Secretary Prasad Lolayekar had in fact visited several schools in Panaji to check the attendance and the response of students to the academic changes.
“In my class it was 100 per cent attendance every day. We enjoyed school in April. Best was that it was hardly for a few hours and we could meet our friends. We even had our extracurricular activities,” Purvi Raikar, student of K B Hedgewar, Cujira said.
Another student, Nehal, from Mushtifund said that the teachers commenced new portion for them. He said that they would have loved to attend the classes till 1.15 pm.
Preferring not to be named, a faculty member from a reputed institute located in Cujira said, “Students were enthusiastic as always. Hot weather was indeed a cause of concern but students, teachers handled it well. Parents too were supportive and ensured that there is 100 per cent attendance.”
She said that due to heat wave-like conditions, students were not granted much time to play outside and were restricted to do indoor activities only.
