PANAJI
Schools across Goa are set to reopen on Saturday after the month-long summer vacation, with students returning to classrooms amid the arrival of the southwest monsoon in the State.
In a coincidence that many associate with the start of the academic season, the monsoon officially set over Goa on Friday, just a day before schools reopen. The onset of rains has added to the excitement, even as parents and students made last-minute preparations for the academic year.
Markets across the State witnessed a surge in activity over the past week, with stationery shops, bookstores, uniform outlets and footwear stores reporting brisk business as families rushed to complete school shopping ahead of reopening.
Director of Education Shailesh Zingade said students are looking forward to returning to school after the vacation and expressed confidence that attendance would improve steadily over the coming days.
“The students are excited to join classes. Since the reopening falls on a Saturday, attendance may be around 50 to 60 per cent. However, we expect it to rise to nearly 90 per cent from Monday,” Zingade said.
He noted that attendance among children of migrant labourers may remain low initially, as many families are yet to return to Goa after spending the vacation in their native places.
“Children of labourers are likely to return to school only after a week or two, once their families come back from their hometowns,” he said.
This academic year marks the second consecutive year of Goa's revised academic calendar, introduced to align State Board schools with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schedule that follows an April-to-March academic session. The change was implemented from the previous academic year, with classes beginning in April instead of June.
Under the revised calendar, the first term commenced on April 1 and will continue until October 10. The second term will begin on October 12 and conclude on March 24, 2027.
