PANAJI
With National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 recommending the entire stage from Class IX to XII be termed as Secondary Stage, the State government is currently reviewing the feasibility of forming clusters of high schools and higher secondary schools, where students have choice and flexibility in subjects right from Class IX.
The government-constituted committee has recommended forming school clusters until such time that proper restructuring of schools is carried out to realize the objectives of the NEP.
Presently in Goa, Classes IX and X are considered as high schools or secondary stage whereas classes XI and XII are running in the Higher Secondary Schools.
The Committee, in its report submitted to the Government, noted that NEP has recommended that the entire stage from Class IX to 12 be termed as Secondary Stage and that within 5 to 10 years students should be able to get a wide variety of subjects from Class IX onwards.
“All this will be possible only if all the four Grades, i.e., Class 9, 10, 11 and 12 are integrated in a single unit over a period of 5 to 6 years. The idea of forming clusters could be used until such time that proper restructuring of schools is carried out to realize the objectives of the NEP,” the Committee recommended.
Sources informed that the proposal is currently being reviewed for feasibility before putting it across adding that consultation with the stakeholders like school managements, PTAs would be held to seek their views and possible implications.
Sources said that the cluster schools will help in offering improved facilities, access to high-quality teachers and a more diverse peer group.
The Committee said that the National Curriculum 2023, currently introduced for Class IX, is an interim arrangement in existing schools, pending implementation of plans for backward and forward integration from Class IX to 12, either through clusters of schools, or through expansion of existing schools, as the case may be.
