KOLKATA: Completing the syllabus could be a challenge, particularly for classes IX and XI, who are scheduled to attend school only two days a week according to the latest timetable, fear heads of some state board schools in the city and several teachers.
Students of classes X and XII will attend school from the campus three days a week school. Last week, students of IX to XII followed staggered timings to attend school from Tuesday to Saturday, as earlier announced by the education department.
“We could have either continued with the staggered timings for all IX to XII so that they could attend school five days a week or it could have been three days a week for he four classes. Only two days a week at school could be a problem for IX and XI in completing the syllabus,” said the headmaster of a state-funded school. Taltala High School headmaster Rittick Kundu said teachers were ready to take classes on Saturdays. “Students have suffered a lot due to the prolonged shutdown. It is now time to make up. We are following alternate-day routine for XI and XII and regular classes for IX and X,” he said.
When schools reopened, the education department had asked classes IX and XI to work from 9.30am to 3.30pm and X and XII from 10.30am to 4.30pm. The class schedule was changed as several teachers had complained to district inspectors about long teaching hours. But teachers in Kolkata schools said it did not make sense to keep schools open on Saturdays for awareness programmes, guardians’ feedback and orientation programmes but not hold academic classes.
Following the weekend review, the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education issued a notice on Sunday, saying all classes would have the same timing though IX and XI classes would be on days alternate to that of X and XII. Some schools are still struggling to reshuffle the routine as per the new order.
City schools, like Scottish Church Collegiate School, which are currently holding offline classes for X and XII don’t have a problem as the other classes, including IX and XI, are being held online. “We need to modify the routine of classes X and XII to follow the new directive. That will take a couple of days to implement,” school principal Bibhas Sanyal said. At Jadavpur Vidyapith, the new routine will be discussed with teachers. “Gaps caused by the Covid restrictions have to be made up,” said headmaster Parimal Bhattacharyya.
Science teachers also want practical classes to continue, according to the earlier schedule so that students don’t have a problem while appearing for the boards. Collegium of Assistant Headmasters’ secretary Sudipto Das felt the government could have continued the method followed during the brief reopening in February. “Schools had the freedom to schedule the academics. This time, the government has specified class timings, which is creating confusion,” he said.
