By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Sept. 5: School children will now not be losing academic year amidst the mayhem of coronavirus, as the government has decided to mainstream alternative learning modes linking it to the academic calendar. This decision comes as big relief to seven million students who were uncertain about the fate of their academic year.
In his special address on Friday, Minister for Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel said that the ministry had already decided to give validity to home schooling and has been customising curriculum of all classes from grade 1 to 10.
According to Minister Pokharel, the costomised curriculum will be available for all schools by mid-September.
Minister Pokharel stated that the government decided to count the credit hours of home schooling from radio education, television education and online classes.
Although the people take distance learning only as online education, all four methods of learning are the form of distance learning, Minister Pokharel added.
Minister Pokharel appealed to all guardians and stakeholders to create learning environment for their children in home. He further urged guardians to watch activities of their children because they have unnecessarily engaged in social media and online gaming in the name taking online classes.
Minister Pokharel said, the slogan of ‘Alternative Education for All’ is a must for the continuity of learning.
Minister Pokharel instructed all teachers across the country to be responsible towards the children’s education. “Now the Ministry is coordinating with the District Administration Offices across the country to send the teachers at their respective schools. The teachers will start teaching after staying in quarantine for 14 days. Therefore, all teachers will be available at schools and even at the children’s homes now onwards,” he said.
The government will also organise special programme for the poor, differently able children and those from the remote areas in coordination with all levels of governments, he informed.
Regarding private schools, Minister Pokharel said the private schools could charge fee from the students after facilitating them in learning, but, the fee structure will be determined by local levels.
Meanwhile, Minister Pokharel asked all universities to implement customised curriculum even in higher education after consulting with the stakeholders.