With a dip in COVID-19 cases in Kerala, regular classes for students of classes 1 to 9 will be conducted from Monday, February 14, onwards but classes will only be held till afternoon, said education minister V Sivankutty. Addressing the media on Sunday, February 13, he said that the classes for 10 to 12 will be conducted as usual. These classes are being held in batches till evening.
“Classes will start in full swing from morning till evening starting from February 21, and arrangements should be made for all children to attend school. However, pre-primary classes will be held only till noon, from February 14, with 50% student strength”, he said. The minister also added that all Saturdays, except those that fall on public holidays, will be working days in February and March.
“Annual examinations will be conducted this year and the model examinations for Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC), Vocational Higher Secondary Education (VHSE) and Higher Secondary Education (HSE) will be held from March 14. Syllabus for classes 10 and 12 should be completed before February 28. The dates of annual examinations for classes 1 to 9 will be announced later”, the minister added.
He also said that all teachers of classes 10 and 12 should compile a report of the completed lessons in each subject and a special action plan should be prepared for those who are lagging behind in their studies. Stating that attendance was mandatory, the minister also suggested that appropriate action be taken if there are children who do not attend school.
The minister also advised that activities that boost the confidence of children and alleviate stress should be formulated and implemented in the schools. “Digital/online classes and other supporting activities will continue as per need and the teachers should adopt a mixed methodology. State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT) and District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) will be providing support in this regard”, he added.
Kerala recorded 15,184 new COVID-19 cases and 427 deaths on Saturday.