Staff Reporter

 

 

Acting upon the suggestion made by Governor Ramesh Bais, the School Education Department has asked schools to start pre-primary classes after 9 am. Bais, in a programme held on December 5, 2023, had suggested that the Education Department should think of revising school timings considering the changing lifestyle. Accordingly, State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT) created a link to seek opinions from people of all strata on the subject. From the opinions registered, SCERT concluded that changing lifestyle, availability of various ways of entertainment, increasing noise of vehicles, late night musical programmes are disturbing the sleep of students. They wake up late and avoid going to school in the early hours.

 

After studying all the factors, the Government on Thursday issued a circular asking schools to start classes for pre-primary from Std I to IV from 9 am onwards. The circular stated that school managements which find it difficult to change their timings must approach the District Education Officer concerned and get a solution. Schools should not have difficulty in following teaching hours prescribed in the Right to Education Act 2009, it stated. The changing lifestyle has adversely affected the enthusiasm of students.

 

The Department also pointed out that in seasons like winter and monsoon, the students suffer from cold and cough as they have to go to school early. Parents too suffer from the stress of readying their wards. School bus and vans too find it difficult to take these students early in the morning due to fog, heavy rain. The department has asked schools to plan the timings of starting of classes in a way so that same should not clash with those of Government offices. If timings of schools clashed with the timings of offices then people may face the traffic chaos.