Syllabus Reduction: Clear Picture To Emerge By August End, Says Odisha Minister

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government is judiciously working on reducing school syllabus of students for the academic year 2020-21 amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, informed the State School and Mass Education Minister, Samir Ranjan Dash on Sunday.

The proposals submitted by expert committees including higher secondary committee are now being scrutinised by the Principal Secretary of the department. Moreover, the students can get a clear picture of the scenario by August-end, the minister said.

“We are working on the issue of syllabus reduction for students. Though no decision has been taken yet on how much it will be reduced, a clear picture is likely to come in the coming days,” said Dash.

On reopening of schools and other educational institutes, the minister said that all schools in Odisha are now closed till August 31, as per the previous decision. Odisha is now witnessing a peak in COVID-19 cases and the month of September is also going to be crucial in the ongoing fight against coronavirus, he said.

“Let's wait what guidelines are issued by the Centre, and then the State government will take decision after reviewing the COVID situation. The percentage of reduction can be ascertained only after the dates of the reopening of schools are decided.” Dash added.

However, uncertainties over the syllabus have taken a toll on the students as well. Bagmita Mohapatra, a student said, "We are under tremendous mental pressure about the syllabus. We are still in the dark and do not know what to read and what to leave."

Educationist Satyakam Mishra slammed Odisha government over its inability to provide a syllabus to the student. "If the government still does not have a syllabus for students then what are they teaching them in online classes?"

It is pertinent to mention here that CBSE has shortened the school syllabus by 30 per cent this year while ICSE reduced 25 percent of the course curriculum much ahead of the reopening of schools.

(Edited By Pradeep Singh)

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