Teachers, Students To Get Diwali Vacation: Maharashtra Minister
New Delhi:
Teachers and students in Maharashtra who are part of online education will get Diwali vacation, state Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said on Wednesday. “A final decision to this effect will be taken soon,” Ms Gaikwad told reporters, adding that authorities have been directed against conducting any examination during the Diwali vacation period. Schools were shifted to the online mode in March this year due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Ms Gaikwad said Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is taking views of state advocate general and other authorities concerned regarding reopening of Class 11. “The delay in (physical reopening of Class 11 lectures) is due to judicial process but online classes of the class is getting good response,” she added.
Ms Gaikwad said the department of education is focusing on the overall development of students by using modern technology. “We will ensure they take more interest in education and improve their knowledge,” she added.
The Maharashtra education department on Monday, November 2, had started free online classes for students of Class 11 to prevent loss of the academic session due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Over 60,000 first-year junior college (FYJC or Class 11) students have so far enrolled for these classes, State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) Director Dinkar Patil said. The decision to start online classes free of charge for FYJC Arts, Science and Commerce students was taken to avoid the academic loss till colleges start functioning normally, he said.