The Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has recently launched an Alternative Academic Calendar (AAC) for students of classes 9 to 12 amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The AAC contains a schedule for the next 8 weeks for the secondary stage. The calendar contains guidelines for teachers on how to conduct classes online using technological tools.

Ramesh Pokhriyal tweeted, “The Calendar further aims to empower our students, teachers, school principals & parents with positive ways to deal with COVID-19 via online teaching-learning resources and achieve the best possible learning outcomes.”

The AAC for students of classes 9 to 12 has been released as the schools are set to reopen partially for this specific group of students from September 21. Several guidelines regarding the reopening of schools have also been released.

According to an official release by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the calendar has been developed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The AAC contains study methods using platforms such as WhatsApp, Google Hangout, Zoom, etc.

Launched the Alternative Academic Calendar (AAC) for the next 8 weeks for the secondary stage today. Alternative Academic Calendar for 12 weeks for primary & upper primary stages and AAC for secondary & higher secondary stages for 4 weeks had already been released. pic.twitter.com/7yynhhcIWS

— Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) September 15, 2020

The alternative academic calendar for classes 9 to 12 is supposed to cater to the students’ academic needs amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Teachers can also contact the parents at any given time using multiple tools. It includes generic guidelines and subject-specific activities as well as detailed material on the use of different technological and social media tools as well as strategies for reducing stress and anxiety in the present time.

Guidelines have been issued regarding the conduction of several activities related to various subjects and topics related to the syllabus. Some general topics covered by the activities will be art education and health and physical education.

Source: India Today

Read: MHRD releases NCERT 8-week alternative academic calendar for upper primary stage

Also read: NCERT alternative academic calendar for classes 1 to 5 released by HRD Minister