'If there is a third wave, we will have to revise the curriculum'

In an interview with DH’s Varsha Gowda, Karnataka Minister for Primary and Secondary Education and Sakala B C Nagesh says the government is not in a hurry to implement NEP, rather, this is the first step. Excerpts:

Classes 9 and 10 have been opened for more than a week now. What are some of the challenges?

We don’t want to crowd classrooms. We have made arrangements to see that children maintained social distancing. In some schools, this is challenging as the infrastructure does not allow for it.

The first day saw a combined attendance of just 30 per cent...

Initially, some parents might have hesitated to send children to school but we have seen an increase in attendance since then. Currently, the average school attendance is around 60% and this will go up as people gain more confidence about safety norms being followed. Teachers are also calling children up and asking them to come back to school.

What kind of bridge courses are available for children?

We have had various programmes, such as the Vidyagama programme, classes telecast on Doordarshan and All India Radio, to engage children when schools were shut. Teachers have also taken immense initiative.

They have been sending study materials via WhatsApp, even photocopied worksheets through parents so that students continue to learn. In my experience of visiting schools, the situation is not so bad. There has definitely been some loss, which is why we have asked teachers to conduct 15 days of bridge courses.

Read | Covid-19: Teachers, students scramble to cover lost ground

Are there any plans to cut down the curriculum?

As of yet, there are no plans to cut the syllabus. But the situation may change tomorrow. If there is a third wave of Covid, we will have to revise the curriculum then.

What is the government doing to reduce the dropout rates?

Currently, we are comparing enrollment data in each class to the attendance and if children are absent for a prolonged period of time, we will consider them as dropouts. We have also planned to conduct a survey to get a better understanding.

Once we have this data, teachers will engage with parents and persuade them to send their children to school. We have also instructed the Child Development Project Officers to keep track of dropout children so sensitisation programmes can happen.

What will the government do in case there is a third wave?

We are coordinating with the health department to ensure that schools remain safe. Doctors and nurses are involved at the school level, and all safety norms are being followed. We have asked schools to split children into batches if classes are getting too crowded.

Why is the government in a hurry to push through NEP?

There is no urgency to implement NEP. It requires extensive ground work. Our intention is to begin the preparation for it — we need to set up task forces, develop modules, instruct teachers and train them. The window for implementation of the NEP is 10 years from now. This is just the first step, we will give schools and colleges enough time to adapt.