Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: The All Goa Secondary School Teachers Association (AGSSTA) recently met with Director of Education Shailesh Zingde to address concerns regarding the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) in the state.
The association emphasized the need for schools to be allowed to continue with the old timetable in order to fully support the 100 per cent implementation of NEP. During the meeting, the AGSSTA delegation highlighted that the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) recommends a total instruction time of 29 hours per week, as per Section 4.3 G of NCF.
They pointed out that despite this recommendation, teachers in Goa were currently working 33 instruction hours per week, which exceeded the NCF requirement. Additionally, the association stressed that conducting additional classes in the afternoon was beyond the scope of NCF and thus unnecessary. According to the AGSSTA, the workload for teachers in Goa exceeded the NCF guidelines, with 48 periods and 33 hours per week, compared to the recommended 43 periods and 29 hours per week. This misalignment with the NCF raised concerns among the teachers, prompting them to request support in maintaining the old time-table. In response to these concerns, Director Shailesh Zingde assured the delegation that school time-tables could be customized to meet the specific requirements of each institution, as long as the total instruction hours mandated by the NEP were maintained. Zingde emphasized that school heads had the freedom to tailor the time-table according to their needs, provided that the required instruction hours were upheld. Regarding the issue of teacher shortages impacting workload, Zingde communicated a willingness to consider requests for additional teachers if schools could justify the increased workload. He described the interaction with the AGSSTA as “healthy” and acknowledged the association’s apprehension about timings and workload due to teacher shortages. The AGSSTA delegation, comprising members such as Savio Victoria, former president Dattatray Naik, vice president (North) Sandra Cunha, and Anthony D’Lima, expressed their concerns to the Director of Education in a constructive manner. Their efforts to seek clarity on the implementation of NEP and its alignment with the NCF reflect their commitment to ensuring the welfare of teachers and students in the state. The dialogue between the AGSSTA and the Director of Education serves as a testament to the collaborative efforts aimed at addressing the challenges associated with the implementation of NEP in Goa. It underscores the importance of open communication and mutual understanding in resolving issues related to educational policies and their practical implications at the ground level.
