No Immediate Change in Academic Calendar:

Although there are indications that this year's school level will be postponed for a few months due to the infection of Coronavirus (Covid-19), the academic session will not be changed. Even if it takes July or August for the students to reach the classroom to control the infection, the academic session will be held in April / May.

Government officials have made it clear that there has been no discussion about bringing the fiscal year and the new academic session together. In Nepal, the new academic year starts in July and the new academic session starts in April.

No immediate change: Director-General

As the change in the academic session will have far-reaching and long-term effects on education as well as in many parts of the country, the education authorities have decided not to hold the academic session on the pretext of corona infection alone. Director-General of Education and Human Development Resource Center Dr. Tulsi Thapaliya said that even if the students could not start their studies from April this year due to unusual circumstances, the academic session will not be changed immediately.

The government has been conducting a student recruitment drive from Baishakh 2 to 15 for the past few years. It has taken positive initiatives to bring out-of-school children into the school. It is a matter of concern to millions of students and parents and has far-reaching implications, said Director General Thapaliya.

Recruitment campaign affected:

Gunaraj Moktan, general secretary of the Federation of Community School Management Committees, argues that it would not be relevant to combine the rainy season and the new season of 7 million students. Mentioning that the new academic session and the enrollment campaign with the start of the new year have also had a good impact on education, General Secretary Moktan said that the academic session should not be postponed on the basis of one year's experience. He said that the postponement of the academic session would have a far-reaching impact on education as the number of children coming to school would be less in August and some schools would be closed.

He said that the government should increase investment in the field of information technology to reduce the number of vacations, increase the opening hours of schools, and continue the learning of students through alternative means.

Baishakh is suitable:

Tika Puri, the chairperson of the Private and School Boarding Schools Organization, Nepal (PABSON), said that the beginning of the academic session was in April. The PABSON said it would not be practical to move the new academic session in April as it would be difficult for students to come to school during the rainy season. Has stated.

As the new academic session in August will affect many rural people, Chairman Puri suggested that a lot of thought should be given while taking decisions on such far-reaching issues. He said that the academic session should not be changed in a hurry on the basis of this year's transition alone.

Decision at the convenience of the student

Dr. Baburam Adhikari, an educationist who is also the former president of the Nepal National Teachers Association, says that the final decision about the academic session should be made keeping in view the convenience of the students. He said that the academic sessions have been started in Mangsir, Magh, and Falgun in the past as well. 

Source: Gorkhapatra