Keep students engaged in co-curricular activities at home: CBSE

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked its affiliated schools in Assam and other North Eastern States to engage students in cocurricular activities without compelling them to come out of their homes.

KK Choudhury, director of the CBSE Northeast Regional Office based in Guwahati, told The Sentinel on Saturday that students of majority of the board's schools in the region have completed more than four months in doing online classes. He said this is for the first time in the history of CBSE that students have the virtual mode of learning due to unprecedented situation created by the COVID-19 outbreak and resultant lockdown.

"But mere doing online classes will not help in balanced mental and physical development of students. Students will have to be engaged in home-based extra-curricular activities as specific dates or months are not yet to be fixed for reopening of schools. Without extra-curricular activities students might become victims of boredom, laziness, lack of alertness and interest to harness their hidden talents," Choudhury said.

Choudhury said the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has already developed an Alternative Academic Calendar for school students to engage them meaningfully as they stay at home. All classes from I-XII and subject areas will be covered under the alternative calendar, which will also cater to children with special needs using links to audio books, radio programmes and video programmes.

"Schools should strictly follow the Alternative Academic Calendar," Choudhury said.

The Alternative Academic Calendar explains use of technological and social media tools, strategies for reducing stress and anxiety, and also has activities related to art education, health and physical education, and reference of many learning resources along with textbooks.

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