CM's solution on school hours unacceptable: Teachers (ToI)

CM's solution on school hours unacceptable: Teachers TNN | Jul 26, 2013, 03.17 AM IST PANAJI: Chief minister Manohar Parrikar's solution to extended school timings that exemptions will be given on a case-to-case basis is not acceptable, All Goa Secondary School Teachers Association (AGSSTA) members asserted, after holding deliberations on Thursday about the chief minister's meeting with teachers and parents held to resolve the issue on July 24. "We are firm on our stand that the CM should allow schools to go back to the old timings of five hours of schooling," said Dattatray Naik, new president of the association, elected on Thursday before the deliberations. The teachers said that the exemptions given to some schools will lead to confusion and said that teachers want uniformity in timings across Goa. "We do not agree with the chief minister's assertion that even if schools go back to the old timings, the extended timings will continue for teachers. But we will wait for the announcement as the CM has promised to come out with a solution on July 29 about schools that can seek exemptions from the exempted timings. We will then announce our next course of action based on his announcement," Naik said. Association secretary Kisan Phadte said that the extended hours are doing more harm than good to the students, as remedial teaching is not taking place with the longer school hours. "By the time schools end at 1.45pm, some teachers are too tired to carry out remedial teaching. It will affect slow learners and below average children who used to benefit from the remedial teaching," he said. Teacher Tulsidas Dessai said that teachers asking for full-day schooling are those with political interests. "Some schools that have two shifts finish the second shift as late as 6.45pm, which is very late for children to end their day and can hamper development," he said. Teacher Vivek Bodke said that even though buses are provided in many schools by the government, the buses are 29-seater while schools have up to 400 students to be transported. "If 29 students occupy the seats and 10 stand, then the bus has to make three trips to take all the students home. This delays the children further and the 3-minute extra time is extended further in most cases," Bodke said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/CMs-solution-on-school-hours-unacceptable-Teachers/articleshow/21351222.cms