DPI cuts mid-term holiday by 8 days, students disappointed

Bengaluru: Lakhs of students studying in state government-affiliated schools of the city are in a state of shock. They were expecting their mid-term holidays to begin from October 3, but have now been told to attend classes till October 11. It turns out that their mid-term holidays have been reduced by 8 days.

According to the monthly calendar published by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), classes will resume on October 29 after 18  days of mid-term leave. Till last year the mid-term holiday stretched over a period of 26 days.

It all started with the DPI increasing the number of school days from the existing 220 days to 240 days from the academic year 2015-16. In a bid to improve the quality of education and cover the revised curriculum, DPI increased the number of working days by 20 days.

Now to adjust these increased 20 working days, DPI reduced the mid-term holiday by 8 days. The rest of the 12 days will be added to the academic calendar by reducing the summer holidays.

According to the teachers, till this year the mid-day holiday consisted of 26 days starting from October 3. “The mid-term holiday was declared after celebrating Gandhi Jayanthi on October 2. But this year we are working till October 11. Classes will resume on October 29,” said a teacher from a government school.

Welcome move: Academicians

Even though the teachers are not happy with the DPI’s decision to cut the number of holidays, experts and academicians feel that DPI’s decision is a welcome one. “Increasing the working days from the existing 220 days to 240 days was taken based on the revised curriculum.

There is vast scope for improvement. More working days means children will spend more time inside the classroom and get involved in  academic activities. In this changing academic atmosphere, this decision is a welcome move,” says Mr. Narayana G Bhide, an academician. Karnataka Associated Managements of English Medium Schools’ (KAMS) general secretary Mr. D Shashi Kumar, also appreciated the decision, saying already schools have lost several working days due to various bandh calls.

“We private schools welcome the decision,” he said. But many feel that reducing the number of school days is definitely a wrong move. “Children use these mid-term and summer holidays to learn various soft skills, arts and craft. There is a life outside the classroom too,” says Mr. Murali K Rao, an artist working with various student groups.