NATIONAL8 (Spotlight Weekly]

ACADEMIC SESSION

Changing Gears

The government's decision to reconfigure the academic calendar creates confusion

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

For the last couple of decades, the month of Falgun (February/March) has indicated the start of the new academic session. For various reasons, it was found suitable by students, parents as well as teachers. But now the government is planning to begin the academic calendar in the month of Shrawan (July/August).

Ministry of Education : In controversy

The government has been working on changing the academic calendar for a long time But the central decision, which apparently was made without adequate preparation, has now created a situation of confusion among the schools.

"Already it is the end of Falgun and we are still at loss about the academic session. We are still waiting for the clear decision from the ministry," said a public school teacher.

The government says that the new academic calendar is in conformity with the regional/international practice as well as the country's fiscal year. But teachers and parents do not agree.

"In the name of pursuing a regional calendar, we should not forget our culture and environment," said a guardian.

Agrees, Min Bahadur Bista, an educationist. "The decision (to change the academic calendar) can not be justified as it was made by the bureaucrats in Kathmandu without consulting the local stakeholders."

According to him, the role of the ministry should have been limited to fixing the number of instructional days and date of national examinations. "Beyond that, the local schools should be left to decide when they want to start their sessions," he said.

The academic session that used to begin in Falgun after two months of winter vacation (Poush and Magh months) had many features that looked after the country's unique climate and culture.

"It took care of our farming cycles, festivities and climatic conditions," Bista said. "And as far as the regional/international practice is concerned, that is not a big issue. Look at thousands of people like us who have gone abroad to study at some point of their life. We didn't face big problems because of this disparity in academic calendar."

Lately, the government, too, seems to have eased of its position regarding the decision to begin the academic session from Shrawan. Last week, the education secretary had announced that the government would take into account the recommendations by teachers and experts while implementing the decision.

But as yet, there has been no further development as to whether the government will go ahead with its previous decision or pay heed to the genuine complaints from the teachers, students and parents.