Goa Board may reduce syllabus to make up for academic loss

The Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Examination (GBSHSE) is contemplating to reduce the syllabus for classes 10 and 12 for the academic year 2020-21 in view of the closure of schools due to the COVID-19 outbreak, a senior official said.

The 2020-21 academic session, which was supposed to begin from the first week of June, is yet to commence. The board is looking at the possibility of reducing the syllabus for classes 10 and 12 and will consider views of the Principals' Forum and the Goa Headmasters' Association before taking any final decision, GBSHSE Chairman Ramakrishna Samant told reporters on Wednesday.

"All stakeholders would be taken into confidence before we take a final decision. We will come up with a decision in the next few days," Samant said. As per the Goa education department's order issued last month, schools in the coastal state will remain closed till July 31.

Till Wednesday, Goa reported 2,039 COVID-19 cases and eight deaths due to the disease. On Tuesday, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' announced that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has rationalised the syllabus for classes 9 to 12 for the academic year 2020-21 by up to 30 per cent to make up for academic loss caused due to COVID-19.

Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16 when the central government announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as one of the measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. A nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24. While the government has eased several restrictions, schools and colleges continue to remain closed.