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Dimapur, June 19 (EMN): The department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education has released guidelines for parents’ participation in home-based learning during school closure and beyond, and has asked states and union territories (UTs) to get the documents translated into regional languages and use local context for easy access, understanding and widespread use.
The guidelines have been drafted for parents and caregivers to provide information on the ‘why’, ‘what’ and ‘how-to’ of participation in supporting children during school closure, irrespective of literacy levels, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhroyal Nishank informed in an update.
He shared that a ‘home is the first school and parents are the first teachers’.
A letter from the joint secretary, Maneesh Garg, to all the principal secretaries (Education) of states and UTs, SPDs and Samagra Shiksha, chairman of CBSE, NCERT, NVS, KVS, NIOS, CTSA director, and TSG state coordinators, stated that the pandemic has led to school closure and thus children are confined to their homes for longer period.
In this ‘new normal’ of the pandemic, considering parents’ pivotal role to children’s growth and learning, these guidelines aim to provide information and engagement in supporting children during the school closure, the letter said.
Further, it informed that the guidelines provide many simple tips for parents and other caregivers to facilitate children in home-based learning and in creating a safe, engaging and positive environment.
These suggestive activities are in accordance with the various stages of school education namely foundation stage (age 3-8 years); preparatory stage (age 8-11 years); middle stage (age 11-14 years); and secondary stage from adolescent to adult age (age 14-18 years). The activities are simple and suggestive, which can be adapted and adopted to local needs and contexts, the letter read.
The letter stated that separate sections have been given on using art as therapy for children under stress and trauma, assessments, parents’ partnership and supporting parents with low literacy levels and children with special needs as well as the role of schools and teachers in facilitating home-based learning.
Also, grade-wise activities can be disseminated in the form of simple pamphlets for parents with activities, visuals and illustrations, the letter suggested.
It also stated that the guidelines laid emphasis on improving children's learning by monitoring and addressing their learning gaps. Collaboration of parents with teachers in documenting and reflecting on the progress that children are making in their learning is important for both teachers and parents, it stated.
The guidelines also advised schools to involve parents by providing information and ideas on helping students at home with homework and other curriculum-related activities, decisions, and planning, and involving them in school decisions, it added.