Kochi: The CBSE in a major move has decided to extend the working days of schools to six days from 2015 for secondary and senior secondary divisions.
The regulatory body has expressed its intention in this regard in the 2015 school curriculum published on its website which says, “in order to complete the 45 working hours per week as per the recommendation of RTE-Act 2009, a school needs to function for six days a week for six hours and 10 minutes each day.”
The CBSE has also instructed schools that teachers may be retained after school hours for an additional one hour and 20 minutes which can be used for planning/ preparation/ checking/ follow-up work.
“Every teacher shall devote in a year not less than 1,200 hours to the actual teaching in classroom in classes I -- VIII, out of which not more than 200 hours may be required to be devoted for remedial teaching and attention to weak and gifted students before or after the school hours,” the CBSE says.
It also stipulates that if any teacher is required to devote more than 1,200 hours to teaching and planning, extra remuneration shall be paid to him/her.
Maya Mohan, principal, Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Vaduthala, said, “it is a mixed bag. Extending the working hours to six days a week has positives and negatives. Teachers will be more relaxed to finish portions, especially in a state like Kerala where there are many hartals.
But they will have to rearrange their personal schedules, like bank and insurance staff, while doing away with a holiday.” She also said the next year can be used to prepare students and teachers for implementing the decision.
