By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, June 5: Minister for Education Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel appealed to the concerned stakeholders across the country that the government had not decided to open schools from coming June 15, but it has been trying to convert children's homes into learning centres to minimise educational loss due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at a virtual press meet organised by Education Journalist Network (EJON) on Thursday, Minister Pokharel said the government had decided to engage children in education through alternative mediums so that the children could continue their study from home rather than going to schools. He also asked all stakeholders not to take alternative learning as a permanent solution. “It is only an interim plan created for the adverse situation.”
Minister Pokharel said the government had planned this alternative teaching-learning model for 45 days.
“In the first 15 days, the programme will go on trial and if the programme becomes effective, it will be formally connected in the coming academic session. Otherwise, the alternative module of learning could not be formal,” Minister Pokharel said.
The government has also planned to coordinate with local government to include the children who have no access to technology.
The Ministry recently issued “Directives on Student’s Learning Facilitation through Alternative Media, 2077” for the management of children’s learning activities. The directive instructed the schools to reach the school students through different alternative media like online, offline, radio, television, print, according to access to technology of the students. Likewise, Minister Pokharel said the government had also started to work out for the reopen date of schools after the pandemic to adjust the academic session.
"Now, the Ministry has been discussing with concerned stakeholders to adjust the academic session after the reopening of schools,” Minister Pokharel said. “We are preparing plan A in condition the schools will open prior to Dashain, plan B in condition the schools will open after Dashain and plan C for next option.
Minister Pokharel asked not to be misled that the government had not planned yet about the date for opening schools. The schools will open at last after all other places and services come into operation and only after a Cabinet decision. 

Decision on postponed exams soon

Minister Pokharel said the government had been in exercise to decide on the postponed examination of Grade X, Grade XI and Grade XII. The Ministry will give any decision regarding this by this week, he said.
"The government has been discussing three different options regarding Secondary Education Examination (SEE) - one if examination is possible, the next is how to give legal validity if examination could not be conducted and another option is to phase out the SEE examination and convert it into new format. Likewise, the government is also discussing with concerned bodies about Grade 11 and 12 examinations". So, the Ministry will come up with a solution to these examinations by this week, he added.