Panaji, Jun 22 (IANS): With the number of active Covid-19 cases continuing to rise in Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Monday that the state Education Department is in talks with Doordarshan and other private channel platforms for conducting distance teaching modules for school students.

Schools and other educational institutions in Goa continue to be closed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sawant also said that supplementary examinations for students of Class IX and XI had been cancelled and all students would be automatically promoted to Class X and XII, respectively.

"We are thinking of options. We are looking at Doordarshan and other channels to partner. We will see if we can take this to rural areas, where there is no mobile coverage," Sawant told reporters, after a meeting of education sector stakeholders including members of Parents Teachers Associations, Headmasters and education department officials. Sawant also holds the Education Ministry portfolio.

The Chief Minister ruled out 100 percent online education during the Covid-19 pandemic, stating that the state did not have 100 percent internet coverage.

The Chief Minister also said that Diwali and Christmas holidays would be curtailed in order to make up for time to teach this year's syllabus to students in educational institutions, which are currently closed in view of the pandemic.

"We will be meeting on July 15 to decide on the issue of resumption of schools," Sawant said.