Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (MS)

Panaji, Oct 31: In order to make up for the school time lost due to the coronavirus pandemic, for the academic year 2020-21, the directorate of education (DOE) has reduced the number of holidays for Diwali and Christmas.

The directorate has reduced the number of holidays for Diwali and Christmas by eight and two days respectively. The Diwali vacation that was supposed to be from November 9 to 28 will now be from November 9 to 20. Individual schools are given the option of a discretionary holiday on the festival of Tulsi Vivah on November 26.

Christmas holidays will begin on December 24 and end on December 31 instead of January 2, 2021, as originally planned.

In a circular which was taken out on Friday, Santosh Amonkar, director of education said that the decision to reduce the number of holidays for Diwali and Christmas was taken due to the global Covid-19 pandemic situation.

According to the directorate of education, this applies to primary to higher secondary schools run by the government, aided and unaided. In addition, the instructions need to be followed by special schools also.

Pramod Sawant, minister for education in the state, had stated on June 22 that this year the holidays for Diwali and Christmas will be reduced in order to facilitate completion of syllabus prescribed for the year in the wake of the pandemic.

The schools are conducting classes for students online now in the state and they are closed since the announcement of lockdown in March.