Speak of citizen-friendly administration and J&K easily checks all the right boxes. The viral video of a 6-year-old girl from Kashmir complaining to PM Narendra Modi about homework was watched by millions across the country and many could even relate. But the J&K LG, Manoj Sinha did more than just watch the video as he immediately called for a change in the education policy for children taking online classes amid pandemic. In less than 24 hours, an order copy marked "most urgent" was circulated to all CEOs/ZEOs and HoIs of government and private schools in the valley.
In a viral video, viewed by thousands, a six-year-old could be heard complaining to PM Modi about the consecutive classes and homework burden. The adorable video garnered responses from a lot of people on social media, including the J&K Lieutenant Governor, who directed the school education department in the valley to come up with a policy to reduce the homework burden on school kids.
J&K LG promises action in 48 hours
"Greeting Modi Saab (PM Modi), I am six-year-old and I am telling about the Zoom classes. Why the kids who are just six-year-old are burdened by their teachers with so much homework? When I wake up my classes take place from 10 am to 2 pm. One is English, one is Maths, one is Urdu, then EVS, and then Computer (sic)," the young Kashmiri girl can be heard saying in the viral video.
To this, Sinha wrote: "Very adorable complaint. Have directed the school education department to come out with a policy within 48 hours to lighten burden of homework on school kids. Childhood innocence is gift of God and their days should be lively, full of joy and bliss."
In less than 24 hours after Sinha's acknowledgment of the 6-year-old's concern, the action has been taken. And it comes as a big relief to all the students right from class 1 to class 12 students taking online classes amid the pandemic.
New education policy in less than 24 hours
The school education department has decided to limit daily online classes for a maximum one and half hours for class 1 to 8, spread across two sessions. For class 9 to 12 online synchronous learning will not be more than 3 hours.
Pre-primary on a given day for interacting with parents shall be only 30 minutes and the concerned authorities must ensure the strict implementation. Homework upto class 5th should be avoided. Authorities and schools to plan joyful learning experience engaging parents, give interesting assignments, share important information, resources on IMs involving parents, provide breaks between classes.
"Our children need more time to play, interact with parents, the biggest learning experience a child can have," Sinha said.
See full order copy below:
