STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Assam Government will include a chapter on novel Coronavirus or COVID-19 in the school syllabus from the next academic year (2021-22).
A text regarding the pandemic and its effects will be a part of the syllabus for each class beginning from Class-I to Class-X. The move aims at making students aware of the global threat posed by the virus and help them to take adequate precautions.
"Outbreak of COVID-19 has brought everything to a standstill across the world. The present generation has never seen such lockdowns and social distancing. The economy has been shattered and lakhs of people have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. We want to make the younger generation know more about this pandemic not only for following adequate precautions but also for raising curiosity to know more about the virus for scientific researches in the future," said an official in the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).
While the SCERT will prepare the chapter on COVID-19 in the syllabi for Classes I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII & VIII, the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) will chalk out the same for Classes IX and X.
On the other hand, the Education department has instructed the Headmasters and Principals of the schools, that were reopened recently, to frequently deliver talks and discussions on COVID-19 and safety protocols among students.
"Once students are aware of the pandemic they can spread the message of caution among their parents, relatives, friends and eventually in the society," the official said.
More than 2 lakh people in the State have infected by the COVID-19. Till Saturday (November 14), over 900 infected persons have lost their lives. The country recorded 44,684 fresh coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, taking its COVID-19 tally till now to 87.73 lakh. The virus has so far claimed 1,29,188 lives in India.