NEP-2020: School Rule Book spells out dos and don’ts

 No dharnas, mobile handsets and smart watches by students in schools

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The School Rule Book approved by the State Cabinet yesterday has spelled out a lot of dos and don'ts for school heads, teachers, class teachers, and others. The Department of Education has prepared the Rule Book in sync with the National Education Policy-2020 (NEP-2020).

According to the Rule Book, the heads of schools, who may be headmasters, principals, or head teachers, as the case may be, will not allow the students to participate in any demonstrations or dharnas. The heads of schools will be responsible for the staff and students with regard to all school activities. He or she must ensure that the provisions contained in Sections 4 and 6 relating to Educational Institutions under the "Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply, and Distribution) Act 2003 (COTPA)" are complied with.

The head of the school has to constitute an Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) in the school in accordance with the provisions regarding sexual harassment complaints received in the school. In case of the non-availability of teachers for a particular subject, he or she can invite retired teachers or college teachers as guest teachers for some days in order to avoid academic loss.

For teachers, the Rule Book has spelled out in no uncertain terms that they shall not take private tuition for the students of the school. Each teacher in a school should teach at least two other subjects whenever needed. The teachers of Mathematics and Science also need to teach in English in addition to the medium of instruction at the school. And the head of the institution must ensure that science and mathematics teachers teach students in English, besides the medium of instruction of the school.

The Rule Book has barred teachers from uploading any contradictory, defamatory, or derogatory information, etc., on social media. They are responsible for maintaining the scholastic and non-scholastic activities of the students, besides identifying talent hidden in particular students and guiding them.

All teachers, regardless of their assigned subject, should have the minimum knowledge or awareness about computers and accessories, tablets, mobile phones, tele-education equipment, smart classroom equipment, etc., and take proper care of these materials provided to the schools.

Parents or guardians meetings are a must.

For students up to class II, teachers should desist from giving them home tasks. For students of higher classes up to Class XII, the home work shall be two hours a day so that students can spend their time with parents, grandparents, and other family members.

The Rule Book strictly prohibits ragging, bullying, using abusive and foul language, and rowdy or violent behaviour in any form. It also prohibits students from bringing mobile handsets, smart watches, sticks, and knives to school.

Regarding the academic calendar, the Rule Book says that all government and provincialized schools from Class I to VIII will follow the SCERT (State Council of Educational Research and Training), follow the SEBA (Board of Secondary Education, Assam) calendar from Class IX to X, and follow the AHSEC (Assam Higher Secondary Education Council) calendar for Class XI and XII.

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