HRD minister set to hold discussions with state edu mins today

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:28.04.2020

HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has called a meeting with state education ministers on Tuesday to take stock of issues relating to education, including mid-day meal and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, in the wake of the closure of institutions due to lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus.

On Monday, Pokhriyal interacted with parents during a webinar, taking their questions and sharing the government’s efforts to mitigate the academic losses.

According to government sources, during Tuesday’s meeting through video-conferencing, Pokhriyal is likely to get update on the efforts being made by states towards online education in view of closure of institutions and their plans for rescheduling of the academic calendar. The ministry is likely to put its views across, based on inputs from NCERT and CBSE.

Sources said tuition fees charged by private schools is likely to be one of the issues to be brought up at the meeting. Education being a state subject, the schools come under the education department of states. “The ministry is likely to draw the attention of states and build a consensus on the issue of school fees, especially during the present crisis and also advise them towards a resolution which protects the interests of both students and teachers,” said a government source.

Ahead of notifying guidelines for higher education on online learning and examination and the rescheduled academic calendar for 2020-21 by the University Grants Commission (UGC), the ministry will also take views of the state education ministers.

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