HRD Ministry announced Guidelines on digital education

The Human Resource and Development Ministry has announced guidelines for online classes operationalised by schools amid the COVID pandemic. The ministry virtually released the PRAGYATA guidelines on digital education in New Delhi. The guidelines recommend a cap on the screen time for students.

Daily Current Affairs Quiz 2020

Key-Points

Pre Primary: On a given day for interacting with parents and guiding them, not more than 30 minutes.

Classes 1 to 12: Recommended to adopt/adapt the alternative academic calendar of NCERT.

Classes 1 to 8: Online synchronous learning may be undertaken for not more than two sessions of 30-45 minutes each on the days the States/UTs decide to have online classes for primary sections

Classes 9 to 12: Online synchronous learning may be undertaken for not more than four sessions of 30-45 minutes each on the days as decided by States/UTs.

Speaking on the release of the PRAGYATA guidelines, HRD Minister said that COVID-19 pandemic has led to closure of schools and has impacted over 240 million children of the country who are enrolled in schools.

The PRAGYATA guidelines include eight steps of digital learning that is, Plan- Review- Arrange- Guide- Yak (talk)- Assign- Track- Appreciate. These steps guide the planning and implementation of digital education step by step with examples.

The Guidelines also emphasize the need to unify all efforts related to digital, online education, benefitting school going children across the country. The initiative includes DIKSHA, SWAYAM Prabha, Radio Vahini and Shiksha Vaani.