Schools should reopen by reducing 30% of Syllabus: Manish Sisodia to HRD Minsiter

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia pitched for a 30 per cent reduction in syllabus for all grades to make up for the loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and advocated reopening of schools wih reasonable precautions.

In a letter written to HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank', Sisodia asserted that since people need to learn to live with coronavirus now, it would be better if the already existing learning spaces like schools, take up that role.

Noting that online teaching can only complement learning in schools and not replace it, he said, it would be a "historical blunder" if the "opportunity" is let to pass by not trusting schools with a bigger and bolder role, which is, to prepare children for better and



responsible life and not just for a few lessons of their textbooks.

"First of all, we need to assure every child irrespective of age and social class that they are important to us and all of them have equal right to physical and intellectual space of their respective schools. The clamour of online teaching or older children coming to school first and not the younger ones should be put to rest.

"Online teaching can only complement learning in school, not replace it," Sisodia said and cautioned that no measures be suggested which accords any primacy to children of secondary grades onwards vis a vis primary because learning across all stage is important, whether it is about preparing for board exams or learning to read and write.