8-hour day likely for school kids in Mumbai soon.

8-hour day likely for school kids in Mumbai soon....!

Children may soon start having eight-hour school days, if the state school education department’s new education policy is accepted.

For the first time, the department has recommended a minimum eight hours a day of learning for students, in a report it submitted to the human resource development ministry.

While the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, has put in place the minimum number of teaching hours, it did not specify how much time students must spend learning every day. Currently, most primary and secondary sections in city schools run between six and seven hours.

 The eight-hour learning rule would be harsh on younger children. Students in Class 1 or Class 2 cannot stay in school for such long hours .It will be difficult for teachers to keep the students engaged for that long.

If learning hours for students are increased, teaching hours will also be extended, Teachers are required to stay back for at least two hours after students leave, to plan lessons and for other work so it will lead to stress on teachers as well as students.

This will adversely affect the health of the students, students having extra coaching classes will suffer and they will not be able to give time to extra curriculum activities.