Braving the oppressive summer sun, students returned to school on April 7 under the revised academic calendar—even as several parents and children staged a silent demonstration at the Directorate of Education in Porvorim, voicing strong disapproval of the decision.
The new calendar, aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, has shifted the school year start to April, affecting Classes VI to X and XII. But many parents are upset, citing extreme heat and the absence of public consultation.
Protesters held placards with slogans like “No school in April” and “Democracy is dying, children are crying.” Cecille Rodrigues, a leading voice in the protest, revealed that nearly 390 headmasters and thousands of teachers had objected to the plan. “Yet, no formal meeting was held despite assurances from the Education Secretary,” she said.
She stressed that the opposition isn’t to the NEP itself, but to its implementation. “April and May are unbearable. If we don’t correct this now, we never will.”
Parent Prasad Harmalkar argued that since education is part of the concurrent list, states aren’t bound to follow one-size-fits-all policies. “Last year, Class X exams were advanced due to heat. How can younger students cope now?”
Savio Norvin Menzes, who filed a writ petition in court, criticized the lack of prior notice and said court assumptions were based on incomplete information.
The silent protest echoes a wider concern—parents want policies that consider ground realities and include meaningful dialogue.
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