After facing uncertainty during Covid, many city schools began the new academic session 2022-23 from April 4, with a summer break in May and a reopening again in the month of June.
Students have struggled with a range of issues, including reading, writing, and learning gaps, over the last two years, and returning to normalcy has finally relieved parents, students, and schools. Schools across the city are attempting to implement new methodologies to compensate for lost learning and will be going back to pre-covid times schooling. Rohan Bhat, the chairperson of Kandivli Children's Academy, stated, "We began with the gap analysis method for students and are now beginning the revision work for the gap analysis. What students have missed and how they will fill that gap are currently being worked on."
"We hope that by the end of the month, students will reach a certain level of learning, if anything is missing, we will address it in June, and actual studies will begin in July. For grade 1, we have kept no teaching in June. They will simply settle in and continue their basic skills such as reading and writing, and actual studies will begin next month "He continued.
After the start of the new academic session, principals believe that bridging the gap in all aspects is the most important thing. "Whether it's an emotional, social, or academic gap, this gap must be filled first, and I'm training my teachers to play the role of a counsellor," said Dr Seema Negi, Sanjeevani World School, Mumbai.
Our counsellors observe classes daily for the students who come regularly, and we can analyse the gaps that students face. Following the observation, we are working to develop a plan of action to address the gap. Parents have played a significant role in communicating where their child falls short. For the first few days, we will ensure that students enjoy and love the environment, and then we will focus on academic learning."
Schools here believe in the holistic development of the learner hence they are focusing on co-curricular activities. "We are focusing on drama, dance, yoga, and music along with academics. These activities help the learners to discover their potential in fields other than academics," said Mrs Hina Desai Principal, Birla Open Minds International School.
"To support academics, the school plans subject-wise culmination to demonstrate understanding of newly acquired knowledge throughout the year. Thus, the school arranges community connect programmes through which learners get an opportunity to connect with the environment and the society which helps them learn beyond classroom walls," she added.
Another principal from Mumbai shares the same viewpoint on bridging the gap, Sitalakshmi Konar, Principal of Adarsh English High School said, "Students of all grades have suffered, and for them, we will manage extra classes during vacation, which will be from April to June so that the student will be ready in June, as we will initiate step by step to complete the target to clear the student's base."
