New arrangements for conducting Teaching and Learning Activities

Kathmandu-After the government’s decision to grant public holidays on both Saturdays and Sundays, the Curriculum Development Centre has introduced a new management system to adjust teaching-learning operations and working hours at the school level.

The new arrangement was made following the Cabinet decision of Chaitra 22, which implemented a two-day weekly holiday for government offices and all educational institutions. According to the Curriculum Development Centre, managing the five working days and adjusting teaching periods has created challenges for local governments, teachers, schools, and other concerned stakeholders.

The curriculum was approved based on the recommendations of a task force formed by the meeting of the National Curriculum Development and Evaluation Council held on Baisakh 11. Director General of the Centre, Yubaraj Poudel, stated that working hours have been adjusted according to the approved curriculum.Under the new arrangement, all school grades must conduct teaching and learning activities for at least 205 days in an academic year. For Grades 1 to 3, students are required to complete a total of 26 teaching hours per week, equivalent to 832 working hours annually. Director General Poudel explained that one teaching hour is considered equal to 32 minutes spent on teaching-learning activities.

The Centre has stated that schools should determine their schedules in such a way that the required teaching hours are not reduced, and teaching periods will generally be calculated on the basis of one-hour units.According to the National Curriculum Framework, operating schools for 205 days results in a shortage of 21 teaching days, while the provision of opening schools for 220 days under Rule 85 of the Education Regulations results in a shortage of 36 days.The Centre has also directed schools to connect project work, practical activities, and other learning-related tasks conducted outside regular school hours with subject-specific and interdisciplinary learning achievements. The time used for such learning activities will also be included in the annual working hours, according to Director General Poudel.