Kendriya Vidyalayas to have 5-day school a week for classes I to V

New Delhi: Students of classes I to V at Kendriya Vidyalayas will have five-day school week from the coming academic session. A decision in this regard was taken at the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan Board meeting on Tuesday after a committee set up to look into the issue favoured implementation of the

proposal. The move would be in keeping with the provisions of the RTE Act which has sought 200 working days for classes I to V and 220 days for classes VI to VIII.

"At the meeting, the board decided to have five working days from Class I to V after the committee reviewed the proposal and invited suggestions from different stakeholders," said a senior HRD ministry official. The official highlighted the merit that the decision will bring for the students as well as the teachers and the school. Students can have enough time for self-based learning and get time in hand to pursue hobbies, the official said.

The move could also help schools reduce energy consumption and bring in more efficiency in academic and administrative matters, official said. The RTE Act also mandates 800 instructional hours per academic year for classes I to V and 1,000 instructional hours per academic year for VI to VIII classes. It also says that the minimum number of working hours per week for a teacher should be 45. This includes both teaching and preparation time. With the introduction of a five-day week, the number of school days will come down from 234 to 207 for classes I to V, official said.