The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) under Department of School Education – Punjab is set to organise summer camps after the summer vacations have ended. The state education department issued a letter Wednesday to all district education officers and school heads about organising summer camp activities in government schools.
The summer camps are scheduled to take place between July 3 and July 15. However, as per another SCERT letter dated May 8, the summer camp coincides with the dates designated for conducting bi-monthly tests for various classes, which are also a part of these camps.
The letter mentions that the Punjab education department aims to promote the overall development of students by organising various activities. In line with this objective, summer camps are being organised for students from pre-primary to class 8.
During the summer camp, students will participate in a range of activities every day from 8 am to 11.30 am. Additionally, teams will be assigned to monitor the camp activities and ensure their smooth operation. On the final day of the camp, an exhibition will be organised to showcase the students’ activities. Parent-teacher meetings will also be held, providing an opportunity for parents to witness the exhibition.
In the earlier letter issued by SCERT on May 8 to all district education officers and school heads, information was provided regarding the bi-monthly tests, term exams, and pre-board exams scheduled for the academic session 2023-24. According to this schedule, the bi-monthly tests for classes 6 to 12 are expected to be completed by July 15. These tests will cover the syllabus from April and May, with each exam accounting for 20 marks.
Government school teachers have raised concerns about the conflicting schedules for summer camp activities and the bi-monthly tests for classes 6 to 8. They expressed confusion on how students can effectively participate in both during the same period.
A district education officer said that they are struggling to understand the department’s intentions. “Why the summer camps are being organised after summer vacations,” the officer said emphasising the need for the government to clarify whether exams should take precedence over summer camps or vice versa.
When asked about the clash of dates, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh informed The Indian Express that no bi-monthly exams will take place in the government schools.
However, the district education officers clarified that they have not received any such letter from the government yet mentioning the cancellation of the exams.
