5-day school week likely

Panel says children under 8 should get more time at home

NEW DELHI: You can soon look forward to quality weekends with your little ones. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has called for a five-day week for children under eight years of age. This covers classes nursery to II.

In a letter sent to the state education secretaries this week, the NCPCR has also asked the education departments to ensure late winter timings in schools to make life a bit easier for kids.

 The commission says the change in school schedules would not only give children a respite from studies, but also more time with parents. “With both parents working these days, children hardly get any time with their family. We’ve got several representations from parents seeking a five-day week,” said NCPCR member Sandhya Bajaj.

While many public schools already have a five-day week, the order could be binding on a large number of central and state government schools.

The move has been welcomed by parents. “Loaded with homework and household chores, we hardly get time for an outing on Sunday. A five-day week will give us more time with the child,” says a parent whose child is a student of Delhi’s Sardar Patel Vidyalaya.