Panaji: The Goa State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has recently announced that National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 recommendations will be implemented in all classes in the state schools from the new academic year 2026-27. As part of the implementation, it has said that every school will be required to follow 10 bagless days for students from Classes VI to VIII in a year.Due to the NEP, each academic year will be divided now into two semesters and the SCERT has stated that ideally five bag less days will have to be observed in each semester as per the prescribed guidelines.According to the guidelines, these bagless days are meant to be utilised for a number of other activities like field trips.The 10 bagless days are to engage students in practical, creative, and experiential learning. These activities can include visit to various places of importance, science centre, state museum, field trips, cultural workshops, visits to local artisans, local vocations, industry visit and community service etc.Due to implementation of the NEP, there will be only internal assessment for students of Classes I and II, SCERT had said.For students of Classes III to VIII, there will be internal and external assessment components.Internal evaluation will be carried out by schools. The external component for ‘core subjects’ will consist of two summative evaluations.“A common competency-based question paper will be prepared by GSCERT and administered to all schools. The common schedule and guidelines will also be issued by GSCERT. However, the conduct of the examination, evaluation of answer scripts, and preparation of results will be the responsibility of the respective schools,” SCERT has told schools.For Classes VI to VIII, the practical examination will be conducted in the presence of an external examiner.“Detailed guidelines regarding assessment procedures and result preparation will be issued separately by GSCERT from time to time,” the SCERT has told schools.
