Latest On School Resumption….. BRIEFING NOTES ON EXAMINATION DATES AND REALLIGNMENT OF SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR 2020/2021 ACADEMIC YEAR
Latest On School Resumption…..
BRIEFING NOTES ON EXAMINATION DATES/REALLIGNMENT OF SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR 2020/202I ACADEMIC YEAR
INTRODUCTION
The examination bodies (WAEC, NECO, NABTEB) in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Education has released the final examination timetables for the international and national examinations.
Consequently, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has considered it expedient to realign the academic calendar for resumption of schools and examinations dates for the State’s BECE, Cognitive Placement and Model Entrance examinations.
KEY EXAMINATIONS AND RESUMPTION DATES
The following Examinations and resumption dates should be noted:
- WASSCE: from 17th August -12th September 2020
- NECO BECE (National): from 24th August – 7th September 2020
- BECE (State): from 21st September – 25th September 2020
- NABTEB: from 21st September – 15th October 2020
- National Common Entrance Examination: 17th October 2020
- Cognitive Placement Examination: 26th September 2020
- State Model School Entrance Examination: 3rd October 2020
Consequently, Primary six pupils and JS3 students* will resume as follows in line with _our strategy of “2 weeks revision, examination and exit from the school system.
- JS3 Students to resume 8th September 2020 while
- Primary Six pupils will resume 14th September 2020
- Expectedly, Primary School Teachers are to resume on 31st August 2020, giving the teachers two weeks for training on Covid 19 protocols and preparation of school* ready to receive the Primary six pupils.
REALLIGNMENT OF 2020/2021 ACADEMIC YEAR CALENDAR
The objective of the realignment options is to enable schools recover lost grounds due to the Covid-19 lockdown and transit smoothly into 2020/2021 academic year without further disruption of the school system.
Two options are presented, here with:
Option A: Condensed 3rd Term
The 2019/2020 academic year 3rd term to run from 12th October – 18th December 2020 (10 weeks).
Enables students /pupils to cover the 2019/2020 curriculum and schemes of work before commencing the 2020/21 academic year.
Issues:
The duration will be constrained by the two weeks of revision and promotion examination, respectively. Hence, effective teaching and learning may be only 6 weeks.
Furthermore, if the 2021 WAEC examination holds in April/May 2021, as it is conventionally done, the prospective final year students may not be able to cover the scheme of work effectively with only 4months of teaching and learning in 2020/21. However, the SS3 students could be supported by extra moral classes, teleclass or eLearning platforms.
Option B: Curriculum Adaptation
This is the OYO State Model
Cancellation of the 3rd term 2019/2020 academic session to pave way for the commencement of the 2020/2021 academic year from 12th October 2020. Expectedly, 1st term will run through to 18th December 2020, (10 weeks).
Promote students/pupils to the next class based 1st and 2nd term continuous assessment performances.
Curriculum adaptation will be carried out whereby the outstanding content of the 2020 3rd term academic syllabus/ scheme of work will be synchronised into the 2020/2021 academic year scheme of work. ERC to action and workout a new 2020/21 scheme of work for all subjects.
Implication is that JS1 and SS1 classes may not be able to resume on the 12th of October given that 2020 Cognitive Placement and BECE examinations results may not have been released. This can be managed internally by the Ministry.
2020/2021 ACADEMIC CALENDAR
1ST TERM: 12TH October to 18th Dec 2020 (10 weeks)
2nd Term: 4th January to 31st March 2021 (12 weeks)
3rd Term: 12th April to 30th July 2021 (14 weeks)
NOTE – All other school activities and sporting events would be built in accordingly by the Ministry in due course when the 2020/2021 academic calendar must have been harmonised.