Panchayat opposes new school timings

VADODARA, Sept 30: District panchayat employees have decided to protest against the recent State government directive changing the timing of primary schools in the district to allow students to watch educational programmes on television.

They will begin their agitation on October 6. Leader of the opposition in the Zilla Panchayat I U Patel said the earlier timing 8212; from 11 am to 5 pm 8212; allowed children to come to school after lunch. The new school timings, between 10 am and 4 pm, would make life difficult for them and take its toll on attendance too, he claimed.

A DEO official, however, said the government wanted children to benefit from educational programmes telecast by the University Grants Commission, which they earlier missed.