FA1 -SAMP1-KEYS

Academic Forums - Guidelines

Andhra Pradesh has launched new Academic Forums at the State, District, and Mandal levels to improve education quality and learning outcomes. This initiative is part of broader educational reforms that include new Teacher Handbooks, Student Assessment Booklets, and an innovative Academic Calendar.

A key feature of the new Academic Calendar is the "No Bag Day" every Saturday for students in Grades 1 to 9, dedicated to structured co-curricular activities. The Student Assessment Booklets, designed for all subjects and classes, incorporate both written tests and internal assessments like projects, which teachers evaluate using OMR sheets.

State Academic Forum (SAF) The State Academic Forum is tasked with providing strategic direction, academic guidance, and review mechanisms for quality education across Andhra Pradesh. It will also coordinate with and guide District Academic Forums (DAFs), conducting monthly meetings to review their monitoring activities.

The SAF comprises key educational officials:

• Director of School Education, A.P. (Chairperson)

• State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha, A.P. (Vice-Chairperson)

• Director, SCERT, A.P. (Member Convener for Primary Classes I to VIII)

• Director of Government Examinations, A.P. (Member Convener for Secondary Schools)

• Secretary, A.P. Residential Educational Institutions Society (Member)

• Secretary, KGBV, A.P. (Member)

• Director, A.P. Open School Society (APOSS) (Member)

• Director, A.P. Government Text Book Press (Member)

• Secretary, A.P. Model Schools, A.P. (Member)

District Academic Forum (DAF) The District Academic Forum is responsible for implementing academic programs at the district level, building capacity, reviewing assessments, and coordinating with mandal-level teams. The DAF is also mandated to enhance learning competencies in Grades 1 and 2 in line with NIPUN Bharat goals and ensure efficient implementation of Bridge Courses. They must regularly check that Teacher Reflections are recorded in Teacher Handbooks and that Academic Calendar components are executed without deviation. The DAF will conduct field visits twice a week to monitor enrollment, student-teacher attendance, and seasonal activities. Meetings with Mandal Academic Forums (MAFs) will occur every 15 days, providing positive feedback.

The DAF includes:

• District Educational Officer (Chairperson)

• Additional Project Coordinator, Samagra Shiksha (Vice Chairperson)

• Principal, DIET (Member-Convener for Primary Schools)

• Assistant Commissioner for Govt. Exams/DC APOSS (Member-Convener for Secondary Schools)

• Secretary, DCEB (Member)

• Academic Monitoring Officer (Member)

• Mandal Educational Officers (3 members)

• Secondary Level Subject Experts (4 per subject, totaling 28 members)

• Primary Level Expert Teachers (4 members)

Subject experts for both district and mandal levels should preferably be SRPs/DRPs, text-book writers, fluent in English, possess good communication skills, be technologically well-equipped, and have participated in State Level Academic Programmes.

Mandal Academic Forum (MAF) The Mandal Academic Forum will work closely with schools, providing field-level academic support, monitoring classroom practices, and assisting in training and resource dissemination. Their responsibilities include monitoring teacher and student attendance, ensuring timely syllabus completion, and observing "No Bag Day" activities conducted by DIET Student Teachers. They are also responsible for ensuring class teachers effectively maintain Student Assessment Booklets and taking proactive steps to increase student enrollment. The MAF will undertake field visits twice a week, with the Chairperson and Member Convener leading regular school visits to ensure compliance with instructions. The MAF will hold weekly meetings to review their monitoring and submit reports to the DAF.

The MAF consists of:

• Mandal Educational Officer - 1 (Chairperson)

• Mandal Educational Officer - 2 (Member - Convener)

• Cluster Complex Chairpersons (Member)

• CMRTS (Cluster Monitoring Resource Teachers) (Member)

• Secondary Level Subject Experts (7 members, one from each subject)

• Primary Level Expert Teachers (5 members)

General Guidelines and Monitoring Across all levels, the forums will implement measures to eliminate bogus student entries, purify U-DISE data, and ensure house visits for students with three or more consecutive absences. Immediate inspections will be conducted in cases of false attendance recording. High schools with low academic performance will undergo regular subject-wise reviews. Schools are required to conduct internal academic reviews twice a week. Strict monitoring protocols will curb unauthorized staff absenteeism. Emphasis will be placed on strengthening foundational skills in Grades 1 and 2, and summary videos will be used to reinforce learning. The use of Value Education Books will be verified, and Holistic Progress Cards will be regularly updated. Cluster Complex Meetings are to be organized systematically. All observations and monitoring details will be documented and reported regularly via email to the Director of School Education.

The Regional Joint Directors of School Education are instructed to monitor DAF activities in their zones, coordinate with MAFs, and obtain fortnight reports from both DAFs and MAFs. These reports will be consolidated and submitted to the Director of School Education with specific observations and feedback. This initiative is considered "Most Urgent".

Guidelines