Karnal, May 24 -- During their month-long summer vacation-which was advanced by six days this year due to a heatwave-students from Classes 1 to 5 in Haryana government schools will engage in understanding life up close and gaining new experiences by spending quality time with their families, visiting relatives, and savouring summer fruits. According to officials, this year, traditional homework has been replaced with experiential learning, encouraging students to "learn by doing", while also gaining basic knowledge of concepts such as artificial intelligence, computational thinking, algorithms and others. Officials said the summer vacation is not merely a brief respite from school; rather, it is an invaluable opportunity for children to engage in joyful learning. With this spirit in mind, the Haryana school education department said that this "Summer Vacation Workbook" has been crafted with immense affection, sensitivity, and a positive outlook by the teachers of government schools across Haryana. The revamped assignment was rolled out on Friday under the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) Haryana mission and distributed among the students at the parents-teachers meeting on Saturday. According to Pramod Kumar, state programme officer of NIPUN, the objective of this workbook is not limited solely to academic knowledge; rather, it aims to connect children with life itself, foster bonds with their families, and inspire them to understand the world around them. "We believe that learning is not confined merely to classrooms, timetables, and examinations. True education is acquired through experiences, observation, dialogue, travel, play, and engagement with one's family and society," he said. Kumar said that this booklet encourages children to spend time with their families, learn from the experiences of their grandparents, visit relatives, savor the joys of a Haryana summer, taste seasonal fruits, and gain a deeper understanding of their surrounding environment. He believes that travelling, exploring new places, meeting people, and cherishing the small, everyday experiences of life are also profoundly significant avenues for learning. "It is these very memories of childhood that go on to become lifelong sources of inspiration and joy. This workbook incorporates activity-based tasks designed to foster qualities such as observation skills, creativity, self-confidence, empathy, sensitivity, self-care, a sense of responsibility toward family, social and moral values, cooperation, discipline, and sportsmanship in children," he said. The department said that they designed the homework with an aim for children to perceive mathematics not merely as a subject confined to problems and formulas, but as something they can actively experience in their daily lives. This year, students are being encouraged to visit markets, railway stations, banks, post offices, police stations, and other public spaces to gain an understanding of public services, social systems, and the practical applications of mathematics and science in everyday life. Kumar said that this initiative serves to further reinforce the spirit of "learning by doing" and "experiential learning." He said that in this digital age, mobile phones, the internet, and digital devices have become an integral part of our lives. "We hope that this summer vacation proves to be not merely a period of leisure, but a wonderful opportunity for children to gain a deeper understanding of life, create cherished memories, discover their dreams, strengthen their relationships, and embark on new flights of learning," he added....