‘Board exams sorted. What about the rest?’

Students were promoted to the next higher grade last year owing to the pandemic shutdown. Representation pic

Now that the board exam dates have been finalised, school teachers want to know how students from junior classes will be assessed. Children were promoted to the next higher grade without an examination last academic year due to a complete shutdown owing to the pandemic. The lockdown has been eased now, but schools haven't reopened everywhere, so holding exams this year is unlikely, but at the same time students cannot be promoted without assessment again, teachers said.

Many kids couldn't attend online classes. Representation pic

The current academic year was mostly online, but several students were deprived of classes due to unavailability of either internet or a smart device. Teachers want the government to issue specific guidelines for the assessment of students from Std I-IX and Std XI.

"Schools haven't reopened in Mumbai and surrounding districts. In other parts of the state where on-campus classes resumed, schools are closing again due to rising COVID-19 cases. In such a case, holding exams is very difficult. We promoted the students last year, because the lockdown happened just before the final exams and they had completed their studies. However, this year, many students have not been able to attend online lectures," said Anil Bornare from Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Parishad - a teachers' organisation. Bornare, a teacher, said "We need specific guidelines with a separate plan for assessment of students who have not been able to attend online classes."

A teacher from Jogeshwari said, "If now we promote students who have not been able to attend online classes, when the schools reopen eventually, they will have a lot to catch up. This is harmful for their academic growth." The principal of a BMC school said, "Most of my school students have missed online lectures. We still don't know when schools will reopen. But we clearly cannot hold exams right now.
There should be an exam when schools reopen so that we know students' level of understanding of the current academic year, before sending them to the next grade. Otherwise they will face great difficulty."

‘Working on solution'
Vikas Garad, deputy director of the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT), said, "The council is aware about the situation, and is working on proposals containing different resolutions, following which the state government will take the final decision." The need to design an updated policy of assessment for children who have missed online education is important for the SCERT.