Goa Board not to compensate SSC students for science paper

NT NETWORK

 

PANAJI/Margao

The Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) on Monday maintained that the issue pertaining to the science paper for the SSC examination is over, and that there is no possibility of the Goa Board compensating the students, who had appeared for this paper, in any way.

The examination for this paper was conducted by the Goa Board on April 11, earlier this month.

It may be recalled that many of the students, who had answered this paper claimed that the paper included twisted as well as out-of-syllabus questions. The Goa Headmasters Association had also presented a related representation to the Goa Board, after which GBSHSE chairman G B Samant asked the scrutiny committee to look into this complaint. The committee subsequently found that the particular paper was “well balanced.”

GBSHSE chairman G B Samant told this daily that apart from the related representation submitted to Goa Board by the Goa Headmasters Association, no other complaint has come to the Board in this respect. “The correction of SSC answer papers has already started, while that of the science paper would begin from April 20,” he added.

When asked about the demand of some parents that all students appearing for the SSC science paper should be compensated by Goa Board with marks, Samant said that he has no idea about such a demand. “I have been reading about such things only in newspapers,” he added.

Meanwhile, the parents of such students from north Goa are planning to present a memorandum signed by them to the Goa Board. The memorandum states that the students should be given 25 marks as questions worth 45 out of the 65 marks in this paper were twisted.

A parent questioned the rationale behind following no-detention policy for students till class VIII, and then suddenly making them answer twisted questions at the SSC examination. “Does the Goa Board wants to send these students directly to the moon,” she questioned, pointing out that most of the students appearing for the exam were confused to see the science paper.

The Goa Board also maintained that many of the schools in the state “did not take seriously” the model question bank in the science subject for class X, as sent to them as early as September 2017.

Meanwhile, parents from south Goa have begun a signature campaign demanding that the Goa Board take a soft stand at the time of assessment of the paper.

Most of the parents are of the opinion that the Goa Board erred by issuing a circular and sending the model question bank related to the science subject in September and not before the commencement of the academic year. However, some parents said that the Board has made an attempt to improve the quality of education.

General secretary of Forum For Rights of Children’s Education (FORCE) Savio Lopes said that he supports the parents’ views and added that it was Goa Board’s mistake which created panic among students.

President of Goa Headmasters Association Vithoba Dessai said it is improper to demand marks, as Goa Board is right in its own way. “I am not blaming anybody. We are only hopeful that the Board will take an appropriate decision,” Dessai said.