BENGALURU: With the department of public Instruction (DPI) declaring holidays for students up to grade 5 from Tuesday, some schools have decided to call off exams of higher classes and are also considering declaring holidays in a day or two.
Coronavirus outbreak live updates
The DPI announced the holiday for students up to class 5 in all schools of Bengaluru North, South and Rural educational districts as a precautionary measure against Covid-19. Officials, however, said no decision has been taken on cancelling exams and added that an appropriate order will be issued in this regard once schools reopen.
According to several school heads, given the government directive, the final examination scheduled from the second week of March had been cancelled. They have sent emails and SMSs to all parents about the same.
Some like Delhi Public School (Bangalore East) and DPS (Bangalore South) announced that they’d be promoting students in classes 1 to 5 based on their performance through the year.
Early holidays
Though the department had asked schools to wrap up exams for kids above class 5 by March 23, some institutions planned to declare early holidays for them too.
As per circulars sent by some other schools to parents, the managements have taken a call to declare holidays for all classes, cancel examinations or use alternative methods to conduct tests and promote students based on their performance during the year.
Susan Barrid, principal of National Centre for Excellence told TOI the institution decided to declare Wednesday as the last working day for all the classes as parents were getting anxious about their children’s safety. The school will put up worksheets for students below grade 6 and descriptive question papers for students in grade 6, 7 and 8 on the Edumerge application instead of the exams. “The answer key will be put up in the evenings (of the examination days) and parents are expected to monitor their kids. We will consider the cumulative of all exams as well to grade the students,” Barrid said.
Anuradha Krishnan, principal of Primus Public School said plenty of worried parents are requesting postponement or cancellation of exams even for children in higher grades. “I will be taking a call on this by the end of the week. As the syllabus is complete, we might have to conduct online exams for children’s sense of closure,” she said.
Sishu Griha said the annual exam marks for classes 6 and 7 would also be on the basis of the annual average of all tests conducted through the academic year. “We will be sending the annual exam question paper to your registered email address as per the scheduled exam timetable. This is for academic purpose only. However, your child must write it under exam conditions,” the school informed parents.
New Horizon Public School announced that the annual exams for grades 6 to 8 scheduled to start on March 12 stand cancelled and students will be promoted on the basis of their year-round performance.
The school said they may reopen for the next academic session earlier than the scheduled date.
D Shashikumar, general secretary, associated managements of primary and secondary schools (KAMS) said: “As per the Right to Education Act (RTE), there is no provision to fail any student at the primary level. So, all students will be promoted to the next grade,” he said.
S Rajendra, DDPI, Bengaluru (south) said as per the communication sent by the DPI director, a decision on conducting final examination for the classes one to five will be taken once schools reopen.
‘Children safety paramount’
* Declaring holidays for children below grade 5 and asking students in higher classes to attend exams and go out in crowded places deifies logic. We have been asking the school to declare holidays, but they keep saying they are waiting for the government’s directive. When there is continuous evaluation, why can’t it just be considered at such times?
Shardha V | mother of class 7 seven
* The government may have passed the order considering it is easier for older children to follow the precautionary measures. But my concern is how will kids write exams in this atmosphere. Whether the scare around the virus is valid or simply exaggerated is a matter of debate, but it can’t come in the way of children’s safety. It is always better to keep them safe than be sorry!
Thejashree | mother of class 7 student
Coronavirus outbreak live updates
The DPI announced the holiday for students up to class 5 in all schools of Bengaluru North, South and Rural educational districts as a precautionary measure against Covid-19. Officials, however, said no decision has been taken on cancelling exams and added that an appropriate order will be issued in this regard once schools reopen.
According to several school heads, given the government directive, the final examination scheduled from the second week of March had been cancelled. They have sent emails and SMSs to all parents about the same.
Some like Delhi Public School (Bangalore East) and DPS (Bangalore South) announced that they’d be promoting students in classes 1 to 5 based on their performance through the year.
Early holidays
Though the department had asked schools to wrap up exams for kids above class 5 by March 23, some institutions planned to declare early holidays for them too.
As per circulars sent by some other schools to parents, the managements have taken a call to declare holidays for all classes, cancel examinations or use alternative methods to conduct tests and promote students based on their performance during the year.
Susan Barrid, principal of National Centre for Excellence told TOI the institution decided to declare Wednesday as the last working day for all the classes as parents were getting anxious about their children’s safety. The school will put up worksheets for students below grade 6 and descriptive question papers for students in grade 6, 7 and 8 on the Edumerge application instead of the exams. “The answer key will be put up in the evenings (of the examination days) and parents are expected to monitor their kids. We will consider the cumulative of all exams as well to grade the students,” Barrid said.
Anuradha Krishnan, principal of Primus Public School said plenty of worried parents are requesting postponement or cancellation of exams even for children in higher grades. “I will be taking a call on this by the end of the week. As the syllabus is complete, we might have to conduct online exams for children’s sense of closure,” she said.
Sishu Griha said the annual exam marks for classes 6 and 7 would also be on the basis of the annual average of all tests conducted through the academic year. “We will be sending the annual exam question paper to your registered email address as per the scheduled exam timetable. This is for academic purpose only. However, your child must write it under exam conditions,” the school informed parents.
New Horizon Public School announced that the annual exams for grades 6 to 8 scheduled to start on March 12 stand cancelled and students will be promoted on the basis of their year-round performance.
The school said they may reopen for the next academic session earlier than the scheduled date.
D Shashikumar, general secretary, associated managements of primary and secondary schools (KAMS) said: “As per the Right to Education Act (RTE), there is no provision to fail any student at the primary level. So, all students will be promoted to the next grade,” he said.
S Rajendra, DDPI, Bengaluru (south) said as per the communication sent by the DPI director, a decision on conducting final examination for the classes one to five will be taken once schools reopen.
‘Children safety paramount’
* Declaring holidays for children below grade 5 and asking students in higher classes to attend exams and go out in crowded places deifies logic. We have been asking the school to declare holidays, but they keep saying they are waiting for the government’s directive. When there is continuous evaluation, why can’t it just be considered at such times?
Shardha V | mother of class 7 seven
* The government may have passed the order considering it is easier for older children to follow the precautionary measures. But my concern is how will kids write exams in this atmosphere. Whether the scare around the virus is valid or simply exaggerated is a matter of debate, but it can’t come in the way of children’s safety. It is always better to keep them safe than be sorry!
Thejashree | mother of class 7 student
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