Teachers across the State have questioned the need to conduct the Class X board examinations in June, especially when COVID-19 cases continue to rise.
Ever since the closure of schools in mid-March in view of the pandemic, teachers’ associations have been appealing to the School Education Department to cancel the board exams altogether this year.
“Even if the exams are going to be held, the department could have waited till the schools reopen sometime in July. Teachers and students in places like Chennai, which have a higher number of cases, are extremely concerned about how the exams will be conducted,” said P.K. Ilamaran, president, Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Association.
Stating that nearly 9.45 lakh students from across the State would be attending the exams, Mr. Ilamaran questioned the need for ‘hurriedly’ scheduling them in June which, he said, would put both students and teachers at risk.
The board exams were supposed to have begun on March 27, but schools had already been closed by that time. Since then, teachers of government schools in particular have not seen or interacted with their students. “We have no idea whether the students are even in a proper frame of mind to take up the exams right now. Had the exams been scheduled at a later date, we could have asked for one or two weeks’ time to meet with and motivate students,” said Patric Raymond of the Tamil Nadu Graduate Teachers’ Federation.
As part of preparations for holding the exams, schools which have remained shut for well over a month have to be sanitised. Many other arrangements should also be in place, teachers say. “Even if physical distancing is enforced in the exam centres, what about students who need to travel to write the exam? There is still no clarity on the availability of public transport,” said a teacher from Dindigul.