Many schools revert to online exam mode

Private school managements which had decided to conduct the 2020-21 academic year-end examinations on campus are having second thoughts given the steady rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the State. Many have decided to revert to the online examination format.

Earlier this month, two government schools in Karnataka were sealed after students and teachers tested positive for the virus.

Sumanth Narayan, founder of Shanthinikethana School, said that they thought of conducting offline examination with all the precautionary measures in place. Now, however, the management does not want to take the risk and is conducting online examinations for students of classes one to five.

The school is yet to decide on the format for students of classes six to nine. “We will wait and watch for another week and then decide whether students should come to the school to write the examination or whether they should take it online from their homes,” he said.

Mansoor Ali Khan, member, board of management, Delhi Public Group of Schools, said that they would ask only students of class nine and above to report to campuses. “If COVID-19 cases increase further, we will give parents and students the choice to opt for online examinations,” he said.

However, teachers and principals are worried that online examinations will not give them a clear idea of the progress students have made and whether they have grasped all the concepts. Concerns have been raised regarding honesty and integrity during online examinations.

Most schools conducted their midterm examinations online with teachers monitoring the process. “While parents were given the responsibility of ensuring that students did not cheat at home, it was found that many were helping their children. In some cases, they even wrote the paper for them,” said Mr. Khan.

Parents too are demanding that schools give them the option of writing the examinations online. Srilekha S., a parent of a class eight student, said that with new COVID-19 clusters being detected in Bengaluru, she did not want to send her daughter school. “Although the government has allowed schools to reopen, the CBSE school where my daughter studies has decided not to conduct offline classes. So we hope that she will be given the option of writing the examination from home,” she said.