PUNE: Maharashtra State Primary Teachers’ Association has written to the Maharashtra State Council of Education Research and Training seeking an immediate comprehensive order on how to assess and grade the students from standard I to VIII.
The letter said, unlike last year (2019-20), there were no baseline or cumulative assessments throughout 2020-21, on which the results could be prepared.
Vijay Kombe, a teacher at a Zilla Parishad school in Wardha, and the general secretary of the teachers association said in an academic year, two baseline tests in August and January and two cumulative assessments in November and March are held on the basis of which the students are graded and promoted to the next level.
“In the academic year 2019-20, the schools were through with two baseline tests and one cumulative assessment when the pandemic struck and a lockdown was announced. Based on the result of the three tests, average marks were given to students and they were promoted to the next class. However this year, none of those tests have taken place,” Kombe said.
A Zilla Parishad teacher, who requested anonymity, said,“When I met students after the lockdown was relaxed to distribute midday meal ration, standard II students had forgotten the alphabet. Those who are in standard I now have hardly learned anything in many rural areas, despite the best efforts by the teachers. This should have been declared a zero year by the Union government at least for primary education, because sending these students to the next class, through whatever method they suggest, does not make sense,” he said.
Dinkar Temkar, chairman of MSCERT, said the education department officials have been discussing the matter with the education ministry and a decision would soon be announced.