KAMS: Make it assessment, not examination

BENGALURU: The government’s plan to introduce board-like examinations for Classes 5 and 8 has elicited mixed response from schools and organisations regarding its implementation. Discussions are reportedly underway to amend section 16 of the Right to Education Act, under which no child can be held back or expelled in their elementary examination, to alter the no detention policy amid concerns that students are non-committal about their schooling. The no-detention policy was given as one of the reasons for poor performances in the SSLC board examinations.

Schools have welcomed the decision but asked that it be phrased differently. “We suggest that the education department should not project it as public examination or a state-level examination, but as an assessment, where the same purpose can be met,” said Shashi Kumar, general secretary, Karnataka Associated Management of School.

He suggested that the word examination be avoided, and should be conducted at school-level. AIDSO state secretary  Ajay Kamath, said, “Conducting exam for children of that age group creates undue mental stress
on them.”