CHENNAI: Government, aided and private schools across Tamil Nadu have started conducting initial learning-level assessments of Class 10 and 12 students. Teachers conducting these tests have urged the government to conduct the public exams only after the 2021 Assembly elections.
School Education Department director S Kannappan, in a recent circular, said these assessments will be conducted from Friday by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT). The assessments will have 120 multiple choice questions (MCQ) across all subjects.
“We want to find where students stand before we take any further decision. The assessment will help us decide when to slot the public exam and if there should be any further modification of the syllabus,” Kannappan told Express.
Many teachers entrusted with this duty opined that students, particularly from government schools and small private schools, have suffered a severe learning loss. “Students were unprepared to even take an assessment on Friday. We only focussed on giving them counselling and warming them up to the school environment and Covid-19 SOPs. We will conduct the assessment on Monday,” said the headmistress of a government-aided school in T Nagar.
She added that many students did not study during the lockdown as they had no assistance and had to work to financially support their families. PK Ilamaran, leader of the Tamil Nadu Teachers Association, opined that he was confident government school students would perform well in the public exams if they get sufficient time to prepare for the exams.
“The government should conduct the exams after the elections. That way, students will get sufficient time to interact with teachers to clear their doubts,” he said, adding that the government should consider keeping students’ respective schools as exam centres to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Private schools too said that students need more time.
“We completed the syllabus online, and students performed well in online tests. But we cannot be sure they didn’t resort to any malpractices,” said the vice-principal of a matriculation school in Egmore.
“We have already held quarterly and half-yearly exams. But students have had no laboratory classes. While we strongly recommend conducting public exams, the government should hold it after polls,” said KR Nandhakumar, leader of the Tamil Nadu Matriculation, Higher Secondary and CBSE Schools Association.
Nominal roll for public exams to be prepared
Chennai: The TN government issued orders on Friday, permitting the Directorate of Government Examinations to prepare the nominal roll for candidates seeking to appear for the State Board exams this year. The government has also issued a Standard Operating procedure (SoP) for the same. Data from the nominal rolls will be used to prepare hall tickets and marksheets