TESTING Times…
• Maharashtra government and Board was pulled up by High Court for cancelling SSC exams. Board has made some harsh strictures on Maharashtra government and Board for cancelling exams. Education without exams is not a good sign. If someone challenge this decision state government and board may face same humiliation like Maharashtra faced. For me this decision is like” kahi khushi kahi gum
Vijaykumar Kopre Dessai, Cuncolim
State awardee teacher
Gaurang Prabhu/ Goemkarponn
MARGAO: The cancellations of the Xth standard exams in the State has received a mixed response from teachers and experts but they agree the decision was unavoidable.
While many felt that the exams in this situation is impractical and hence such a decision was required other felt that students have lost opportunity to test themselves.
Says Sanjay Desai Principal CES, “looking at ground level situation of Covid 19 it is right decision. This second wave of Covid has affected everyone, and we do not know when situation will improve, whole life is disturbed. Conduct of exam in this situation was impossible”.
Vithoba Dessai, a retired teacher of Shenvi school says, it is unfortunate that exams are cancelled but there is no other option then cancelling the exams.
“The present batch has never faced competitive exams this year was the last for them. The entire one generation which is going to be ruined as they have missed tough competition of exams in their school life,” he said.
Tanvi Raikar, teacher Primary School Bogmala Vasco , says the decision seems to sound fair in terms of present challenging scenario, health is the foremost concern today, and our children are the future nation builders.
“We cannot afford to put their lives at stake…the decision should be looked upon as ‘need of the hour’ rather than being too judgemental about what’s right or wrong. Cancellation of SSC exams not the solution but unavoidable adjustment,” she says.
Vijaykumar Kopre Dessai, State teacher awardee teacher from Cuncolim felt that “As a teacher I will say government decision to cancel SSCE examination is not an excellent solution but I will say it may be unavoidable adjustment.”
“Many borderline and below average students may welcome this decision but for those students who had put their heart and soul out to get good percentage may not be happy with such adjustment,” he said.
Secondly, he said, this mark of Covid batch will always remain on the Educational career of students.
“Internal marks assessment is not the correct way to evaluate child’s intelligence. I think it’s not only Hundred percent results to all schools but High percentage to maximum student,” Kopre said.
He added, “Maharashtra government and Board was pulled up by High Court for cancelling SSC exams. Board has made some harsh strictures on Maharashtra government and Board for cancelling exams. Education without exams is not a good sign. If someone challenge this decision state government and board may face same humiliation like Maharashtra faced. For me this decision is like” kahi khushi kahi gum.””
Sindhu Prabhu Desai Nayak, Vice-Principal, Govt. Multipurpose Higher Secondary School Margao, National Awardee 2020 says considering the present situation in the state cancellation of SSC Board examination in the offline mode is the appropriate decision taken by the Government.
“From the pedagogical aspect, for the entire academic year, the teachers and the learners kept struggling to create an active learning environment. The focus was merely on the completion of the syllabus to enable the students to face the board examination,” he said.
Nayak says the learning was actually compromised.
“Evaluation without acquiring the requisite skills would have been like binding by the red tape,” he said.
The exams cannot be cancelled,These are subjective exams which are crucial in nature.
Somkant Gavkar, teacher Holy Cross Institute Quepem, says the exam should be conducted in the school premises itself after a few days.“It is injustice for the students who are really hard working. Actually they deserves the merit as compared to other students. These students are continuously promoting by the process called CCE. Last year onwards due to Covid pandemic situation these are the same students who got promoted to Std X. And now they cleared X Std. So it is injustice on studios students,” he added.
