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Class 8 students forced to take exams in school courtyards in Punjab
‘External’ examinations are being held in Punjab for the first time after the introduction of RTE. However, the dates have clashed with board exams of class 12 and the resultant shortage of space has led to class 8 students taking exams in school courtyards.
'External' examination is being held in the state for the first time after the implementation of the RTE.
Class V and VIII students in Punjab are appearing for their first external exam under Learning Outcome Evaluation System (LOES) being conducted by the State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT). This is different from the earlier used Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) system under which students gave exams in their own classrooms and question papers were set by their own teachers.
Under the new system, the students will only be given grades and will not be denied promotion in case of ‘poor performance’. Instead, they will be given remedial coaching.
The decision was taken after the education department deemed the CCE to be a ‘complete failure’ and held it responsible for degradation of education in Punjab since implementation of Right to Education Act (RTE).
According to education Minister, Daljeet Singh Cheema this will help in improving the standard of education in the state.
Class VIII students of Punjab government schools on Friday, sitting for exams at an external centre for the first time, were in for a poor exam taking experience as they were made to sit in the examination centre’s corridors and in the courtyard as their schedule clashed with class XII exams.
Paramjit Kaur, district education officer (secondary), said that since the ‘external’ exams are being held for the first time, there were some shortcomings.
“We were not aware that dates of Class 12 exam were clashing with that of Class 8. As per the norms, there has to be one bench per child during an exam, we will improve arrangements next year,” Paramjit added.
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