School students | Photo credit: iStock Images
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on Saturday the decision to cancel the annual exams for students in classes 1 to 8. Instead, students in classes 1 to 8 would be evaluated based on the work of the draft. The announcement comes along with the decision to keep all MP schools closed for students in classes 1 to 8 until March 31 and starting the new session as of April 1, 2021.
Experts divided on decision to cancel annual exams
While the CM has not stated that all students would be promoted, the announcement has received a mixed response from the academy. Many experts have praised the decision and called the project work the right way to go. The fact that schools have remained closed and would do so for smaller classes for this academic year, the annual exams does not make sense. “This is perhaps the only way that students can truly be assessed this year. A carefully presented project work is the only way to judge whether a student has achieved the desired learning outcomes, ”says Ms Jacob, senior coordinator of elementary classes at a leading school.
The sentiments, however, are not unanimous. Some experts have suggested that an oral or live voice test or an online test is essential to understanding a child’s progress. The decision, they added, to promote students would require a certain type of exam and project work would lead to an ambiguous assessment.
“We have been finding new ways to assess students, but the fact is that we cannot be sure if the student had done the work or if they received help from someone else. To really know the child’s education, one must use some tangible assessment tool that is universal. We can ask for clemency, but annual exams are mandatory! “jokes Ms Debina, head of the government school for girls.
So, should students in classes 1 to 8 be promoted without exams?
Do you support the decision? Do you think project work is the correct way to assess all students, even students in elementary classes 1-5? Or should there be some form of online assessment for students? Share your opinion by taking the survey below.
Share your opinions. The survey would remain open until Wednesday, December 9, 2020. Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal is expected to make an important announcement when interacting with students on December 10, 2020.
