Public review for children? The jury remains divided

As the Department of School Education and Literacy plans to conduct quality assessment tests for grades 5 and 8 this school year, educators are divided over the move and a final decision will be made on 12 october.

Educators are divided on the issue. Minister of School Education BC Nagesh vouched for the move saying, “We have observed that some teachers are not teaching properly. Thus, by testing students, we will have a clear picture of the quality of education in our schools.

However, the old MLC Ramesh Baboo alleged that the education department“>education department has been issuing controversial orders for a year. “The state government failed to provide school uniforms on time, differences in the announcement of the school timetable, increase in the admission age of first-graders, etc.

More than 1.05 crore students are studying in these classes and I wonder how can they hold public exams without any prior preparation and intimation.

The General Secretary of Karnataka Associated Managements of English Medium Schools (KAMS), Dr Shashi Kumar, also welcomed the move. “These types of testing will definitely improve the quality and accountability of learning outcomes. However, instead of using the word public, the Ministry of Education should promote this test as an assessment-based assessment. The assessment tests should be conducted in the respective schools instead of making it a state-level exam so that exam fear psychosis is reduced among students.

Bridge course

Meanwhile, two years of online classes are now pushing many students to take bridging courses. Students who have not taken the in-class lessons are required to sit for approximately one additional hour.

A private school principal said, “We have noticed that over the past two years, many students have lost exposure to learning in the classroom. We therefore organize bridging courses which will be beneficial for the students. Teachers at the school say they also receive requests from parents to run bridging lessons.

Deepthi S, a parent, said that during the online education, the tests were also done through mobile phones mostly and somehow they managed to submit the test. However, their true skills are tested now when they have to pass the tests. “My children need these classes and luckily these classes are free.”

A teacher, Netravati Gowda, explained that most kids who joined online classes two years ago in first grade now struggle to understand concepts in third grade. “First, we identify the academically weak child, then we discuss it with the school coordinator. Based on a consensus, we discuss the issue with the parents and based on their approval, we organize these bridging classes. »

UP colleges also organize bridging courses, a kind of bridging classes.

A College PU The principal said, “Many students take first year PU lightly. However, when they arrive in II PU, they realize that the concepts they did not learn in the first year were delaying their learning in the second year.