Page 20 - EducationWorld January 2023

Education News

of India (HECI). Punters willing to to allow detention of students
bet against Prof. Kumar being ap- who fail twice.
pointed the first chairman of HECI Private schools in Kar-
are unlikely to find takers. nataka are divided over the
Autar Nehru (Delhi) introduction of exams in
primary/elementary educa-
KARNATAKA tion. Comments D. Shashi
Sorry education Kumar, general secretary,
Associated Managements of
record Private Schools in Karnata-
ka, which has 3,900 member
schools: “We are in favour
ith state legislative assem- of annual exams for class V
bly elections less than six and VIII children because
Wmonths away, the augu- Karnataka primary children: new exams burden learning outcomes dropped
ries are not good for the state’s BJP drastically during the Covid
government. The party’s strategy to mental well-being emerged as a ma- pandemic when children were out of
arouse sub-nationalist Kannada pride jor issue. Despite this on December school. There’s a need to rigorously
by reviving a border dispute with Ma- 14, the education ministry issued a assess children’s learning outcomes to
harashtra has backfired with the BJP circular mandating annual exams for provide appropriate remedial educa-
government at the Centre refusing class V and VIII students in all 69,310 tion. Though the circular says that no
to intervene in the dispute between government and private schools affili- child will be detained for failing these
two BJP-ruled states. Moreover the ated with the state examination board. exams, we believe that after two at-
powerful Lingayat community has According to the circular, these exams tempts, children who fail should be re-
launched an agitation demanding will be held in March with question tained in the same class to ensure they
reservation in government jobs and papers set by the Karnataka School don’t need to continuously struggle in
education institutions, even as the Examination and Assessment Board higher classes. However, retention of
opposition Congress party’s campaign (KSEAB) and evaluation of answer children should start from the next
against pervasive corruption in the ad- papers conducted at the ‘taluk level’. academic year as this order has come
ministration is gathering momentum. However, the circular states that so late in this academic year.”
The BJP government’s record in children who fail won’t be detained n the other hand, the Registered
education — which unlike most north in their current classes. The purpose OUnaided Private Schools Asso-
Indian states is an important electoral of the ‘assessment’ is to measure gen- ciation (RUPSA), which has 13,000
issue in Karnataka — is also attract- eral learning outcomes of children in member schools, vehemently oppos-
ing widespread adverse comment. For primary education, says the circular. es stressful exams for young children.
instance, in the year past the govern- “For this reason, they should be called “We condemn this circular. NEP 2020
ment has been focused on politicis- assessments and not board exams,” says that learning should not be for
ing education rather than upgrading says R. Vishal, commissioner, de- exams. Introducing exams will force
academic standards. It has stoked the partment of public instruction, who children into rote learning again. We
hijab (headscarf), saffronisation of adds that the purpose of the exams is urge the education minister not to im-
textbooks controversies and is beset to identify children who need reme- pose his political agenda on children.
with corruption accusations against dial education. Rather than introducing stressful ex-
the education ministry. Education officials insist that as- ams for children, government should
In November, a Unified District sessing children’s learning outcomes fill teacher vacancies to reduce teach-
Information System for Education is in line with recommendations er-pupil ratio in government schools,”
(UDISE) 2022-23 report revealed made in the National Education says Lokesh T, president of RUPSA.
alarming neglect of primary-second- Policy (NEP) 2020. Moreover, the Likewise, Dr. A.S. Seetharamu,
ary education in the state highlighting circular highlights that s.16 of the former professor of education at the
lack of functional toilets for girl chil- landmark Right of Children to Free Institute of Social & Economic Change,
dren and huge deficit of computers and Compulsory Education (RTE), Bengaluru, believes formal exams for
and Internet connectivity in govern- Act, 2009, which initially prohibited young children in early years is in-
ment schools. examinations and mandated com- advisable. “It is well established that
During the 82-weeks closure of pulsory yearly promotion of classes formal exams don’t measure real
education institutions because of the I-VIII children, was amended by the learning outcomes. Continuous test-
Covid pandemic, children’s stress and BJP government at the Centre in 2019 ing and assessment through the year

20 EDUCATIONWORLD JANUARY 2023