Schools to wrap up exams by April 4,hold remedial classes

The education department has issued a circular to all state board schools asking them to complete the final exams by April 4.

The education department has issued a circular to all state board schools asking them to complete the final exams by April 4. According to officials,the decision was taken in order to ensure that all schools are able to conduct remedial teaching for weaker students before they are promoted to the next class.

The Clause 16 in Chapter IV of Right to Education (RTE) Act states that any student in the age group of 6-14 shall not be held back (failed) or expelled from school till the completion of elementary education. However,to ensure that students are clear about the basic concepts before being promoted,all schools have been instructed to conduct remedial classes for students who have not fared well in exams.

P R Pawar,an education inspector from the western suburbs,said they want to ensure that all students were promoted only after achieving the minimum level of learning. In case a child gets low grades,like a C,the school has to ensure that the student is provided remedial teaching. Following this,a re-exam would be conducted for these students in the last week of April. If the school finds that the student is still not qualified to be promoted or have achieved that minimum level of learning,another exam would be conducted for them in June before the school reopens, Pawar said.

According to the RTE Act,students can only be promoted to the next class if they are able to comprehend the syllabus taught to them in each subject. The education departments directive states that the process will involve having multiple exams following the remedial teaching and so all the schools will have to complete their final exams by April 4.

We have to follow the rules laid down in the RTE Act but at the same time we also want to ensure that the quality of education is not degraded, Pawar added.

Most of the schools in the city are in favour of remedial teaching,but feel that education department should have issued the circular much earlier. We are already following the rule as per the RTE act. We have decided to conduct remedial classes and study programmes for all the students and not only for those who are weak in studies. However,education department should have a concrete plan on implementing these rules in advance. Most of the teachers consider remedial teachings or extra classes as burden or extra work, said Rekha Vijaykar,director of Guru Harkishan school at Santacruz.

We have not received the circular yet. However,in order to facilitate remedial teaching for our students we have scheduled all the written exams before the oral exams and practical exams. So by first week of April,we would be able to identify weaker students and conduct extra classes for them, said Shobha Lawand,principal of Narayan Guru school at Chembur.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram