Schools in dark over evaluation

Further, the competency-based system of teaching 8211; introduced two years back in a phased manner 8211; was to be extended to Std V this year. But again, no notification has come out in this regard, as a result of which schools are teaching and evaluating their way. While some schools are following the competency-based system of teaching and evaluation under which there is continuousassessment, other schools are following traditional methods.

Says B H Purohit, Principal of Marwari Commercial High School and Junior College, Charni Road, 8220;Half the term is already over. It will be difficult to make changes in the evaluation system now.8221;

The government itself had thought up the plan of introducing the competency-based system in Std V, and had even trained teachers in the methodology to be used. Commented Ramakant Pandey, Principal of Bansidhar Agarwal High School, Wadala, 8220;They may have trained teachers, but no notification has come so far. In our meetings, the government has asked us to follow the earlier pattern till further directions.8221;

Curiously, for Std V, the competency-based system is to be followed only in three subjects: English, Maths and Science. School authorities have been protesting that it does not make sense to have a competency-based system only in parts. Says H N Pal, administrator of Sir JJ Group of Institutions, Fort: 8220;We will be making a representation to thegovernment in this regard. We have seven subjects in all. How can some be competency-based and others be taught in the traditional method?8221;

The irony is that two years down the line, schools are still unclear about the intracities of the competency-based system. 8220;Many teachers did not understand the concept. In a training programme of 10 days, there are some 100 teachers. You cannot make the concept clear to each one of them,8221; says Pandey.

Adds A R Motlekar, President of Mumbai Association of Heads of Secondary Schools: 8220;There is no agreement on assessment. This year, majority of schools said they want exams, because without examinations neither parents nor students take it seriously.8221; The government came up with the version of starting examinations then, he adds.

But in introducing exams for Standards III and IV, the government is not planning to do away with the competency-based system. Remarks Pal: 8220;Unless the competency-based system is complimented with continuous assessment, it won8217;t becomprehensive. Instead of finding out if the students have grasped the subjects or not, we will be busy trying to finish the syllabus.8221; Though educators agree that the success of the system depends on individual teachers, without continuous assessment it will not work, they feel.

School Education Secretary Rameshchandra Kanade says that the directives on the examination system will be reaching schools soon. 8220;I have checked up with the director of education, and the directives will be going now. Regarding competency-based system for Std V too, the circular is being sent,8221; he said. Admitting that introducing exams will water down the competency-based learning methodology, Kanade however emphasised that the new system assimilated the good points of the traditional one.