Haryana Education Minister suggests centralised testing system

By Haryananewswire

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 27

The Haryana Education Minister, Mrs. Geeta Bhukkal ,today suggested to introduce a centralised testing system at least at two stages up to class VIII where a non- performer could be detained till he or she attains the required level of learning up to that stage. 

            Mrs Bhukkal was presiding over the 4th meeting of Sub-Committee of Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) to review the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) and No Detention provision under Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act in Bengaluru today. Three such meetings have sofar been  held   where responses have been received from 15 states and UTs on CCE and no-detention provision.

          Mrs Bhukkal said that she personally observed that “no detention” is generally not supportive. She said that it has been felt that this provision is taking away the pressure to perform from minds of both the children and the teachers. Hence, there is a lot of apprehensions and anxiety among the parents with regard to certification of their children at different stages which was there in existence earlier.  Similarly, it is also correct that children should not suffer from fear of examination but at the same time the incentive to perform should not be taken away. High performance as well as no performance needs to be brought on record in some manner which incentivizes achievement motivation among children, she added.

            Mrs. Bhukkal said that there is a need to have a mechanism to put in place to uniformly assess the level of learning at a certain stage through an independent testing or examining body rather than leaving it entirely to the teachers who will be assessing according to their own perceptions and parameters leading to promotions to next classes automatically up to class VIII.  

She said that as in case of other professions like those of doctors and engineers, one should have an aptitude to become a teacher. A 4-year integrated course would be introduced in Haryana at teacher training institutes so as to improve the quality of teachers.

            The Minister said that Haryana has taken a slew of initiatives on CCE. The government had started a programme called ‘Pravesh Utsav’ to create awareness among the parents and teachers about the outcomes of curricular and co-curricular activities of each class. The programme was launched with a view to create conducive environment for children to visit the schools, along with their parents, for admission.

            Those present on this occasion included Education Minister of Chattishgarh, Mr Brij Mohan Aggrawal, Education Minister of Bihar Mr. Prashant Kumar Shahi, Principal Secretary, School Education Department, Haryana Mrs Surina Rajan and a number of senior officers from Central and State Governments.