KJDSTA seeks postponement of board exams, general promotion to students of class nursery-to IX

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 4, 2020

The Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers’ Association (KJDSTA) has suggested the state government to extend the board examinations to May, next year and to unconditionally grant promotion to students from nursery to classes IX.

The suggestions were submitted to the Principal Secretary in-charge education department, DP Wahlang on Wednesday, in view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

Speaking to reporters, KJDSTA president Babu Kular Khongjirem said the association has decided to submit these suggestions for consideration of the meeting to be held between the education department and the Meghalaya Board of School Education on Thursday.

“We have suggested that the Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate (HSSLC) and Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examinations should be extended to the month of May, at par with the rest of the country,” Khongjirem said.

As far as the selection test for the board examination is concerned, Khongjirem said the association felt that the selection test for private candidates should be done away with this year.

“Candidates who failed to clear the private selection test 2019, conducted by their respective DSEO (District School Education Officer) should be allowed to appear in the SSLC examination directly,” he said.

“Students from affiliated and non-affiliated schools should also be allowed to appear in the MBOSE examination directly considering that the virus is expected to be active during the cold season,” he added.

The KJDSTA president further stated that children’s health will be put under risk if they are indirectly stressed by exams at this juncture and  if they are exposed to the Covid 19 virus, the vaccine for which is yet to be discovered.

However, when the SSLC and HSSLC examinations are held in 2021, the standard of the exams and evaluation thereafter, should not be compromised, he stated.

Meanwhile, the KJDSTA has also demanded that all the students from nursery to class 9, should be unconditionally promoted to the next higher class.

It also added that reopening of schools is left to the wisdom of the state government in consultation with the health department.

Khongjirem said it has been noticed that students’ response to the counseling/clearing of doubts sessions permitted by the government is very poor and attendance is negligible.

According to him, parents seem reluctant to send their children to school for fear of exposure to the virus.