Minimum marks practice must be implemented in school education, while remedial learning will make it easy for students, said participants in a conclave
A chunk of the participants at a day-long education conclave on assessment reforms held in the State capital on Tuesday were in favour of implementing assessment reforms in phases in Class X. They were also for introducing minimum marks in a subject.
The participants stressed the need to make students and parents aware of the minimum marks practice and equipping them to adapt to the change.
It was stressed that beyond a test of their memory, the assessment system should be able to test students on their skills and abilities.
Remedial learning, CCE
Assessment, feedback, and remedial learning should be implemented to strengthen continuous evaluation. Remedial learning through continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) will make it easy for students to achieve the minimum marks.
There should be clarity on continuous and comprehensive evaluation and training should be given to teachers on how to implement it. Problems in implementing CCE, especially award of full marks across the board, should be addressed.
The participants who opined that CCE was effective earlier owing to proper implementation of guidelines mooted a two-tier monitoring system for it.
Marginalised students
Concerns were expressed that the assessment reforms would sideline students from marginalised communities. A package should be tailored for them.
A package to ensure education and assessment reached transgender students in tribal areas was also mooted. Another recommendation was to post teachers familiar with tribal languages in tribal areas.
Conclave voices
Though voicing support for improving academic standards, the pro-Left Kerala School Teachers’ Association expressed its reservations to proposal of minimum marks. In 2015, those who got D+ was 27.96%. This came down to 9.44% in 2024. However, this year those who secured D+ and C grade were 16.3% in the general category, but significantly higher at 45.6% for Scheduled Castes and 62.5% for Scheduled Tribes. This meant their prospects of higher education looked bleak. So failing such a large number of ST students will be unjustified, KSTA general secretary Badarunnisa K. said.
Meanwhile, the Students Federation of India flagged the alleged bid to denounce the State’s public education sector. However, its State secretary, P.M. Arsho, criticised the rush in enforcing reforms in education. “Problems in CCE stems from its ineffective implementation and should not be seen as the students’ fault. Minimum marks in SSLC would end up in failing students who had not achieved the required cut-off. Rather, it is the teachers who were unsuccessful in supporting the children,” Mr. Arsho pointed out, alleging that many students would be forced out of the education system.
Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishath representative O.M. Sankaran questioned for whom and why the assessments were being considered. Abandoning the all-inclusive system followed till now was dangerous. It should be ensured that all students cleared Class XII. There should be no going back on this. Students should not be made to suffer from problems in making evaluation effective.
