After receiving flak from all quarters, the Tamil Nadu government has planned to roll back its previous decision to hold public examinations for classes 5 and 8.
With opposition from different quarters for public exams for students of classes 5 and 8, the #TamilNadu government on Tuesday decided to cancel the measure.
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— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) February 4, 2020
Providing much relief to the students, Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday (February 4), in a statement released by School Education Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan, announced its decision to scrap the September 2019 Government order that was meant to introduce Public exams for State board students of classes 5th and 8th, starting March-April 2020.
Reportedly, there was an order passed on 13th September 2019 by Tamil Nadu government, stating that there will be board exams for 5th and 8th standards from the current academic year.
The statement said, “We received a lot of feedback and comments from various stakeholders in the education sector about the exams. And taking all this into consideration, we have decided to stop the board exams for the Class 5 and 8 students”. This simply means that the earlier pattern of the exam system will sustain further.
Minister for School Education K.A. Sengottaiyan had affirmed that several representations and suggestions from the public had received following an announcement in September last year to hold public exams for these classes.
“The government has taken all this into consideration and has cancelled the government order to conduct examinations for classes 5 and 8. We will revert to the regular existing system of exams,” he said in a statement”, he said.
The order passed had come under intense criticism from all sides. Educationists and Activists advocated against putting children under immense stress by making them appear for public exams at this age.
Stakeholders highlight that such a policy could end up causing an increase in child labour as parents of “non-performing” or “under-performing” students who belong to lesser fortunate sections of society would discourage their wards from continuing their schooling.
Moreover, activists have emphasized that having board exams for classes 5 and 8 would only deprive the children of the freedom and joy, as they would be pressured by parents to perform well in the board exams right from their 5th grade up until they complete their schooling.
Recently, a Class 8 student from Peerkankaranai had allegedly committed suicide and his parents had suspected that the stress over the board exams could have pushed him to take the extreme step.
