Amidst rising COVID-19 cases and Omicron scare, the School Education Department is gearing up to conduct the first round of revision examinations for Class 10 and Class 12 in January. This has evoked concerns amongst parents and students as most schools are yet to complete the syllabus. As COVID-19 cases are soaring in the state and with the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors' Association calling for the closure of schools, parents and students are worried that schools might once again go on an indefinite lockdown, which would badly affect their children's education.
"There is a rise in COVID cases again. Frequently, we are coming across news of schools and colleges becoming COVID clusters. I am really scared to send my child to school. I don't know how schools are going to finish the syllabus and prepare students for the revision test in January," said K Prabha, mother of a Class 12 student.
This is the first time in two years that the students will be writing in-person exams and that is leading them to stress. For instance, Soumya Giridhar, a Class 10 student, said, "I know in January the revision test is scheduled just to make us practice for the board examination, but it will hardly serve any purpose if I am not able to write anything in the paper. I am not very confident about whatever was taught online and physical classes were not held regularly due to rains and festival holidays."
What are educationists saying?
Experts believe that the syllabus needs to be split between the two rounds of the revision; some part of the syllabus can be covered in the first test while the remaining should be covered in the second scheduled in March. Education activist Prince Gajendra Babu, said, "Students and teachers will be under tremendous pressure if the syllabus needs to be completed within January."
Even though schools in the state started functioning in September, up until now they have had only 60 working days — they were shut as heavy rains lashed parts of Tamil Nadu and then there were festive holidays — and the syllabus could not be covered in time. However, there are some teachers who are optimistic and say that there is nothing to worry about as the board exams are scheduled in May. Tamil Nadu Teachers' Association president PK Ilamaran, said, "Revision examinations are only for assessment so that we can help students improve their performance in board exams. There is no need to get scared at all."
