Friday, June 26, 2009

Education system set for winds of change

Today the first headline that I saw was the HRD minister Mr. Kapil Sibal's statement to make the tenth standard board exam optional depending on where the child continues his or her study and to have grading system for higher classes instead of marks.

During our time I remember we used to start having board exams starting with seventh grade followed by tenth grade and then the grand finale - the biggest exam which would decide our future the twelfth grade board exams. As we passed out of sixth standard folks would say 'you will have to study hard now that you are going to seventh grade; and hence will be writing the board exams. That was a big thing for us and getting good grades to get into eighth was therefore imperative.That marked our first milestone welcoming us to the world of competitive world of education.

Later that was replaced with board exam only for tenth and then twelfth standard. Now tenth board would be optional. I read mixed reviews from all quarters. The school managements feel that unless a clear guideline is worked out to assess the child this system might not be of much help. It would then make it difficult to gauge the progress made by each child. The parents on the other hand seem to be against making tenth board optional. They would rather have their children face the board exams.

I do not know what the ideal education system would be. I felt though the board exams were scrapped for the seventh grade we as parents are still seeing to it that the children prepare well for their exams irrespective of it being boards or no boards. Education is taken seriously. The pressure has still not come down for the children. Scores of children are still getting into coaching classes preparing for their IIT and other courses. Some start as early as sixth standard!

Now that the system is being revamped all eminent educationists, child psychologists, parents and anyone connected with education need to come together to workout a system which will help in bringing about revolutionary and positive changes for our future generation. Today as we stand on the verge of makng historic changes in or education system we need to move with great care and caution. What do you as parents feel about this new changes announced?

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