Schools have been asked to grade students on the basis of projects and assignments.
New Delhi: As no classroom teaching and learning happened due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Delhi government has issued guidelines for its schools for assessments of the students up to class 8. According to the guidelines of the Directorate of Education (DoE), the offline examinations have been ruled out and the schools have been asked to grade the students on the basis of projects and assignments. The guidelines have been issued to the government-run and aided schools for assessment for the 2020-21 academic session.
Rita Sharma, Additional Director of Education, Delhi said: “Since no classroom teaching and learning has taken place at the primary and middle levels, the formal mode of pen-and-paper assessment will be replaced by a subject-wise assessment of projects and assignments for Classes 3 to 8.”
As per the guidelines, for Classes 3 to 5, 30 marks will be for assessment based on worksheets, 30 for the assignments given in winter breaks, and 40 marks for the assignments and projects provided from March 1-15. Similarly, for Classes 6 to 8, 20 marks will be for assessment based on worksheets, 30 for assignments given in winter breaks, and 50 marks for assignments and projects provided from March 1 to 15.
“In case a student does not have access to a digital device or internet, the assignments and projects will be given in hard copies by calling his parents to the school while following Covid-19 guidelines,” Sharma said.
After the notifications, the schools have started preparing for the assessment of these students.
Alka Kapur, Principal, Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi, told The Sunday Guardian: “We are living in trying times wherein it is of paramount importance to protect lives above everything else. The modus operandi of the Indian education system has undergone a transformation. Hence, the decision of the Delhi government regarding the promotion of students to class 8 is a justified and welcome move. We at MPS have been assessing and grading students on the basis of their assignments, online quizzes, project work along with online examination. Keeping the current scenario in mind, the weightage of project work, assignments, etc will be more in comparison to the online examination. Students will have to judiciously use their digital resources to gather meaningful information, develop an understanding and form an opinion on the same, and present it coherently. On the flip side, all the teachers will have to get accustomed to digital evaluation and grading systems which reduce a lot of redundancy and paperwork. It’s a win-win decision for all, let’s commit to learning safely.”
Meanwhile, some parents are also relieved after the notifications as they were worried that the children might contract the infection.
Santosh Kumar, whose son is in class 7, told The Sunday Guardian: “The students didn’t get a chance to get the required guidance and go through the normal study schedule. They didn’t learn anything. I don’t think these students are ready to face the offline examinations and the pressure that comes with them. Also, I am still worried that they might contract the infection as they are kids and can’t take proper precautions. Undoubtedly, this pandemic has disrupted the education of the children. I hope that things will get normal again.”