Parents in Haryana oppose their ward's promotion

Strange as it may sound but parents in Haryana are asking teachers not to pass their wards in primary classes as they don't have class-appropriate competence.

Strange as it may sound but parents in Haryana are asking teachers not to pass their wards in primary classes as they don't have class-appropriate competence.

More than 25,000 such requests have been received from parents from across the state, mainly from rural areas, as most of them say their children are not fit to be promoted, say state education department officials.

"We have decided to abolish the semester system in the schools from the next session," education minister Ram Bilas Sharma told IANS on Friday.

He said now the teachers have been made accountable to ensure that each child acquires class-appropriate competencies.

"From class 1 to 8, there will be monthly evaluation of the students. And to further improve the school education system, a report will be sent to the central government," the minister said.

He said though the semester system in class 9 and 11 has been abolished from this year, the system would be continued for class 10 and 12 this year.

A senior official in the education department said after the introduction of the comprehensive and continuous evaluation system, there has been a noticeable decline in the standards of education at the primary and elementary levels.

"There is a need to amend the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act of 2009," he said.

"Only those students should be promoted from Class 8 who have attained certain quantum of knowledge. There should be re-introduction of fail or pass system, and not giving compulsory promotion to every student till the age of 14. This affects the quality of attaining education by students, who scored low grades, in higher classes," the official, who wished not to be named, told IANS.

To arrest the declining level of education, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has issued directions to follow systematic and timely assessment of learning levels of the students.

An internal survey recently conducted by the education department revealed that a majority of Class 6 students in government schools are not able to comprehend textbooks meant for students of Class 2. Likewise, students of Class 3 could not read a text meant for Class 1.