Dist education dept organises anti-copying campaign
To create awareness against mass copying through the second phase of 'Nakal Virodhi Abhiyan' Amritsar, the district education department on Tuesday organised a mini-marathon wherein more than 400 students participated.
To create awareness against mass copying through the second phase of 'Nakal Virodhi Abhiyan' Amritsar, the district education department on Tuesday organised a mini-marathon wherein more than 400 students participated.
The mini-marathon was flagged off by additional deputy commissioner Bhupinder Singh from Madhav Vidya Niketan School, Ranjit Avenue. This drive was headed by district education officer (DEO) Satinder Bir Singh.
The DEO said, "Anti-copying campaign will be an actual success if the parents who encourage cheating, the teachers who are part of this immorality, the students who are unaware about the disadvantage of copying and most importantly the higher authorities would consider bringing about some changes in the education and examination systems".
The next initiative being planned by the DEO would be publicising big banners in all major examination centres of the district which would state 'Kirpa karke, nakal di safarish karke sharminda na karo (Please don't embarrass us by recommending permission for use of unfair means)'.
He said, "The need is to make parents understand that today if help your lad get through by using political influence and approaches, you would be the one to be blamed for their bleak future. Parents should snub their children if they plan to do this kind of immoral deeds to pass an examination instead of promoting unfair means".
Satinder Bir Singh said that copying and cheating cases during examinations have reduced over the past five years. There has been 15% improvement because teachers are not made aware of their examination duty centres much in advance.
The DEO appreciated that random shuffling done by the online software enables a teacher to know his or her centre.
The DEO has also started regular monthly meetings in which school heads are called and encouraged to install CCTV cameras in the examination halls which would restrict students to cheat.
He said that he has also forwarded some suggestions to education minister Daljit Singh Cheema and Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) chairman Tejinder Kaur Dhaliwal through which mass copying can be eradicated.
"I suggested them amendment in our examination system which has many loopholes. Basically, open book system should be introduced in the state and only 20-25 marks should be allotted to the bookish knowledge. It is the cramming fear which leads to cheating, if that will be changed why a child will copy. The examinations should have major portion of multiple choice questions and practical knowledge which would increase child's IQ and dignity of teachers," he said.
"Also, quality teachers should be employed, especially in the rural area schools, to impart quality education," he added.
