School Education department officials in several districts in Tamil Nadu have begun to prepare teachers and school heads for conducting the Class 10 board exams which are scheduled to start from June 1.
On Friday, Chief Educational Officials (CEOs) of all districts participated in a meeting via video-conferencing with directors in the School Education department on the conduct of the Class 10 exams. Based on this, CEOs have begun to send out circulars as well as messages to their teachers with instructions.
“As a first step, heads of schools have been asked to ensure that teachers are available in the same district as their schools by May 18. From May 20, teachers and heads of schools are expected to start going to the school and help getting exam centres ready,” said a government school teacher from Chennai.
School headmasters have further been asked to collate details regarding the number of students taking up the exam, classrooms as well as furniture available since not more than 10 students will be taking up the exam in a classroom.
In a few districts, CEOs have informed schools that students can take up exams in their own schools and based on this, new hall tickets are expected to be given to the students.
Following the School Education Minister’s announcement about providing students with bus facilities to travel to the exam centres, schools have been asked to collate information about students who will need transport to the exam centres.
Lack of clarity on travel
For students who have been staying in other districts or States ever since the lockdown began, teachers have been asked to facilitate the process of applying for an e-pass to travel and ensuring that they reach home by May 25 to take up the exams.
“It will be tough for teachers to get this done given the process involved in applying and even if we do get passes for them, not all families can rent private transport for travel. There is still no word on public transport yet,” said Patric Raymond, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Graduate Teachers’ Federation.
P.K. Ilamaran, president of the Tamil Nadu Teachers Association, said that while they welcomed the School Education Department’s proposal for students to take up exams in their own schools, they were still concerned about the exams being scheduled early in June.
“We have been sent a voice message by Education department officials to help students obtain e-pass to travel. But with no clarity on buses or trains, parents and students are extremely worried as to how they can make it back on time.”
