[Reader-list] Schools wait and watch over effectiveness of CCE: Article by Meera Srinivasan

[Chintan]

>From http://beta.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article103975.ece

Standard IX students in Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools
are gearing up for their first major summative assessment for the year, as
part of the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE).

Earlier this academic year, the CCE was introduced for Standard IX, in which
students’ performance is evaluated using formative and summative assessment.
The move followed the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s decision to
make school education less stressful for students.

Some schools think it might be a tad early to comment on the effectiveness
of the CCE. “We are still getting used to the system and we will be in a
better position to comment on it next year. I am sure it will work out
well,” says Kanti Ramakrishnan, Vice-Principal, Chinmaya Vidyala, Taylor’s
Road.

According to Ajit Prasad Jain, Senior Principal of Bhavan’s Rajaji
Vidyashram, examination-related anxiety and stress among students has come
down considerably. “Many think that the CCE is just about unit tests, but
that’s not true. Assessment is based on interaction with the teacher,
project work, homework, and so on,” he explains.

Emphasising the need for mentoring and monitoring in the system, the Board
recently held a training programme for principals. “We would, in turn, train
other principals and teachers in the region,” says Mr. Jain, who attended
the training programme in New Delhi.

However, a recent circular from the CBSE to schools has also raised some
questions. The note talks of the need for uniformity in summative assessment
across schools. As a result, the CBSE has prepared question papers for
various subjects and mailed the CDs to schools.

While Mr. Jain says uniformity would help schools, heads such as C. Satish,
Senior Principal, R.M.K. Group of Schools, wonder if it is another,
indirect, way of conducting a board examination.

“We’ve had formative assessment so far, but if it’s going to be a common,
final examination as part of the summative assessment component, is it not
like any other board examination?” Mr. Satish asks.

Teachers are forced to do a lot of clerical work documenting students’
performances systematically, he addssuggesting that the Board strengthen its
teacher-training processes. “We need regular follow-up meetings with the
Board, so teachers can discuss the challenges they face. There are talks
about introducing the system for Standard XI. The present challenges have to
be addressed first.”

On whether the CBSE had planned to collect feedback on the CCE, its Regional
Officer N. Nagaraju said the CDs with the examination questions were being
sent directly from New Delhi. “We will speak to the schools after the
examinations,” he said.