Maharashtra govt plans to test ‘no-fail’ baseline for students

Students from Std I to VIII might not be learning basic concepts because of the “no-fail policy” under the Right to Education Act, the state government believes.

To lay these worries at rest, the education department is thinking of introducing baseline tests to find out if students have
really gained any knowledge in mathematics or improved their reading abilities.

A senior education department official said the project is still in the conceptual stage. “Once approved, the system will initially apply to state-run and government-aided primary schools,” he said. The tests, of 30-minute duration, would be conducted every two months.

Teachers would have to submit the results to the government.

The tests, part of the continuous comprehensive evaluation system which has replaced the traditional exam-oriented system in schools, are likely to start from next month. The official made it clear that the tests would not affect a student’s chances of being promoted.

“They should not feel stressed about these baseline tests,” he said. “These tests will act as a diagnostic tool to check the most basic educational concepts.

“Our state has been lagging behind in certain key areas like maths and reading. This will help us to understand how much progress has been made and what more needs to be done.”

The Annual Status of Education Report (Rural), conducted by the Delhi-based NGO Pratham, said in its 2010 report that 58.6% of Std V students could not perform division and 53.3% of Std III students could not do subtraction.

The “no-fail policy” makes it mandatory for schools to promote students till Std VIII irrespective of their exam results.
 
“We are worried that there is no substantial way to measure a student’s basic learning abilities,” the official said. “Also, it would be difficult for them to cope with exams in higher classes.”

While some schools have welcomed the move to introduce baseline tests, others are apprehensive that it would burden teachers. The government had introduced the tests in 2006 but shelved them following large-scale protests by teachers and parents.

Basanti Roy, educationist, felt the testing system would add to the troubles of already overburdened teachers. “Such tests could reduce the time teachers spend on teaching. Instead, they would be bogged down with checking test papers, along with continuous assessment of students,” she said.

Father Francis Swamy, principal of Holy Family School in Andheri, said, however, that such tests were needed. “This system will act as a feedback mechanism and it will ensure that learning is taking place,” he said.