S. Poorvaja a class X student of a CBSE school offers to demystify Pythagoras’ Theorem without the slightest provocation. “I understood the theorem really well because I actually cut the triangles and did the equations through an activity,” she said. “I wish CCE had been introduced when I was in class VIII,” sighed the 15-year old.
The Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) system which was ushered in with tremendous expectations in the State this year, and CBSE schools two years ago, promises joyful learning, inclusive classrooms and a world sans stress for students. But amidst cheer, this system relying extensively on last mile implementation, and interpretation by the schools, also has its set of challenges.
Shobana M. a class VIII student at a Chennai Corporation school said, exclaimed how her brother who studies in class IX does not have CCE, a system which replaces the conventional examination and assessment pattern with a series of activities and short assessments over the course of the term. “We learnt how fungus gets is formed, and it cost me nothing,” she said, adding, and in her class, they used bangles, and bottle caps to understand circles. “We were asked to bring any article in the shape of a circle, and we calculated the circumference of articles like bangles and caps of bottles, instead of a drawing on the black board,” she said.
While CBSE splits the academic year into two terms with each term carrying 50 per cent weightage, the State Board Syllabus is split into trimesters each adding up to 100 marks. Students are given slip tests, and individual and group activities as part of their formative assessment, and a theory paper at the end of the term called summative assessment. Though there are list of suggested activities, schools and teachers have the flexibility and autonomy to design activities that suit the students. “The feedback so far from schools has been encouraging. Tamil Nadu is a vast state and CCE has the flexibility to accommodate local cultures. Children from coastal areas and hilly areas can use locally available materials in projects and make it a part of their curriculum,” said D. Sabitha, secretary, School Education Department, adding, “We split the academic year into three trimesters so that the burden on the child is reduced.”
However, when a principal of a matriculation school in north Madras said that the system had shifted the burden from the student to the teacher, she was echoing the view of several others. Under the system, around four activities and four slip tests are conducted in every subject, of which the best two are taken into account, marks converted into a grade and added to the marks of the summative assessment. Teachers who are expected to maintain tedious records, complain that they often take plenty of work back home. While some schools like Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidyashram, say that they have put a software in place to help teachers make entries , for many the system has meant constant record-keeping .
Opinion on whether or not it has reduced the burden on students, however, remains divided. While teachers say that students focus on activities while ignoring the written examination, parents say that their children were being asked to make elaborate projects for which they had to procure materials.
H. Chandana, who does not have internet at home said that she has to visit the browsing centre often. “They charge Rs. 25 per hour and there is also the additional expense of taking print outs. I try to get information from the school library as well, and during the break times, there is racket in the library. I take close to 20 print outs each week,” she says.
P. Harish Kumar, her father, complains that he has to set out every week to buy materials for the activities. “Though CCE has is good for students, and brings in grades instead of marks, “The activities could be simpler. I spend over two hours just going from shop to shop to buy all the materials and have spent close to Rs. 200 on a single project. When we are asked to purchase items which are available only in bulk, we split it among parents,” he said.
Malavika S. Bedre, a class VIII student feels her evenings are spent cutting and pasting, with little emphasis on the content. Though the theory paper has come down to 60 marks from 100 marks, the portions remain the same, she said. “We spend entire evenings doing the activities. Though the theory paper’s mark has been reduced to 60, the portion and the timing of the examination has not changed . So we are studying as much, but instead of being given 10 marks for letter writing, we are being given 5 marks, for instance,” she said. She adds that instead of bringing down the burden, CCE has made her evenings more hectic. “With so many activities and tests in all the subjects we feel like we are constantly being evaluated. And certain days we are given only a day to complete an activity. We barely got time to study,” she noted.
Teachers say that several students did not take the 60 mark theory paper seriously, as they already scored 40 through activities. To that, S.S. Rajagopalan, educationist, says that the pass percentage in schools must be increased. “The pass mark is still 35 per cent, so those who score just enough to pass carry 65 per cent ignorance to the next academic year, and this continues year after year,” he said. In the erstwhile Soviet Union, the pass percentage was 80 per cent, and Instead of testing children on wha they don’t know, they should be tested on what is known to them rather than unknown, and pass percentage must be increased,” We must move towards that,” he said.
G. Balasubramanian, former director, academics, CBSE, said that though conceptually CCE is the best instrument for experiential learning, activities must be cost-effective and situational. , and must help the student understand the concept. “The challenge is the transformation in pedagogy and change in the mindset of teachers. The focus should not be on assimilation of knowledge, instead the child must be able to apply the concept in a real time experience. It makes a shift from conditioned learning to free learning and it is a paradigm shift and the way forward. Here the teacher becomes a co-learner,” he said.
Ms. Vijaylakshmi who trains post graduate students on CCE feels that students should be participants in the assessment process. “A project should be designed in such a way that the child employs all his sensory organs. The prime group is the teachers who have to understand and take the process to the students. If a project is planned well, it should reflect in the theory paper,” she said.
V.P. Matheswaran, head, department of education, University of Madras, said the system would go a long way in bringing down drop-out rates and stagnation, because it increases the productivity of the students by constantly engaging them. “Since assessment is done through the term, teachers can identify learning difficulties early on and take remedial measures immediately instead of waiting till the end of the term,” he said.
School principals and teachers said several parents were upset with the grading system, and felt there was no differentiation between a child who scored 92 marks and 98. However, Mr. Rajagopalan, calls these grades an administrative convenience.
“Marks are awarded, and then converted into grades. In the West, each answer is given a grade, and there is an elaborate weightage system. But since there are a large number of candidates here, it is not possible,” he said.
He suggested that an appellate body be set up in every school to address grievances of students. “CCE is a wholesome practice and must be done very carefully but the personal experiences and prejudices of the teacher must not reflect in the assessment,” he added.
Teachers say that though class averages have gone up, it is largely due to the marks scored in activities. They say that several students did not take the 60 mark theory paper seriously, as they already scored 40 through activities. To that, Mr. Rajagopalan says that the pass percentage in our schools must be increased. “The pass mark is still 35 per cent, so those who score just enough to pass carry 65 per cent ignorance to the next academic year, and this continues year after year. In the erstwhile Soviet Union, the pass percentage was 80 per cent, and Instead of testing children on what they don’t know, they should be tested on what is known to them rather than unknown, and pass percentage must be increased. We must move towards that,” he said.
