Adil Lateef
SRINAGAR, Nov 17: Government today announced mass promotion for all classes till 11th standard except 10th and 12th and said it will hold special classes during winters to compensate the loss suffered by the students due to months long unrest in the Valley.
According to an order issued by Commissioner/ Secretary, School Education Department, Shaleen Kabra, students of a large number of educational institutions of Kashmir valley could not attend classes after the summer vacation 2016 due to unrest and hartal called by separatists in the wake of killing of militant commander Burhan Wani.
“Whereas, prior to the onset of summer vacation in the Kashmir valley, partial assessment of students for Term 1 (T1) was made for classes 8th, 9th and 11th. However, the classes for completion of syllabi of Term 2 (T2) could not be held at all in majority of the schools of Kashmir valley…,” the Commissioner/ Secretary said in his order.
He further stated that the admission for new academic session is usually done in the month of November in the Winter Zone, and it is imperative that the new session commences on time so that the interest of the students can be safeguarded and normal academic activities are restored.
The order said that the year-end examinations of classes 8th, 9th and 11th comprises primarily of the syllabi of T2 with linkages to T1; and whereas, holding of the classes to cover the syllabi for T2 at this stage is not feasible even though it is noted that covering T2 syllabi is necessary to prevent adverse impact on the learning levels of the students of these classes.
The Commissioner/ Secretary added that School Education Department has also reviewed the policy of “No Detention” and vide Government Order number 338-Edu of 2016 dated 16.9.2016 introduced detention from classes 5th to 8th, based on performance in T1 and T2, provisionally, with remedial classes during vacation followed by reassessment and in case of inability to meet the qualification criteria, detention in that class.
Announcing waiving off of term 2 exams, the Commissioner/ Secretary said: “Whereas, the matter has been reviewed and in order to safeguard the academic interest of the students, it has been decided to waive off the T2 examination of Classes 8th, 9th and 11th as also defer the implementation of Government Order number 338 Edu of 2016 dated 16.9.2016, while simultaneously making arrangements for corrective measures wherever the learning levels are not up to the mark.”
The Commissioner’s order said that it is hereby ordered that the examination of Term 2 shall be waived off for the students of Classes 8th, 9th and 11th in all the Government Schools and recognized private schools of Kashmir valley and they shall be elevated to the next level with immediate effect. “It is further ordered that the Government Order number 338-Edu of 2016 dated 16.9.2016 shall take effect from calendar year 2017. As a consequence, the new academic calendar shall commence forthwith,” read the order.
Furthermore, the School Education Department shall hold additional classes during winters to compensate the loss suffered by the students and assess their learning level. “Remedial classes shall also be held for such students who are found to have unsatisfactory learning levels,” the Commissioner Secretary states.
Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) told Excelsior that the mass promotion is for all students from class 1st to class 11 barring 10th and 12th classes whose exams are underway. “We have got instructions to promote students to next classes forthwith,” he said. The Director made it clear that there is no plan of annual winter vacations in Kashmir Division and special classes shall be hold for students to compensate their losses.
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