The revelation of new grading
system of School Leaving Certificate is now the heat of the moment. No student
will fail the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) exams from next year have just
spread like a slogan. The government has decided to replace the evaluation of
students using the categorical 'pass', 'fail' by grade system. Students will be
graded on a 6-point scale from A+ to E.
As a general public, I read the
news, and then thought for some time for its pros and cons. But before I could
finalize its merits and demerits, the critics forwarded their opinion about it
and I am happy that this made my thought process easier. Some people have open
heartedly welcomed the new system where as some have drawn some criticisms on
it.
Here, I neither want to go for nor
against it because as far as I know, the personnel who have unveiled this
system are the ones who have experienced a lot, have gained lot of knowledge
and know more about our education system.
l also know that they must have done some research and backward planning
before making it public and deciding it to be executed from next year. After
reading the news, I had some questions.
Let me beg you; please don't call
me inpatient for my questions as I waited for a whole week to get it answered.
I went through the news portals and almost all the search engines to find out
its answers but couldn't find it. So finally I am penning it down.
According to the Curriculum
Development Center, a student's 10 years can't be judged with 32 marks. As many
students fail in the SLC examination due to the number grading system which has
caused negative effects on academic sector. But as far as the information I
have gained up to now, how is it so different from the present numbering
system?
As per the new system students
securing above 90 percentage will be graded A+ (Distinction) while percentage
from 80 to 89 will be given A (Excellent) grade. Likewise, 60 to 79 percentages
will secure B (Very good), 40 to 59 percentages under C (Good) and 25 to 39 percentages
under the D (Weak) grades. Students below 25 percentages will be listed in the
E (Very weak) grade. In this context, as per my knowledge, the system will only
replace the words 'Pass' and 'Fail' by some other better sounding adjectives
'Good' and 'Weak'. It still is categorical and it only focuses on the academic
excellence or on the basis of test papers of grade ten. What about those
students who don't excel in academic but are good beyond it. The system doesn't
mention about it. I may be wrong, but what I think is if we are concerned in
the over all negative effect of the prevalent system, then we all are waiting
for such system in which our children would be judged not only on the basis of
their text book knowledge but also beyond it, otherwise the psychological
effect would be the same after the results as those students who would feel
hurt with the word 'Fail' in their results would feel the same when they see
'Weak' in it.
I heard that the aim of this
grading system is to not only to improve the grading system but also to upgrade
the secondary level examination evaluation process. Sorry to ask here also but,
when the foundation is weak; will it not be difficult to say that we will
anyhow upgrade the top floor? Wouldn't it be more beneficial if we had started
it from the bottom level, so that our children would start being habituated on
it and even teachers would gain more knowledge on evaluation procedure of the
system itself?
Will the question papers and
module of question be same even in the new grading system? If not then,
teachers need to know the questions module also on time. Otherwise making
children do a new set of questions in haste may cause another problem as well.
Another question, we all know
that the best High Schools want to take the best students. So, what will be the
context if our High Schools would only admit the 'Distinction' 'Excellent',
'Very Good' and 'Good' grade holders? What will our 'Weak' and 'Very Weak'
children go? Don't they deserve to get the quality education? And what shall we
do with the 'Very Weak' students? Aren't we going to take their re-examination?
Or, are we going to let them go on their own way as any how they have completed
their schooling?
Last but not the least, I am a
Teach For Nepal Fellow and have been teaching for one and half years to the
secondary level students. And with this revelation, I have noticed a drastic
change in my students' behavior towards studying. Since, my experience in this
sector is less; I want to find out some solutions for myself as I have seen that
now a days they say that no one is going to fail SLC, so there is no matter of
putting up our effort on to it. I am a bit disappointed with their views. I am
surely not against their happiness but my concern is only that are they right?
How should I answer to their
queries? I would be grateful if I could get the answers on time so that when I
would guide them or start teaching them from next session, I may give them
correct guidelines and suggestions. Until and unless, I am clear on this
system, I can't help my kids on it. I am not sure but I think I represent the
feelings of some teachers who too are in quest for the answers.
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