Parents oppose no-fail policy

BHUBANESWAR: Parents and teachers have expressed displeasure over the "no detention policy till class-VIII" in schools. They feel the rule will affect the academic standards of students.
Examinations make students disciplined and infuse competitive spirit, the parenst and teachers opined in unison at a state-level convention organised by the All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) here on Sunday.
Somnath Mohapatra, the headmaster of a primary school in Puri district, said: "As such, students in Oriya-medium schools are poor in studies as most of them belong to underprivileged section of the society. If there is no examination, they will turn out to be non-serious with hardly an interest in studies. Abolition of exams in lower classes will create problem for them in the subsequent years."
Utkal University professor of physics (retired) Niranjan Barik raised a question over the government's motive behind the policy. "While other countries have started replicating the examination process of India, here the government is abolishing it. Exams and tests are important as they make students more competitive. It would not be wise to implement no-fail policy in schools. Without giving importance on quality teachers and improving academic interests of students, the government has been adopting wrong policies, leading the education system to crumble.
Parents and teachers in the convention urged the state government to withdraw the no-detention policy and continue the examination system.
"A student of Class II or III doesn't understand what a no-fail policy means. But his or her attitude towards classroom behaviour or academics will become negative. Teachers might come up with strategies to handle the situation but we cannot ignore the fact that once a student enters Class X or XII, he or she will have to sit for board exams and face the pressure later. Even if they pass easily now, they will have to face the competitive world later," rued Anjana Das, a parent.