PUNE: The Central Board of Secondary Education plans to introduce an assessment system meant for students of Standard V and VIII called Structured Assessment For Analysing Learning (SAFAL), which will help understand the ease or difficulty of a child's learning.
In phase one, the assessment will be conducted in about 20,000 schools across the country.
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) officials said it would not be an examination for a child to pass or fail in. It was only to identify the ease with which students understand subjects and concepts. It is to comprehend where a child stands as far as learning outcomes are concerned so that teachers and the board can analyse the results and, subsequently, understand which topics are difficult or easy for students. This would help them act accordingly.
The examination is expected be conducted online in schools and where that was not possible, it would be conducted offline. Meanwhile, the CBSE is working on developing a play-based assessment pattern for Class III students. Dr Joseph Emmanuel, director (academics), CBSE, said there was a recommendation in the National Education Policy (NEP) to measure learning levels of children at key stages of schooling. "Accordingly, CBSE has developed SAFAL for students of classes V and VIII. As a pilot, the assessment model was attempted by around 4 lakh students in about 1,900 schools in India and 11 in foreign countries in February."
The CBSE was still in the process of developing an assessment framework for Class III. "It may take some more time, but we are going ahead with the assessment for classes V and VIII for the upcoming academic year."
Emmanuel said, "SAFAL will be conducted in a non-threatening environment. The aim is to get feedback on effectiveness of the teaching and learning. It will not decide the passing or failing of students. The survey will be organised in a joyful environment." The results would be a feedback to all stakeholders in the educational progress and growth of students.
The assessment would be based on questions focused on competency that connect concepts to real life. "We will check the children's ability to apply concepts learned in classes in real-life situations," he added.
The focus of SAFAL is to develop competencies like reading with comprehension, understanding and application skills. The plan would allow feedback on effectiveness of classroom transactions and to identify learning gaps, if any, to take remedial actions at the correct time.
"There may be problems in the teaching. If in a particular class, all students struggle with a concept, then the problem could be with the teaching and not with the students. Students will not be given marks at the end, but assigned categories based on their proficiency," said Emmanuel.
SAFAL would be conducted free for students, whereas educational systems may have to bear a minimum cost.
He further said, "Within four years, all schools should be able to conduct the assessment. The survey will happen in multiple batches."
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