Srinagar, Aug 17: With Jammu and Kashmir government miserably failing to restore normalcy in Kashmir, it has started training guns on the student community, asking it to be ready for exams even as mere 30 percent syllabus has been completed in the Valley schools so far. The announcement to have “single-paper scheme” for class 12th from this academic session has also drawn flak from the students and teachers, with Directorate of School Education (DSEK) unaware of the development.
 The student anguish surfaces barely two days after the Minister for Education, Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed, announced that the examination of classes 10th and 12th would be held in time and that there would be no curtailment in syllabus. It was also declared that there would be a “single-paper scheme” for class 12th from this academic session. 

VENEGEANCE: STUDENTS
 The announcements took both the students and teachers by surprise, with both communities asserting that it was just trifling with the students’ career as “just 30 to 40 percent syllabus has been completed in the Valley schools ever since the academic session began in March 2010.”
 “Schools are completely shut for the past 2-months. We haven’t covered more than 40 percent syllabus so far. How is it possible for us to sit in the exams?” said Anjum, a student of class 12th. “Either the government must ensure curtailment in syllabus or delay holding of examinations till we complete the syllabus. Asking students to be ready for exams in October is doing injustice with them.”
 The students accuse the Department of Education of taking them to task for none of their faults. “If the schools remained closed for 2-months, how are we responsible for it?” said Zaid, a student of SP Higher Secondary School here. “The government is punishing us. They want to make the student community a scapegoat and ensure that we perform badly in the examination. This is sheer conspiracy which must be done away with.”
 Interestingly, Peerzada’s missive has drawn flak from the teacher community too.

INJUSTICE: LECTURERS FORUM
 According to Jammu and Kashmir plus-Two Lecturers Forum, it would be “grave injustice” with 12th class students if single-paper scheme is implemented. “In April the government has made a commitment with the students that there won’t be any single paper scheme for class 12th and it would be implemented from 2011. How is the government backtracking this time?” asked the Forum president, Muhammad Usman. “And then students must be given some concessions keeping in view the 2-month long turmoil in Kashmir. They have not been able to leave their homes to attend schools or tuitions. So it is grave injustice with the student community.”

DSEK UNAWARE
 When contacted, the Director, School Education, Kashmir, Shagufta Parveen feigned ignorance about the single-paper scheme for class 12th. “I don’t know anything about it. I was not part of the meeting where this decision has been taken,” she told Greater Kashmir.
 Academics believe it was essential to educate students about the nitty-gritty of the single-paper scheme before it is implemented. “This is just thrusting something new on students who have already suffered immensely in the past two months,” said principal of a prominent higher secondary school in Srinagar.

WILL ENSURE WIDER CHOICE: BOSE
 The secretary, J&K State Board of School Education, Dr Sheikh Bashir Ahmad, said it was the decision taken by the state government. “The Board has to implement it. But we will ensure that students are given wider choice in the question papers, keeping in view the amount of syllabus they have been able to cover all these months,” he said, assuring that it would be a “pro-student decision.”
 He said the Board was exploring the modus operandi of setting the single-paper for class 12th. “I admit that we had made a commitment with the students that there won’t be single paper for class 12th this year, but since government has taken the decision, we have to implement it,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST