Holding of PEC exams
Repeated changes
in the authoritys decision are not desirable and those may not augur well for the future of young learners
The cabinet recently rejected the primary and mass education ministrys proposal to scrap the primary education completion (PEC) examinations. According to a report in this newspaper yesterday, the cabinet said various matters like infrastructure, recruitment of teachers and training are yet to be elaborately discussed in respect of the recent extension of primary education to Class VIII. So, the primary terminal examination in Class V and the junior school certificate exam in Class VIII will be held as usual. Earlier, the primary and mass education ministry had said that it did not want to hold the primary terminal examination in Class V as the primary level was extended to Class VIII.
The authority had decided to hold the primary education completion examination in Class V for the last time this year, but guardians and students demanded cancellation of the primary terminal examination in that class terming it as burden on students. An ultimatum also came from the Guardians Forum in the capital to cancel the examinations by July 10. Repeated changes in the authoritys decision are not desirable and those may not augur well for the future of young learners in the country.
In these days of soaring prices of essential commodities, the educational expenses have also gone up, adversely affecting the guardians of students. How many guardians are solvent enough to bear the same? The PEC examination is putting a lot of pressure on the young learners and the guardians have to spend additional amounts of money to prepare their wards for facing the same. The new decision will also encourage coaching centre and guidebook business.
There is hardly any scope for endless experimentation with education. This may do more harm than good to students and their guardians. A well-thought-out decision is the need of the hour. The budding learners are the future of the country and putting them in a complex situation will not bring any benefit. It would be prudent for the authorities concerned to come to a decision that will be congenial for the young learners. Putting additional pressure on them will only add to their burdens.
