Team Herald
Panjim: Amidst the growing number of COVID cases in Goa, Congress has urged the Pramod Sawant-led government to cancel the upcoming Goa Board examination of class X and class XII to avoid possible scare of community transmission.
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Addressing media on Monday, Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat appealed and suggested that an alternative be found for the exam. He said that it is not fair to expose children to coronavirus and scorching heat.
Kamat said the government should advise Goa Board to take the opinion of experts from the field of education and health and find an alternative for Class X and Class XII examinations in the current scenario.
Pointing out that States like Punjab, Chhattisgarh have already cancelled exams and promoted the students, the former Chief Minister suggested that the same formula be adopted in Goa. He also said that as per Central government lockdown guidelines, educational institutions have to be remained shut.
“Almost 18,000 students will be appearing for the SSC examination and will have to maintain the norms of physical distancing and hygiene. The government cannot play with lives of 18,000 kids. Will the government take the responsibility to ensure safety of the students? There is every possibility of community transmission,” Kamat said.
“It will be like playing with the lives of young children by forcing them to appear for the examination. The students will be accompanied by their parents who will disturb the physical distancing norms to avoid COVID infection,” he added.
Congress Curtorim MLA Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco in a letter to the Chief Minister has urged to cancel the exams and promote the students based on internal marks.
“Given that it is an extraordinary situation created by the virus and the health safety of our students cannot be compromised; the students studying in class X and Class XII, whose papers are remaining to be answered must be promoted on the basis of internal assessments or average marks secured by them in their preliminary examination,” he added.
