PANJIM: Goencho Avaaz has requested State government to put on hold the proposed Class X and Class XII board examinations in view of coronavirus scare.
While Class X examinations will be held from May 21 to June 6, the exams for remaining three Class XII papers will be undertaken from May 20 to 22.
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In a press statement, Goencho Avaaz co-convenor Viriato Fernandes said they request the government to immediately put on hold the examinations and instead consult prominent educationists, school authorities, teachers as well as broad representatives of parents before arriving at a mutually and socially safe accepted decision, failing which Goencho Avaaz will be forced to knock on the doors of the judiciary.
“We are shocked and alarmed at the most immature, irresponsible and ill thought of decision of the Education Department to go ahead with the Class X and XII examination in the midst of the pandemic of an unparalleled scale, with some confusing guidelines issued for conducting the examination,” he said.
He said that while government itself repeatedly appealing to the citizens to maintain social distancing as well as avoid coming together at common places, the decision of the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) seems bizarre and ill-conceived, especially with some of the decisions like headmasters accompanying the students to the examination centres.
“It is pertinent to note that at a time when the UGC and other premiere educational institutions across the country as well as the globe are advising/adopting to the online examination system to obviate the teachers as well as the students from falling prey to the pandemic, besides indefinitely postponing the examination till the situation improves, this sudden step by the GBSHSE is highly questionable and should be held in abeyance and a more safer and considerate manner may be adopted to complete the pending examination,” Fernandes said.
