Primary teachers can prepare question paper for half yearly exam

CHENNAI: With the half-yearly exam set to begin on December 19 for primary classes, the School Education Department has allowed elementary school teachers to prepare their own question paper or if need be, use the question paper set by the State Educational Research and Training Institute (SCERT). The half-yearly exams are scheduled between December 19 and 23.

Meanwhile, the teachers have opposed the SCERT circular which stated that uniform question papers with answer keys will be prepared for primary class students. The teachers alleged that having a uniform question paper is against Tamil Nadu government’s decision of opposing National Education Policy (NEP).

However, currently, the teachers have been told to prepare questions at the district-level for classes 6,7 and 8. And for classes 4 and 5, teachers can either prepare their own question paper or use the SCERT question paper as a sample.

Subsequently, in the case of middle and higher secondary classes, the department has directed the respective district Chief Education Officers (CEOs) to prepare the question papers for the half yearly exam that began on December 15. Though for the past few years, the question papers were common for all districts across the State and went to districts from the head office in Chennai, the practice is changed this year.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the department announced that the half-yearly exam holiday will commence from December 25 till January 1. The exams for all classes from 1 to 12, will be over by December 23.