Class 10, 12 syllabus to reduce further

CHENNAI: The syllabus for classes 10 and 12 is likely to be further reduced as the performance of students in government and government-aided schools in the initial learning-level assessment test has been poor. Nearly 50% of the portions mat be truncated, sources said.

As schools reopened from January 19 for classes 10 and 12, the School Education Department, had already reduced the syllabus between 35% and 40%. A senior official told DT Next that soonafter, assessment tests were also held.

He said the computer-based test, was based on portions in the textbooks. "However, most of schools reported that students could not clear the test since they did not have online classes," the official added. Though most private institutions held e-classes, government school students could not be part of such sessions. However, a few self-financing schools also reported students’ poor performance. Stating that the assessments test had over 100 MCQs on all subjects, the official said "a few students couldn’t even clear five questions."

After syllabus truncation, extra classes will be organised in government schools to help before the board exams. Officials claimed that a few government schools were yet to conduct assessment tests due to server issues and once all schools completed the tests, students’ performance would be assessed. The State government also announced 40% reduced curriculum for Class 9 students.