Conduct of Grade 5 scholarship exam deserves serious rethink

I have just read the interview by the Sunday Times of Mohan Lal Grero, a well respected and popular educationalist, captioned “Grade 5 exam harmful to children”. This should be a thought to be considered seriously for the sake of the mental health of our future generations.

Most of us born in the last century, enjoyed our childhood. Those born in villages, running around paddy fields or jumping into streams of water, living with nature and its surroundings. We came home tired and refreshed, a few hours of homework, sleep peacefully and school next day. Those born in cities, played after school and were stress free at home or in school.

As the Grade 5 examination became more and more competitive, the child from the city or the village was stressed by the ambitious parents, who saw the future in the higher education of their child- get into a prestigious school in the hope of gaining a university Degree, become a doctor, engineer, lawyer, administrator etc. This prompted parents to start tutoring their children, often unaffordable to many parents, but the poorer borrowing or working harder, to afford these extra classes.

The stress is greater on such children, as Mr. Grero states, and will lead to an unhealthy nation, because the nation of children Grades 2-5 work under stress. Is this a desirable situation for our country?

It is true, the Grade 5 scholarship exam has paved the way for thousands of doctors, lawyers, administrators, etc from far away villages and towns. Is the sacrifice still worth it? Is there no other less competitive way to select Grade 5 scholars?

A solution would be more super grade schools needed per district, which the Mahinda Chinthanaya plans for. Till such plans bear fruit, could the education authorities also consider the following recommendations?

1. Grade 5 scholars should be tested on IQ, with the IQ questions made as objective as possible, so that parents will not send their children to train them on IQ.

2. Grades 2-5 tuition should not be allowed, schools could provide extra classes.

3. Broadbased questions on General Knowledge, so that children would at least read the children’s paper- which will not cost as much as tuition classes.