Nation: India’s ICSE Board exams deferred
EXAM OPTION MAY ‘UNSETTLE’ SOME GRADE 10 STUDENTS
Schools in the UAE following the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) curriculum will have to evaluate their options after the board yesterday postponed grade 10 and 12 exams due to a surge in Covid-19 cases in India.
Both exams were scheduled to be held on May 4.
‘Are children old enough to make that decision?’
In Dubai, principals of schools following the ICSE curriculum welcomed the decision. Nargish Khambatta, principal and CEO of GEMS Modern Academy and vice-president – Education, said: “Given the current spike in cases in India, one can understand the decision to defer the exams and review the situation on June 1. Our students are being given ample support to navigate these stressful times with emphasis on well-being programmes.”
Khambatta, however, added: “Grade 10 ICSE students have been given a choice to appear for onsite exams or choose not to. From an educator’s perspective, this raises two questions: Firstly, are children old enough to make that decision?
“Secondly, with exams being delayed, how will teachers cover a 10-month curriculum in six months [for the new batch of students]? Our teachers have a backup plan and this will be a good opportunity for the council to overhaul the core curriculum and keep it relevant.”
‘Schools will have to decide plan for grade 11 classes’
Sheela Menon, principal of Ambassador School, Dubai, had a word of caution, noting that the option provided to grade 10 students may turn out to be unsettling for them. “Moreover, schools will have to decide their plan for grade 11 classes. It might be another year of disappointment for grade 12 students, considering the plans they have for higher studies,” she explained.
Menon added: “At Ambassador School, for both for grade 10 and 12, since the classes were conducted smoothly in accordance with distance learning or according to a blended-learning model — thanks to the UAE government for ensuring strict measures to control the pandemic — the students had appeared for multiple pre-board examinations and we have the relevant data to share with the council. We hope and pray that students are soon able to return to their normal routine.”
‘Under control’
Lata Nakra, principal of JSS International School, felt that the situation in the UAE was under control. “Having said that, students have worked hard and looked forward to proving their mettle in the board examinations. This postponement might only extend the anxiety that students and their families are going through,” Nakra said.
“Nevertheless, with the past years’ experience, it may not come as a surprise for the students as they have learnt lessons in resilience through the pandemic. We are confident that they will take it in their stride and emerge successful” she added.