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Covid-19: CBSE Grade 12 assessment slightly ambiguous, say educators in UAE

Dubai - The results will be declared by July 31.

Computing scores of three years to determine the Grade 12 CBSE marks may affect students’ overall performance, educators in the UAE have said.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Thursday submitted its assessment system for Grade 12 students to the Indian Supreme Court. The results will be declared by July 31.

The CBSE said for Grade 12, marks based on unit test/mid-term/pre-board exam will have 40 per cent weightage; Grade 11 marks, based on the theory component of the final exam, will have 30 per cent weightage; and Grade 10 marks, based on average theory component of the best three performing subjects out of the main 5 subjects, will have 30 per cent weightage.

Muhammad Ali Kottakkulam, Principal, Gulf Indian High School Dubai, explained that considering Grade 11 marks may affect the overall scores. This is because “students very rarely” maintain their Grade 10 and 12 performances in Grade 11.

Reasons include a “sudden leap in the volume and depth of the syllabus content from Grade 10 to 11”, he explained.

Students unhappy, confused about marking pattern

“Mostly, they … regain their performance only by the end of Grade 12,” he said. “However, we all understand that this is only what is possible in the present circumstances, to ensure fair awarding of marks to students.”

Fathima Shareif, school assessment coordinator, Gulf Model school, said the assessment scheme is “slightly ambiguous” as the results are not directly proportional to the student performance in the final exams. “A student who fared well in Grade 10 may not produce the same result in Grade 11 or 12. This could be vice-versa, too.

“However, a critical scenario like this may demand us to break the conventional evaluation technique and experiment with a more scientific method that will help the students to score better,” she added.

Fatima Martin, Principal, GEMS New Millennium School – Al Khail, said that the tracking of the past three years’ academic performance will not serve students who have demonstrated “an exceptional spike” in academic progress and grit in Grade 12.

This is especially in the context that, in CBSE Grade 11, students choose subject options of interest and look to realise their tertiary education dreams.

“However, for students who have been academically focused and consistent over the past three years, the assessment plan stands to hold them in good stead,” she said.

Dr Heena Rachh, Principal, Global Indian International School, Abu Dhabi, opined that Grade 12 results should have been computed based only on Grade 12 performances.

Challenges

Fathima Shareif said the assessment pattern has left the students with no choice of bettering their performance as 60 per cent of the score is already fixed (from Grades 10 and 11).

“The remaining 40 per cent may not have a telling difference in their scores.

Fatima Martin said the main challenge in computing the marks would be to keep the score tally fair to each student who has had a “challenging pan-academic year, and students who rely on the scores to receive university confirmations”.

Dr Heena Rachh said a lot of data would need to be processed and calculations, done, while Kottakkulam suggested that clear directions should be provided to Indian and foreign universities to modify their admissions criteria in accordance with these changes.

Meanwhile, Asma Gilani, Principal/CEO, Our Own English High School, Sharjah, said the school is well-prepared to carry out the assessments. “We have the scores ready for all students. CBSE Board practical exams were also conducted onsite and the marks for all 269 of our candidates were uploaded in April 2021.”

Fatima Martin said the school has all data centralised “on our assessment and reporting system. The CBSE assessment plan weightage will need to be factored in.”

ayaz@khaleejtimes.com