Min announces major changes in general education sector

AMID ALLEGATIONS that the quality of general education is declining, a high-level meeting of the General Education Department has decided to implement minimum marks scheme from Class V to IX.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Kozhikode

This was informed by Education Minister V Sivankutty at a press conference in Kozhikode on Saturday.

It was earlier decided that students should obtain at least 30 per cent marks in the year-end exams in Class VIII, subject-wise, and that students who do not achieve this should be promoted to the next class by providing additional study support during the vacation.

This suggestion drew a lot of social attention. Students, teachers and parents realised the importance of the study support. Along with this, we also realised the importance of achieving the learning objectives in each class. This is not an activity that should be done only after the end-of-year examination, the minister said.

In Classes V to IX, 30 per cent marks will be mandatory for written examinations on a subject-wise basis. The minister said that this is not to limit or filter out the excellence of children to 30 per cent, but to raise all children to the desirable level set by the curriculum.