The Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teacher Organisations and Government Employees Organisations (JACTTO GEO) has urged the state government to postpone the Class 10 public examinations scheduled on June 1 to save the teachers and students from the coronavirus infection.
According to a press release issued by the JACTTO GEO on Wednesday, the Tamil Nadu Education Minister Sengottaiyan on Tuesday released the timetable for Class 10 public exams set to take place between June 1 and June 12. However, the announcement has brought angst to thousands of Class 10 students who are set to attend the exams and their parents. When the state and the Central government have not decided on ending or extending the lockdown, the announcement of the Minister is ‘deplorable’, it said.
The Class 10 public examinations were earlier scheduled to take place between March 27 to April 13 but were postponed due to the spread of COVID-19 infection.
“The coronavirus infection is increasing day by day in Tamil Nadu and the Class 10 students are not in a situation to prepare for the exams. Mainly, how can the Class 10 students infected by coronavirus come and attend the exams remains a question mark,” the release said.
The JACTTO GEO also said the promise that students will maintain physical distancing, reach the schools in public transport and peacefully write the exam is quite unacceptable. The parents will also be afraid if the child will contract the infection in case they send their children to attend the exam.
The organisation also stated that the TN government should consider the fact that 40,000 students could not attend the Class 12 exams due to the lockdown. They also said that the announcement on correction of Class 12 exam papers starting by May 27, has also created confusion among the teachers.
Therefore, the JACTTO GEO members requested the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to provide the required time for the students to prepare their minds and provide counselling to help them face the exam once the intensity of the pandemic subsides.