2 days ago
Karnataka teachers criticise lesson-based assessment system, say promotes rote learning
Bengaluru: The school education department's lesson-based assessment kicked off in govt schools. However, teachers are not amused. Teachers across schools have called the system stifling, promoting rote learning and introducing excessive administrative work.
As per the new system called lesson-based assessment (LBA), teachers are to conduct tests after every chapter. The tests will be out of 25 marks. After every test, the marks should be entered in the student achievement tracking system (SATS), and grades will be generated. This is applicable for classes 4-10 in Kannada medium and classes 1-10 in English medium classes. "This is a huge administrative task. For example, in social studies, there are around 30-40 chapters.
Imagine the number of entries that need to be made by a teacher for a class of 30 students," said a teacher.
Teachers also feel the system is stifling. "This is a rat race for teachers. They are just forced to teach one chapter after another, with no breathing space. The system is so rigid that you have to complete a fixed number of chapters within a given time in the same order given by the department. Where is the time and scope to step back and analyse results, create differentiation in classrooms to teach at the right level for different groups, bring engaging learning materials, leverage peer learning?" said another teacher from East Bengaluru.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Educationists also point out that it is just promoting rote learning. "All that the department is now expecting from children is to learn the answers and score in the exams. There is no space for creative or critical thinking," said an educationist.
"Repetitive, uniform tests result in assessment fatigue among students and teachers. The department should provide flexible guidelines, frameworks, and exemplar tools, not rigid prescriptions and formats.
Teachers will be lost in marking scripts, making these entries as data entry operators. Teachers are not robots. They need time for lesson planning, process-oriented learning, engage in professional discussions and reflective practices," said a teacher trainer.
"We have requested the department to reduce the number of questions for the assessments in the lower classes. The department has agreed and we hope to have an official order on this soon," said Chandrashekhar Nuggali, president, Karnataka State Primary School Teachers' Association.
The department of school education and literacy said while the SATS website has been seeing some upgradation, the process of entering marks will be made smoother soon. "We have already provided them with a question bank with the questions for LBA. Further, with the Khan Academy's app, teachers will be able to use artificial intelligence to generate question papers. It will be easier for the teachers," said Rashmi Mahesh, principal secretary.
