SSLC Examinations: Testing Times
Finally, the state government has decided to go ahead and conduct the SSLC examination, subjecting itself to one of the most crucial tests yet in office. More than eight lakh students are appearing for the examination being conducted in more than 3000 centres. The Department of Public Instruction has released a manual with guidelines on the safety measures students should adopt while appearing for the examination. This time, students are facing the specter of dual examinations – the textbook-based examination and the one induced by the coronavirus.
The government, on its part, has taken several precautions including providing free transport to students, but it is still not clear how successfully these measures can be implemented on the ground. Conducting the examination smoothly is the real challenge for the government. A failure to do so will make the government pay a heavy price in more ways than one.
From the perspective of students, they have had enough time and opportunity to make adequate preparations for the examination. But the fact that they need to appear for the examination in the backdrop of the coronavirus and the anxiety and confusion arising out of it is adding to their pressure.
Although the government claims it has left no stone unturned in ensuring a glitch-free conduct of the examination, doubts are being raised about its preparedness as many departments, with whose cooperation the examination is conducted annually, were shut down due to the lockdown. The possibility of conducting the examination itself was in doubt till very recently. Now, after the lockdown has been eased and the number of coronavirus infected persons has increased dramatically, the government is again contemplating imposing another lockdown. Public transport is not yet fully operational with the staff hesitating to report for duty.
Students and parents have many battles to contend with. Parents are caught in a bind having to choose between exams and the health of their children. Many parents who consider SSLC examination as a gateway to their children’s future might not hesitate to send the children to take the examination. Many others, however worried they are about the health of their children, are forced to make their children write the examination under peer pressure.
Regardless of the challenges that parents, students, and the administration grapple with, it is the duty of both the parents and teachers to make sure that children are equipped to handle the examination and the challenges of the coronavirus with ease. If students fail in the examination, they get a second chance. However, if they are unduly distressed or completely negligent about the coronavirus, the consequences could be disastrous.
It is a fact that students don’t have adequate information about the coronavirus and might be overly anxious, thanks to continuous sensational TV reportage. Having to face the anxiety over the Corona and the examination pressure at the same time can push students into a state of depression. The need of the hour is not only to create awareness about the coronavirus but also to prevent unnecessary anxiety around it. A student coughing or sneezing, a common occurrence during rainy season, should not trigger unnecessary fear. Maintaining social distance becomes the key now more than ever.
The role of parents in making sure that children do not harbor unnecessary fear cannot be emphasized enough. Parents who live in fear will not be in a position to create awareness in their children. Unnecessary fear can lead to both mental and physical health issues. It is also possible that children experience high levels of anxiety if one of their friends sitting close by coughs. It is the duty of parents to educate them about the virus, its symptoms, and its potency to harm us. It is equally important to convey that, despite taking all precautionary measures, if one comes in contact with an infected person, it might not have any undue repercussions. The infected person would be free of the infection in seven days, but it might affect students whose immunity levels are low. Appropriate and effective messaging about the coronavirus and its impact becomes significant.
But the most important factor is to ensure that any student who shows symptoms of Corona infection is taken care of at home and not allowed to appear for the examination and it is the sole responsibility of parents to do so. Hundreds of students die of suicide due to the pressure of SSLC and PUC examinations annually and this year, they are being tested twice over. The 2020 SSLC examination is not only a milestone for students but parents, teachers, and school managements as well and let us hope all of them emerge successful.
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Netanyahu defends expanded Gaza offfensive; Israeli strike kills five Al Jazeera journalists
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Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday defended a fresh military offensive in the Gaza Strip, calling it “more sweeping than previously announced” and asserting that Israel “has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas.”
Speaking amid mounting condemnation at home and abroad over the 22-month conflict, Netanyahu said the security cabinet had directed the dismantling of Hamas strongholds not only in Gaza City but also in the “central camps” and Muwasi. These areas, according to UN estimates, shelter more than half a million displaced people and had not been mentioned in Israel’s earlier announcement on Friday.
A source familiar with the operation, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed Israel’s plans to extend military action to both areas. Netanyahu maintained that “safe zones” would be established, though such areas have been bombed in previous strikes.
The announcement came as heavy bombardment was reported in Gaza City late Sunday. Shortly before midnight, Al Jazeera confirmed the killing of its correspondent Anas al-Sharif in a targeted Israeli strike. The attack hit a tent for Al Jazeera journalists outside the main gate of al-Shifa Hospital, an area known for hosting medical personnel.
Shifa Hospital’s administrative director, Rami Mohanna, said the strike killed five Al Jazeera journalists, including Sharif, whom Israel accused of leading a Hamas cell responsible for orchestrating rocket attacks. Sharif was killed moments after posting a video showing intense bombardment in Gaza City.
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