Mamata scraps primary board’s semester plan for Classes I to V in government schools
Telegraph | 4 January 2025
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday scrapped the state primary education board’s decision to introduce a semester system in government-aided schools (Classes I to V) this year because it would increase the study load.
The chief minister slammed the education minister for deciding to introduce the system without discussions at the highest level in the government.
“The students at the primary level will write the semester examinations. I read about this in newspapers. This will not be allowed. I was not told about this. The chief secretary was not aware of this. Bratya, (Bratya Basu, the education minister), you are the education minister. However, before introducing any new policy, discuss it with us,” Mamata said during a televised review meeting at Nabanna.
“I am in favour of reducing the study load of children. There is too much load already. These children cannot even speak properly. They struggle to rhyme ‘Twinkle, twinkle, little star’. How will they appear in the semester exams? Those in Class I or II will write the semester exams!” the chief minister said.
“What is applicable in colleges, cannot be applied in schools. Before deciding on any new policy, we have to be consulted first and then it will be shared with the media.”
Minister Basu, who attended the review meeting, later told reporters: “We did not issue any notification on introducing the semester system. The primary education board after making the announcement sent it to the education department. Since it was a policy decision, the department sent it to the chief secretary. The chief minister has said she is not approving it. There cannot be any discussion after this. This (semester) is not happening. I don’t think there is any room for controversy after this.”
He further said: “The board had given me a primary intimation about this. I told the board that approval from the chief minister would be sought. She has not approved. That’s it.”
Board president Gautam Paul had on December 27 announced that the academic year would be split into two semesters for the primary classes.
The students would be assessed through six examinations every year — a combination of formative and summative assessments — from Classes I to V, the primary education board had said.
“The students are now assessed through three examinations — two formative and one summative — in a year. Had the board been allowed to implement the semester system, there would be six exams,” said an official in the education department.
“What was announced suggested that the study load would increase. The chief minister did not approve of it,” the official said.
The state higher secondary council introduced the semester system in the plus-II courses — splitting them into four semesters — from the 2024-25 academic year. “We decided to introduce the semester system at the plus-II level following consultations with the chief minister,” said minister Basu.
Sources in the education department said what the primary education board announced last week appeared to be a logistical nightmare, considering there are about 50,000 primary schools.
“It was said the board would prepare the questions and send them to the schools twice a year. The job was easier said than done, given the huge number of schools. It would be an expensive affair,” said an official.
The chief minister wondered how a handful of people could decide to introduce the semester system at the primary level.
The education minister told Mamata that he learned about the decision from newspaper reports and alerted the chief secretary on Tuesday.
“Only if you approve of it will a notification be issued,” Basu told her.
Mamata told the minister: “How was the news published in newspapers? I don’t want to listen to anything. The people came to know about it beforehand! The message had already been circulated. This will not be allowed.”