School assessment framework to roll out by January 2015

With a focus on quality of learning, the government is in the process of developing a framework for school assessment and evaluation which is expected to be rolled out in January next year, officials said Thursday.

At a conference highlighting the initiatives taken by the ministry of human resource development in 100 days, it was announced that a school assessment and evaluation framework was being developed as a self-improvement tool for school themselves and also to reorient school inspectors, district and block level officers to an objective assessment of schools with a view to enhance their effectiveness.

The programme in the field would be rolled out by January 2015.

Rajarshi Bhattacharya, secretary, school education and literacy, said though the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) carries out an assessment every three years, it has not been a focus area in many states.

"...we have had consultations with the states and now each state will take up a third party assessment every year so that corrective measures are taken on an annual basis for improvements of the outcomes," he said.

Bhattacharya added that learning outcomes were a cause of concern, and therefore, in these last three and a half months, the highest focus has been there on how to improve it.

"...and for this, on Aug 26 the programme 'Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat Abhiyan' was launched. It is a twin track approach to focus on the areas where learning deficits come, both in terms of time and subject..." he said.

He further said that at the upper primary level, the Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan which would focus on science, mathematics, the creativity of learning, and the desire to have a free will was being finalised.

"For this purpose, the help of the finest scientists and educators in the country is being taken and pertains to both school and higher education sectors. And in the next few months would would see the rollout after the programmes are finalised," he said.

Adding that inclusive education was a "huge focus" area with 1.2 percent category of children are with special needs, he said that the work on the assessment adaptation for children with special need was underway and expected to be rolled out by January 2015 also.