Quality assessment for high schools

After the successful introduction of quality assessment of education at primary and middle school levels in government and aided schools of the state, the Karnataka education department is planning to extend it to high schools from the next academic year.

Addressing reporters here on Wednesday, primary and high school education minister Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, said, “The Karnataka School Quality Assessment Organization (KSQAO) will include high schools under its quality assessment programme from the next academic year. This will commence from class eight and progressively move to the ninth and tenth classes.”

“Currently, about 1.6 million students are subjected to quality assessment at primary and middle school levels. After the high schools are included, this is expected to go up to 2 million students,” he added.

 

Since its inception in 2005, KSQAO has been conducting assessment every year. A detailed report is brought out to assess teaching performance and evaluate student skills. State commissioner for public instruction G Kumar Naik, said, “The tests conducted by KSQAO facilitate appraisal of students based on non-bookish competence. They are taught to ask questions that demand thought, analysis and application of knowledge gained through classroom study.”

From the next academic year, KSQAO will carry out general assessments of students. For the current academic year, assessment will be taken up over two weeks in January. On receipt of reports, teachers will undergo a workshop at the District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) to familiarise them with the new assessment system,” Kageri said.