Don’t panic & declare holidays for schools fearing swine flu, says minister
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bangalore, Aug 13: With at least half a dozen schools in Bangalore following the lead of Frank Antony Public School and National School in declaring holidays as a precaution against spread of swine flu, Karnataka’s primary and secondary education minister Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri has sought to reassure the public that there was no need to panic and resort to declaring holidays for schools.
The education department has been taking all precautions and constantly monitoring the situation besides working in close coordination with the health department in view of the vulnerability of young school children, the minister said.
While pointing out that it was essential and necessary to be vigilant, Kageri said school managements and parents should not fall prey to fear psychosis and over-react.
He made it clear that the education department had issued circulars to the schools on the steps and precautions to be taken if cases of AH1N1 influenza attack were reported.
Small children with systems of chronic fever, cough and other symptoms of AH1N1 influenza should not be sent to classes and immediately taken to hospitals for tests. Schools which reported cases of swine flu attacks can declare holidays, Kageri said urging the school managements to use their discretion in this regard.
Meanwhile, he said the education department had completely overhauled the SSLC examination model question paper pattern, which would be implemented from the ensuing final examinations next year.
``The objective is the assess the grasping capacity, understanding and writing abilities of the students rather than laying stress on mere by rote memorising,’’ he said.
The minister said the government approved the revision of the SSLC final examination pattern based on the recommendations of the Dr S Srikantaswamy committee and other experts. Efforts would be made to ensure that students were familiar with the new pattern, he said disclosing that the Karnataka State Secondary Education Examination Board had been asked to prepare the blueprint.
Under the new pattern, the first language will have a question paper of 125 marks comprising 67 questions. New type questions with multiple choices, filling up blanks and matching answers will have 25 questions of 1 mark each and questions requiring detailed replies in sentences and essays will carry a total of 100 marks.
In the second and third languages, there will be papers of 58 questions of carrying a total of 100 marks comprising 25 questions of 1 mark each of multiple choices, filling the gaps and matching answers while 42 questions of a total of 75 marks will need detailed answers and/or essays.
Similarly, changes in the question paper patterns for mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and social science have also been proposed.
The minister frowned upon the practice followed by most of the private school managements in holding first semester examinations after the mid-term holidays as it created anxieties and prevented students from enjoying the holidays.
Pointing out that he had received several complaints from parents and even teachers in this regard, Kageri announced that the government had directed the education department to ensure that mid-term holiday period will be from December 3 till December 19 instead of the present system of fixing the holiday period from September 17 till October 1. The semester examinations will be held prior to the holidays, he said.
However, the schools in and around Mysore will be declared holidays during the Dasara period, he added.