When SOPs make task of conducting examination easier

Our Correspondent/ Reporter
Kohima/ Dimapur, April 7 (EMN): As class 10 and 12 students began writing board examinations in the state amid fear of Covid-19 second wave, the standard operating procedures (SOPs) that have been put in place to contain the spread of the disease are said to have made the task of conducting the exams easier for educational institutions because of less number of students.

The Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate (HSSLC) examination began on Tuesday, while High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) exams started on Wednesday by observing SOPs including social distancing in view of the ongoing pandemic. The Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) had also announced that the HSLC exams would be held at 133 provisional examination centres and four sub centres, and HSSLC exams at 96 provisional centres.

One of the invigilators at Ruzhukhrie Government Higher Secondary School (examination centre) in Kohima, Achin Hangsing, told Eastern Mirror that it was much easier to handle this year’s examinations than the previous years.

‘During pre-Covid, the school used to be quite crowded and we had to give holiday to junior classes. But now, the school is able to take regular classes simultaneously with examination going on because of reduced number of students unlike previous years,’ Hangsing said.

On the first day of the examination, the invigilators came to school early and were briefed on the SOPs to be followed, she said.

‘Since it’s the first day of the examination, we also make sure to brief the students as well and everyone to co-operate with the school administration. It isn’t much of a problem or chaos to deal with as everyone is familiar with the situation by now,’ she added.

Hangsing, who teaches Tourism and Hospitality (vocational subject) at RGHSS, informed that the number of students taking the exam at the institute was reduced by 50% this year due to the pandemic.

‘With less number of students, it is easier to deal. Further, they had followed Covid-appropriate behaviours prior to examinations, so it is not difficult to manage,’ she added.

Principal of Ruzhukhrie Government HSS, Lebu Krose, informed that they provide mask to students who do not wear one and make sure everyone observes Covid-appropriate behaviours like social distancing, wearing of mask and use of hand sanitisers.

After every examination, the classrooms are sanitised so that the next batch of students can write their exam peacefully and freely, she said, adding that medical team and security personnel were deployed at all examination centres across the state.

The principal further informed that about seven schools in and around Kohima used to write exams at the institute in the past but it has been reduced to four schools this year.

Assistant Superintendent of Ruzhukhrie Government Higher Secondary School, Keneilhoulie, informed that at total of 257 students from four schools are writing HSLC examination at the institute, while 256 students are writing HSSLC exam. He added that 64 more students are writing HSLC compartmental exam in the same school.

The medical team from the office of Chief Medical Officer stationed at the examination centre informed that students didn’t show any Covid-19 symptoms so far.

The principal of Little Star Higher Secondary School Dimapur, Christina Neikhrienuo, told this newspaper, that they are following all the SOPs including sanitising the centre before and after exams. Students are allowed to bring their own hand sanitisers if they want but we also provide water for washing hands and sanitising facilities at the entrance gate of the school, she added.

Neikhrienuo shared that the main concern during the lockdown period, as a teacher, was whether they would be able to finish the course. She said online learning has its own benefit and disadvantages as well, citing the difficulty in making the students attend online classes.

Keeping the students engaged was an issue while teaching online, she said, adding that they could have lots of distractions “in the home environment”.

With the exams having begun, she said that she is anxious about how the students will perform, and how prepared they are, both academically and mentally. But she: “I am happy that the exam has started and offline exams are actually the best”.

The vice principal of Honili Memorial Higher Secondary School, Dimapur, Vilika T Yepthomi, also shared that the teachers as well as parents faced financial crisis during the lockdown, and conducting online classes was a big challenge.

She expressed excitement over exams having started after resting for a year. ‘I am glad that they are able to refresh their mind with this exam,’ she added.

Yepthomi went on to mention that they are following all the SOPs and taking precautions by sanitising the classrooms every morning before the exam starts and make sure that students sanitise themselves; only then they are allowed to enter the examination halls.

Some of the students writing HSLC examination expressed confidence and said that they were in no way affected by the pandemic situation while writing the exams. They wrote English paper on Wednesday and will sit for Social Science on Friday.

It may be mentioned that both the HSLC HSSLC exams will conclude on April 21.