Tirupati: Teachers seek postponement of SSC examinations

Tirupati: The decision to go ahead with SSC examinations scheduled to be held from June 7 is drawing flak from teachers and parents. Though they were not against the examinations but they have been seeking postponement by 2-3 months as the spread of Covid is so rampant at this juncture.

While the students are a worried lot about facing the examinations during these turbulent times as their preparation was inadequate due to various reasons, the parents are expressing concerns about the safety of their wards.

In fact, teachers were saying that they could not complete the syllabus this year and no revision of syllabus was carried out. Study hours could not be conducted. Due to the long gap, students might have lost touch with their subjects. The government should consider cancellation of examinations. Last year also grading was not done and the same may be continued for this year, they opined.

MLC Y Sreenivasulu Reddy told The Hans India that they have represented to the government asking for postponement of examinations to some later period after cases witness a downward trend. It is better to start the next academic year from September. As there is a huge surge in Covid cases, the State government should rethink on conducting the examinations.

Health and safety is more important than education in these difficult times. He said that they were not seeking cancellation of examinations but postpone them till the Covid situation comes under control.

United Teachers Federation (UTF) district president K Muthyala Reddy said that they too have submitted a representation to the DEO seeking the postponement of examinations. UTF State leaders have first demanded cancellation of examinations but since the government was firm on its decision to hold the examinations, they are now demanding for postponement.

As of now the cases are at a peak stage in almost all districts which will push the teachers and students into risk if the examinations are held now. Muthyala Reddy said that many teachers were tested positive for Covid after they participated in the election process during local body elections and Tirupati bypoll.

About 60 teachers and their family members have lost their lives so far while many others are undergoing treatment now. Since the virus spread is now more in rural areas where examination centres are located it is not at all safe to conduct examinations. If any student gets infected after the examinations begin, his future will be at stake, he pointed out.

As the entire situation is creating panic among students, parents and teachers, SSC examinations need to be postponed to August. Before that, all teachers and their family members are to be vaccinated on priority basis immediately, he demanded.

Meanwhile, Federation of Andhra Pradesh Teacher's organisations (FAPTO) also sent a representation to Education Minister Audimulapu Suresh on Sunday requesting him to conduct SSC examinations only after all teachers are vaccinated. While supporting the government's decision to go ahead with examinations, its chairman G V Narayana Reddy and secretary general K Narahari have mentioned that about 400 teachers died of Covid during the second wave so far.

In view of this, teachers should be included in the list of frontline warriors and complete vaccination to them immediately.