FOLLOWING the HRD ministry?s indirect, yet unmistakably firm, directive to ensure student attendance for the live telecast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi?s Teachers? Day address on Friday, schools are resorting to desperate measures ? from threatening ?strict action? for non-attendance to warning students that they will be evaluated on his speech.
In a circular issued on September 3, Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, said, ?Attendance is compulsory for all the students and strict action will be taken against the absentees.?
With DTC, the bus service provider, refusing to accommodate the changed timings, the school on Thursday issued another circular stating that the parents would have to make suitable arrangements to pick up their wards in the evening. The second note also reiterated that ?attendance is compulsory?.
The Bal Bharati Public School, Noida, has decided to include questions based on the PM?s address in the upcoming school examinations. ?The school will remain closed (preparatory off) on September 5 for all classes. However, for classes III to XII, the key points of the Prime Minister?s address are to be noted and learnt for the school to evaluate the same (during the upcoming examination from Monday),? said a circular issued by the school.
Stating that one question of two marks each will be included in each of the five main papers, it expressed hope that ?all parents and students will be hooked to Doordarshan channel on September 5.?
When contacted, principal Asha Prabhakar said, ?These days, students understand the language of examinations and marks only, so I decided to test them on the PM?s speech. I think this will help them assess their listening abilities also and force them to think on the PM?s stand on various issues of national importance.?
In its directive to Education Secretaries of all states, the HRD Ministry clearly stated that it would take stock of the number of school and students who viewed the PM?s address. As a follow-up to that, the Directorate of Education, Delhi, sent a note last Friday to all aided/ unaided schools in the capital directing them to make arrangements for viewing the telecast.
