'Are exams more important than children's health?'

Ask several parents as students of the ICSE schools are expected to appear for remaining board papers in July, amid the pandemic

What is more important — exams or children's health?" asks parents of ICSE school students who are expected to appear for their remaining board exam papers in July. They have together written to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), expressing their concern about sending their children to schools in the midst of a pandemic.

Heads of parent–teacher association (PTA) of over 10 top city ICSE schools have joined hands to convince the Council to not hold the exams next month, as there would still be a chance of infection spreading.

Captain Sheriff D'costa, a member of the Campion School PTA, said, "We are all against the examination because sending children to school at this time is risky. There are children, too, who have critical health issues. We are asking the Council to cancel the examination. And if they have a pre-decided mandatory time-frame in which the board examination shall be completed, then they should consider alternative options of evaluation. Otherwise, they should wait for more clarity on COVID-19 situation before asking children to go to school."

He continued, "Shockingly, the CISCE stopped the board exam when there were fewer cases in India as well as in Mumbai. Now, when everywhere it is said that July will likely see many more cases, it is expecting the kids to appear for exams."

Sharook Contractor, Vice President of the PTA at St. Mary's School, said, "Safety and security of children should be of utmost important. Several children will get together for the exams, and chances are we may not know who has been infected in case there are asymptomatic cases among them. Many of us live in joint families and this could cause further issues for older members of the family."

Parents of school children are struggling to keep their kids safe at a time when the state government is considering cancelling the exams of the final year university students, as holding them in July would be too soon.

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