Schools In Assam To Have Uniform Assessment After Creation Of SSSA

GUWAHATI: Uniform assessment of all schools in the state, irrespective of boards but excluding central government-run ones, has been set in motion by the Assam State School Standards Authority (SSSA).

The Bill for formal creation of the SSSA in the state is being given a final touch and it is likely to be tabled in the assembly soon.

Meanwhile, an interim committee to assess the subject skills, modalities of the key stage assessments to be done in classes III, V and VIII, which is headed by the state government’s education adviser Nani Gopal Mahanta, has been formed and a model is being created under the aegis of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).

According to a source, "Efforts are on to frame the Assam SSSA guidelines for uniform school assessment within this academic session. Whether it's CBSE or state board-affiliated schools, all schools will be assessed keeping in mind the same set of standards set for the purpose."

The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, stipulates that, for ensuring that all schools follow certain minimum professional and quality standards, all states and Union Territories shall have to set up an independent, state-wide body called the SSSA. Assessment and accreditation of all the schools, including private ones, will be done on the same criteria, benchmark and processes, which will emphasise online and offline public disclosure and transparency, according to the policy.

In the assessment of schools, the educational outcomes and the transparent disclosure of all financial, academic and operational matters are to be given due importance and incorporated suitably, the national-level policy stated. It was also noted that the aim of improving public education system could be ensured through a uniform process of accreditation and quality framework, for both public and private schools.

However, infrastructure will not remain the primary focus for assessing standards for schools and safety standards will be given due importance, sources in the committee informed.

A committee member said that there will be more focus on learning outcomes, while priority will be given to state achievement surveys on the lines of National Achievement Survey. Educationists who are not government employees but are related to renowned schools compose almost half of the 12-member interim committee.

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