The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) officials have announced that the oral and written baseline assessment test for students in government-run or government-aided schools from Stds III to IX is scheduled to take place from July 10 to 12, according to The Times of India report.
Following the assessment, the state government will direct District Institutes for Education and Training to devise strategies aimed at enhancing students' learning outcomes. This initiative marks the first of three periodic tests administered by the education department. Maharashtra is one of six states chosen for this project, supported by the World Bank under the Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Result for States initiative.
The baseline test evaluates whether students have achieved the expected learning outcomes based on the previous year's curriculum in their first language, mathematics, and second language English. Teachers will assess the tests and tailor their teaching methods accordingly.
All district-level data will be aggregated at the state level to inform future educational policies. Policy decisions will be made centrally, with District Institutes for Education and Training creating localized programs to improve children's learning levels by refining the teaching-learning process.
An SCERT official told TOI, that the subsequent cumulative assessments are scheduled for late October or early November 2024, covering the first semester's curriculum, and in early April 2025, covering the second half of the academic year.
Last year, the education department conducted baseline tests across Maharashtra between August 17 and 19, assessing the learning levels of more than 44.23 lakh students from Stds III to VIII. These tests are designed to gauge students' grasp of fundamental concepts crucial for a solid educational foundation.
