Classes X and XII under the Thimphu Thromde will do their board exams in schools identified within their respective Mega Zones. This is one of the strategies the education ministry has developed to conduct the examinations in the worst-case scenario of an Omicron outbreak. The board exams will be held as scheduled from February 28 by implementing the strategies.
In large throms like Thimphu where most students are day scholars, they will do their exams in their Mega Zones. However, the students will get to select schools till February 19.
“If you are in the North Mega Zone, then you will not go to YHS to do your test. So, this creates a lot of inconveniences. But if you can devise a system where all the students who are in the North Mega Zone can do their exams in the schools in the North Mega Zone, then you solve the problem. So, this is where we are looking at using Dechhencholing High School and Nima High School as the exam centre for students in the north Mega Zone,” said Karma Yonten, the Head of OPM under His Majesty’s Secretariat.
“We have students staying outside Thimphu, students staying in Hongtsho, Khasadarpchu, and Jemina. So, the ministry will make provisions so that they can come and stay within the city,” added Karma Yonten.
Similarly, schools in low-risk areas will conduct examinations in containment for boarding students while day schools will have day scholars walk in. Schools in high-risk remote areas will have all their students in containment during the examinations.
And schools in high-risk urban areas and red zones will relocate the students, teachers and supervising examiners to a safer location within that district or another district. If relocation is not possible, they will function in containment mode. Where possible, the ministry will also facilitate students to do their examinations in their district instead of travelling to their schools for examinations.
Meanwhile, in case of an outbreak during the examinations, schools in containment will identify a small dormitory as an isolation facility to keep positive students and a classroom where they can continue doing their exams. And for day scholars, a house or a hotel will be identified as an isolation facility where positive students can be accommodated to continue their examinations.
More than 26,000 class X and XII students in about 150 schools will sit for the board examinations this time.
Choni Dema
Edited by Sonam Pem
