Sector 38 school worst performer, only 8% clear Class X

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 5

Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSSS), Sector 38 (West), Chandigarh, has a pass percentage of just 7.94 in Class X, the worst among government schools. It implies that over 92 per cent students in the school did not pass. There were 126 students in Class X and only 10 passed. As many as 61 students have got a compartment and 55 have failed.

Officiating Principal Rajinder Pal Kaur cites the sudden change in the pattern (from the CGPA to marks) and grace marks to Class IX students to promote them to Class X among the reasons for the poor show.

Government Model High School (GMHS), Sector 22-C, had 37 students in Class X of whom just three have passed. The pass percentage is 8.11, implying that close to 92 per cent students could not pass. The school is the second worst among government schools in the Class X results. The officiating head of the school refused to comment on the poor results.

The list of the worst performing government schools in the Class X results, where around 80 per cent students could not pass, reflects that not just those on the periphery have ended up with poor results, but those within the city are equally bad. If the GMHS, Karsan, has close to 87 per cent students who flunked in Class X, the GMHS, Sector 11, has close to 85 per cent students who could not pass.

5,567 of 10,850 students couldn’t pass

Under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, the government schools have been following the policy of no detention till Class VIII. In Class IX, the schools are following the policy of giving 15 grace marks to those who otherwise would not be able to make it to Class X.

In 2017, the grace marks were given to promote the otherwise ineligible students to Class 10.

A total of 10,850 students appeared for the Class X exams, but 5,567 students, 51.49 per cent, could not pass.

In 2018, the pass percentage is 48.51, whereas in 2017, it was 94.7. There is a dip of 46.19 points.

“The no-detention policy and continuous and comprehensive evaluation are one of the reasons behind the downgrade in the level of learning and results of students. When all students are passed, no lessens are learnt by them and they take everything for granted. As a number of students are being promoted from Class IX to Class X with grace marks, everyone has to pay the price when the same undeserving students fail in the Class X board exams,” said Arvind Rana, president of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Teachers Welfare Association.

Bhag Singh Kairon, president of the Joint Action Committee of teachers, also pointed out that a number of schools had only officiating heads. “We shouldn’t promote weak students to Class X. The student-teacher ratio should be as per the RTE norms. We shouldn’t be involved in non-teaching work,” he said.

Grace marks policy under scanner

Education Secretary BL Sharma said, “I don’t understand these grace marks. A student either passes or fails. Only God is gracious. If someone else is gracious, he should be ready to face ignominy.” He has sought data on students who have been promoted with grace marks to Class X. “We will hold six-monthly tests and those who do not qualify will be detained. Merit has to be emphasised. We are ready for extra classes. Teachers have to teach, otherwise they would be sent home,” he said.    

Expertspeak

“What I find missing among teachers is that they cannot empathise with the problems of new-age students. The natural curiosity and energy of government school students are not tapped. Government schoolteachers are not result-oriented unlike private schools as they are not answerable to anyone. The no-detention policy is a bane. The students are not serious till Class VIII. When they reach the first obstacle, which is Class X, they fail. The RTE Act should be reviewed in view of the ground realities,” said Prof Latika Sharma, chairperson, Department of Education, PU.

Associate Professor, Department of Education, PU, Kuldeep Kaur, said, “The concept of no-detention policy has been brought from the USA. So, something has been lost in spirit. The outcome is in front of us. It should be looked at. However, our research on comprehensive and continuous evaluation (CCE) reflects that students and teachers are satisfied with it.”

150 schools in UP had zero pass percentage

In the Uttar Pradesh board exams, 150 schools had zero pass percentage. In 98 schools, no student passed the Class X exams and in 52 schools, no student passed the Class XII exams.