Remedial science, maths classes to improve Class X pass percentage

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, November 20

The School Education Department has asked government schools in the state to hold extra ‘remedial’ classes for Class X students reckoned weak in mathematics and science subjects. These classes will start on November 26 and continue till February 16, 2019.

In a letter to all district education officers (DEOs), Prashant Goyal, the Director General School Education (DGSE), on Tuesday conveyed that working and retired teachers will take these remedial classes.

In view of the poor performance of government school students in Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) Class X examinations in the past three years, the School Education Department wants to improve their performance in mathematics and science subjects, the letter states.

In March 2018 Class X examinations of PSEB, the pass percentage was 59.47 per cent. Out of total 3,68,295 students who had appeared, 2,19,035 students cleared the examination.

In March 2017, 1,90,001 students had qualified the examinations out of total 3,30,437 students. The overall pass percentage was 57.50 per cent. In 2016, the pass percentage was rather more dismal, as only 52.35 per cent boys had passed against 63.97 per cent girls.

In the National Achievement Survey, conducted by National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) in March this year, performance of students in mathematics and science was assessed very poor in Punjab.

Of the total about 53,000 students of Class X in 1,753 schools assessed during the survey, performance of 70 per cent students was very poor in mathematics as they could not answer even two-thirds of the questions correctly. The average score in mathematics and science subjects was 31 to 38 per cent and 34 to 40 per cent, respectively.

The survey was held to examine learning outcomes across the country.

To assess improvement in performance of students after these ‘remedial’ classes, the School Education Department will conduct a pre-test on November 26 and post-test on February 16, the DGSE said.

However, the decision has not gone down well with the teaching fraternity as there is no extra remuneration for this ‘extra work’. Teachers have called the move impractical. As winter has already set in and the length of the day has shortened, it was difficult for teachers and students to reach schools early or leave late as these extra classes are supposed to be held after or before school timing, they said.