Young teachers outperform seniors in schools: SSA study

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, July 11

Teachers below 30 years are outperforming their more experienced and senior colleagues in government schools in the state, revealed a study — Factors Affecting Performance of School Students in Punjab — sponsored by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Authority (SSA), Punjab.

In English, mathematics and Punjabi, the performance of the teachers above 50 years is the worst, revealed the study.

The gap between the mean score of students taught by the youngest and the oldest category of teachers is more than six percentage points in English, 4.12 in Punjabi and 3.36 in mathematics.

The study revealed that female teachers outperform their male counterparts in English and mathematics as students taught by female teachers have been scoring fairly high marks in these subjects.

Students taught by general category teachers score significantly higher marks compared to students taught by SC/BC/OBC teachers.

The survey covered 22 districts, 217 blocks, 2,164 schools and 31,793 students.

More than 80 per cent of the institutions covered are public schools, being funded and managed by the Department of Education.

As much as 69.63 per cent of the total students covered under the survey are from SC, BC and OBC categories.

Nearly one-third of the students come from below poverty line families. Nearly seven per cent students are physical challenged, revealed the study.

Unlike 70 per cent of the students in these government schools, come from SC/BC/OBC background and more than 60 per cent teachers in these schools belong to general category or are from high castes. Thus, the socioeconomic background of the students and teachers does not match and they belong to different social strata of society, said the study.

Fathers of nearly 59 per cent students are doing manual labour, either in agricultural field or as domestic servants, daily wagers or street vendors.

The study revealed that children from above poverty line families have significant better academic achievement than the students belonging to the BPL families.

“It appears the economic background of the family is a significant factor, which affects the academic performance of students,” reads the study.

The study claimed that a look at the mean scores column shows that students from small families (with one or two children) have higher marks than those from large families.

Girls normally perform better than boys because they are more serious and attentive in the class.

Parents’ education, especially mother’s, and profession, especially father’s is very important for child’s academic performance, revealed the study.

With a big challenge of improving the quality of school education, the study was conducted to know the factors, which affect the academic performance of school students, said Pardeep Agarwal, Director General School Education.

The study has been conducted by the economics department of Punjabi University, Patiala.