Haryana students to wake up at crack of dawn, courtesy shrine mikes

Tribune News Service

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, December 23

With some 70 days left for 10th and 12th board exams, Haryana has come up with an unusual plan, which may be bizarre to many, to improve its school results. This year, the Class 10th pass percentage was 73.18 and Class 12th 87.08 per cent.

The state school education directorate has circulated a directive, calling for announcements from temples, mosques, and gurdwaras for waking up students early so that they can put in 2-3 hours of study before the school hours.

No vacation, close watch

• Director of Secondary Education letter to schools with directions for teachers to use WhatsApp groups to find out if students are waking up early to study
• Schools told not to allow winter vacation for Classes 10 & 12, instead hold classes 10 am-2 pm; focus on English, math and science

Going all out to make students stick to their books, Director of Secondary Education Anshraj Singh issued a letter yesterday to heads of secondary and senior secondary schools with directions for teachers to use WhatsApp groups to monitor the students and find out if they are waking up early to study.

Not only this, if parents appear to be not cooperating then the school management committee has to be approached. Panchayats will also be roped in to ensure that the shrines send out the wake-up call, loud and clear.

The director specifies that the morning time is “most apt for self-study as the mind is fresh and the atmosphere congenial”. “Class teachers must request parents to wake up their kids at 4:30 am and make them sit to study by 5:15 am,” the directive reads.

Also, stress has been laid on strengthening the parent-teacher bond so that a joint exam preparation scheme could be prepared. Results of daily and weekly tests can be shared either on phone or in one-on-one meetings while keeping students away from mobile phones and TV, and ensuring 5 hours for self-study daily.

The letter also points out that some schools are providing extra classes to keep students away from mobile phones as well as help shed reliance on tuition.

Anshraj Singh has also directed school heads to not allow winter vacation for 10th and 12th students, instead wants classes from 10 am to 2 pm, focusing on English, mathematics and science.

While every school has been asked to share its plan with District Education Officers by December 26, only the next few months will tell how well this plan unfolded and fared.

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