Shimla, June 25
In a shocking revelation, as many as 30 schools affiliated with the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education have recorded a zero percent pass rate in the Class X board examinations this year. An additional 116 schools reported pass rates of less than 25 percent. These dismal outcomes have prompted the state’s education authorities to seek explanations from the teachers and principals of the affected schools.
Ashish Kohli, Director of Elementary Education, expressed deep concern over the results. “If not a single student has been able to clear the Class X board exam from these schools, there is something seriously wrong somewhere,” Kohli stated. He emphasized that explanations would be demanded from all schools where the pass rate fell below 25 percent, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
The Department of Higher Education is also collecting data on schools with similarly poor performance in the Class XII board examinations. Amarjeet Sharma, Director of Higher Education, indicated that the department has sought results from the board and from field reports. “We have a provision for action against the teachers concerned, especially in the case of repeated below-par results,” Sharma noted, underscoring the accountability measures in place.
Several factors have been identified as contributing to the poor results. According to Rakesh Kanwar, Secretary of Education, major issues include the non-availability of teachers due to transfers or retirements, lack of monitoring, and the automatic promotion policy up to Class VIII. “After mandatory promotion up to upper primary classes, some students struggle to cope with the pressure of exams,” explained a school teacher. This automatic promotion policy has left many students unprepared for the rigors of board examinations.
However, poor results were observed even in schools with all sanctioned teaching posts filled. For example, Government High School in Kacheri, Shimla, had nine teachers, yet none of the five students appearing for the Class X board exam managed to pass. “All these students did well in subjects other than mathematics. None of them could clear the mathematics paper,” said Surinder Pal, the school principal.
The state government has acknowledged the systemic issues plaguing the education system. Teachers are often burdened with non-teaching duties such as election duties, census, mid-day meals, and construction activities, which detracts from their primary educational responsibilities. This multifaceted problem calls for urgent intervention and a comprehensive review of policies to ensure that students receive the quality education they deserve.
The alarming results have served as a wake-up call for the Himachal Pradesh education system, necessitating immediate and effective measures to rectify the situation and improve academic outcomes for the future.
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