The Council of
Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (COHSEM)
announced results of Class XII examination
2006 in the State last Wednesday. This is
one of those rare moments of collective
excitement we can still hope for in our
State. Out of the 14501 students who sat in
the examination in all the four streams,
5982 passed. That means, 8519 other
students, or 58. 75 per cent of those
appeared, failed.
Should we be proud of our seemingly rigorous
examination standards, which in one stroke,
stopped a majority of our higher secondary
students on their career-tracks and ordained
them as unfit to graduate to the next level
of their education? Or should we rather be
ashamed that our education system has
failed, year after year, to imbibe in the
students elementary understanding of what
they learn during the year that as many as
60 percent regularly fail to secure 33 per
cent marks in their subjects? Is this not
enough evidence of the disconnect between
what students learn in the classrooms and
questions they face at the board?
The feeling of sorrow about this gives way
to worry when one considers that at least
some of the 5982 students who failed, and
who are in the age group of 16 to 18 - the
sweetest part of their life - will turn to
crime or substance abuse or, fall for the
charm and romance of the gun consequent to
their being pronounced as ‘Failed’.
In fact, this year’s pass percentage of 41.
25 is a huge improvement over previous
years. The Class X Board result is yet to
come and going by past records, at least 60
per cent of the students who appeared in
that examination will fail to clear it too.
For those who pass, the family’s entire
resources will be marshaled so he or she can
escape from the benighted state for further
studies while those who fail will be left to
scratch their heads and fret over the year
thus wasted.
Whichever way you look at it, this record of
dismal pass percentages in Manipur - from
Class X Board right up to the degree level -
is something that needs to be pondered over.
We have been doing with this poor show for
such a long time now that most people came
to accept it as normal. It is not. The pass
percentages at the Central Boards (CBSE and
ICSE) rarely dipped below the 70 mark.
According to educationists, even that is not
something to be proud of. Efforts are on at
the national level to prune subject
contents, make them more interactive, relate
them to everyday life and add fun to
traditionally intimidating subjects like
Mathematics.
Innovative
merit grading system which will judge
students in various parameters on a
continuous basis is being prepared. The aim
of education will, thus, be to help students
explore their aptitude, creativity and
talent in diverse fields and channelize the
same for a higher purpose (Which will mean
that a student who play Table Tennis very
well but just have no interest in
Mathematics will not simply be judged as
Failed, but avenues explored for him so he
can pursue his special talent in a
professional fashion. Education will, thus,
not be only about book-knowledge). As it is,
the present system of judging students
solely on the basis of the year-end,
three-hour written examination is on its way
out. And for good.
The continued perpetuation of rote-learning
at the school-level education in Manipur and
much of India is a factor that inhibits the
students’ growth. The students simply
parroted the lines given by the teacher
without applying their minds to them. There
is no attempt to relate what they learn in
the textbooks to their environment. The
emphasis is still on formulae, facts,
figures. What is the height of Mt. Tenipu?
When did Manipur attain statehood? What is
your phone number? These are facts and they
are important. But there is nothing in them
to engage the mind of the students. A class
VI student may learn them faster than a
scientist. A studious boy will fluently
recite the various steps taken by the
Government to cleanse the Yamuna River. But
it just never occurs to him how he can
improvise or apply the same for cleaning a
small stream flowing in his neighborhood.
There is no attempt to utilize the
mathematical equation he knows so well for
calculating tax imposed on commodities
bought from the market, for example.
This is, I believe, one reason why many
students, who do very well in School
performed so poorly when they face the
board. This is the reason why 60 percent of
the students found qualified and sent up for
board examinations flunked.
The catchword in any management school or
professional institutes today is Projects
and Presentations. The aim is for the
students to stand on their own, handle
pressures and datelines, gain in confidence
and initiative and prepare for leadership
roles. And that kind of education is the
future. As the saying goes: ‘Give your child
a fish - he will eat for a day; Teach him
how to fish - he will eat everyday.’
Easier said than done, of course. Especially
in Manipur. But there is a thing or two we
can start doing right away to turn our
education system around. Take the case of
textbook revision. Class X students in
Manipur still read textbooks telling them
the yearly produce of a sugar mill in
Khangabok or a cement plant in Hundung- many
years after these industrial units close
shop. I had previously taught in a school,
and I can tell that there is much more to
learn from Class VIII textbooks (published
by private publishers) than Class X
textbooks (Published by BSEM) in the state.
Subject revision and improvement can be
easily done as the underground elements are
not known yet to interfere in it. None of
them, as far as I know, have so far demanded
that their history be made part of the
subject!! What’s only needed is the will at
the top level.
I am glad, though, that related subjects
like mass exodus of students from the state
and the impact this have on the latter are
getting some attention. Random estimates put
out by speakers at the recent Seminar held
at JN Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal
suggested that as many as 50,000 Manipur
students are presently outside the state.
What prompted parents to ship out their
wards to other states as soon as they
finished Class X or XII is well known. If we
are to arrest this trend, we will need to
ask hard questions and make painful
sacrifices.
The education
system is part and parcel of the
politico-socio-economic structure and thus,
cannot be improved in isolation. So, the
issue inevitably boils down yet to that of
non-governance, administrative breakdown and
well, Ibobi Singh. The Imphal Seminar, going
by media reports, did not touch upon the
tough issues. Nevertheless, the seminar
deserves appreciation for its seminal
contribution to the debate. May it spawn
more such exercises!! |
