Making a beeline for the better known schools : Noting all performers
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: July 11, 2022 -

With the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur announcing the Class X examination results on July 8, expectedly a large number of parents, guardians and the students themselves have started making a beeline for some of the better known private schools located at Imphal.

This is understandable for every parents, guardians and elders of the family wish to do the best for their children and ward, but the crucial question is on what basis parents and guardians narrow down on the school of their choice.

One obviously is the performance of the students at the Class XII annual examination conducted by the Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (COHSEM) every year.

It will be the same when the CBSE announces the Class X examination results any day now.

Performance in academics or rather performance in the annual exercise called exams-this is the yardstick that has been used to judge the quality of a school.

With marks and ranks being all that matters ultimately, such a trend is natural, but it would help so much and would prove so much more productive if only some look is taken at the ability of the different schools on how successful they are in ‘lifting up’ the students.

As repeated many times here in this column, it would be wonderful if any school can announce for one and all to hear on how they have managed to take a 70 percenter student in the Class X exams to one amongst the top 25 in Class XII.

Making a rank holder in the Class X exam repeat his or her feat in the Class XII exam should not be such a tall order and this is where it would be wonderful to hear any school announcing how they have turned a promising young student into a brilliant performer two years down the line.

This would be one wonderful way to judge the efficacy of a school and just give them that extra edge to beat the others in the parameter of competitiveness.

For the moment, the attention of everyone, the media included, would be on the young students who have made it to the top 25 positions, and congratulations are certainly in line, but at the same time it would help to also give due recognition to the others for it is the potential of the young students that should be acknowledged.

A 70 or a 60 or even a 50 percenter student can become world beaters if given the right guidance and counselled well and this is where the merit of a school should lie.

It is an annual exercise. For the past 22 years The Sangai Express too has been giving due prominence to the toppers in the Class X and Class XII examinations and there are toppers every year.

The question is, have schools been able to mould these promising youngsters into world beaters, personalities who can be the game changer in the fast evolving society ?

The same poser may be also raised to the parents and guardians of the young students. Exam time, results time.

These times are crucial not only for the students, the youngsters who have to sit in the examination hall and write their answers, but also for the parents, guardians and elders of each and every family.

Annual exercise, and while students have been coached and coaxed to concentrate on their studies in preparation for the exams, this annual event should also serve as the time for parents and elders to reflect and study whether they have set themselves as role models for the children to follow.

How many parents in Manipur can proudly say that they want their children to follow in their footsteps ?

Or if they don’t want them to follow what steps have they taken to tell their children that the big world is out there waiting for them to conquer with their choice of career and hard, sincere labour ?

An answer to this would be interesting, but it is doubtful if any answer would be forthcoming.