The Poor Show
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: May 22, 2013 -

Despite the continued poor show of Government schools in terms of securing top positions, the results of the just declared High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination, 2013 conducted by the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (BSEM),have definitely shown a mark improvement in the overall pass percentage of students in their first public examination in the State.

The overall pass percentage of 72 recorded this time is, in fact, the highest so far in the last one decade. This indicates that education at the high school level in Manipur is surely moving on the right track.

In 2004, the overall pass percentage recorded in HSLC exam was just a dismal 36. There was slight improvement at 39, 40, 52 and 58 percent in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 respectively.

But it came down one notch at 57 percent in 2009. However, in the following two years, the pass percentage witnessed a steep rise from 61 in 2010 to 71 in 2011.

It was in the last year’s exam that the pass percentage went down to 71 only to be made up appreciatively at 72 this time.

In terms of the number of students passing in first division too, there has been a significant improvement from just 7051 last year to 10668 this time.

All these churnings are good tidings of the things to come.

Amidst all these signs of progress and improvement, one disconcerting fact that could not be missed, however, is the continued poor showing of schools under the administration of the State Government despite efforts being made to improve the quality of education imparted along with setting up a string of model schools in different parts of the State.

Among the top 25 position holders, there is only one student from a Government school who manages to feature his name, that too at 23rd position.

Considering the fact that Government schools have been nowhere near the private or mission schools in Manipur when it comes to performance in HSLC examination for the last many years, securing 23rd position by a student from a Government school may be looked upon as a great leap.

But this should not be an occasion for contentment and celebration because the teachers working in Government schools are supposed to be far more experience and better paid than their counterparts working in private or mission schools.

It is sad to note that after the declaration of HSLC examination results every year, the question of why the Government teachers have not been able to put in the kind efforts and dedication shown by their counterparts in private schools is being raised.

For the sake of argument, one may dished out numerous reasons for poor showing of Government schools in HSLC or Higher Secondary examination in Manipur.

But the truth is that as long as the Government teachers, officials, Ministers and MLAs themselves cringe from the idea of admitting their own children in Government schools for education, a satisfactory answer to the recurring question over the poor showing of Government schools in examinations would remain baffling.