By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Of the total number of students who appear in the SSLC and HSSLC examinations every year, almost two-thirds are non-regular candidates. While 80 per cent or more of the regular candidates appearing for the said examinations emerge successful, only around 20 per cent non-regular candidates manage to make the cut thus bringing down the total pass percentage to a great extent.
In an attempt to improve the total pass percentage and more importantly to help the huge chunk of non-regular candidates, the State Government is planning to introduce Meghalaya’s own open schooling system for non-regular candidates.
“The number of repeaters is adding up every year and there is a need to address this problem. Meghalaya State Open School, which will be a vocation-based system, is the only answer to this problem,” Principal Secretary in-charge of Education Department PS Thangkhiew told The Shillong Times.
Thangkhiew observed that the total pass percentage is being brought down by repeaters. “The open schools will address their problems and at the same time will help in reducing the drop-out rate in the State,” he said.
The system, which is similar to the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), will cater to a larger section and impart vocational courses by devising curriculum based on employability. “This year, the government has tied up with NIOS which will develop the curriculum,” Thangkhiew said.
The Principal Secretary also said that the department is constantly in touch with the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE) for the registration of students and also to get the number of non-regular candidates.
Stating that this project is still in the nascent stage, Thangkhiew said a proposal in this regard would soon be forwarded to the Cabinet for its approval.
Elaborating, Thangkhiew said that these open schools will be more of contact centres where candidates would be required to register and attend a few classes unlike regular schools.
Stating that the enrollment will be higher than that of NIOS, Thangkhiew said, “Candidates have to get themselves enrolled in these contact centres with payment of Rs 500 for registration.”
“The centre in Shillong will be set up at the Directorate of Higher and Technical Education at Laitumkhrah,” he said.