By Albert Thyrniang
In the recently declared HSSLC, Science and Commerce streams, Garo Hills drew a blank in the list of top ten candidates. The pass percentage too was comparatively lower than in Khasi-Jaintia Hills. This made the MBOSE Controller of Examinations to make a generalised statement that the reason behind the poor results was due to laziness of students. This is too simplistic a view. One would expect a top board official to come up with a holistic statement listing the reasons for the mediocre, if not dismal, results in Garo Hills, not only this year but in the past too.
Provoked by the ‘lazy’ comment, I take this liberty to critique MBOSE as an institution. Often we see many empty chairs in the Board’s office rooms. At times not even one officer is found. We see also employees playing computer games during working hours. There is also a notice that reads, “Working hours is from 10 am to 5 pm for all employees.” Of course, there are hard working and punctual officers but why the empty chairs and the notice? Is MBOSE an example of hard work, excellence, efficiency, punctuality, etc? Every year MBOSE declares its results at least two weeks later than Nagaland, Tripura and Mizoram boards? Why is it that MBOSE cannot even compete with our neighbouring states?
At the outset, looking at the results statistically (in reference to Garo Hills) may be beneficial before venturing into figuring out the reasons that are responsible for the repeated below par results in the five districts of Garo Hills. In the Science stream, West Garo Hills registered the highest pass percentage of 57.89, just one percent above South West Khasi Hills, which secured the lowest pass percentage in Khasi and Jaintia Hills. East Garo Hills is the next highest with 57.89 percent. Next is North Garo Hills with 37.50 percent. South Garo Hills’ dubious record is zero percent.
In the Commerce stream East and North Garo Hills came up with hundred percent pass record. However, they had only 17 and 7 candidates respectively. Two districts, namely, South West and South Garo Hills had no candidates.
Now the reasons for our yearly non-envious records is as follows:
1. Prolonged and excessive religious festivals: This is, according to me, the main reason for students not performing well in board examinations. In this part of the state, Christmas celebrations start right in the first week of December. Candidates who have just cleared their selection tests and their forms sent to the Board join others in the singing and beating of drums popularly known as “Song Kristan”. The celebrations become more intensive as the Christmas day approaches. Earlier evenings were dedicated to “Song Kristan”, but in the last few years politicians and district administrations conduct “Song Kristan” competitions in different localities and headquarters during the day. The celebrations peak three to four days prior to and after December 25. Celebrations continue until late night. The younger generations even sing and dance from dust to dawn. The Christmas festive mood culminates into New Year. The celebrations continue well beyond 1st of January.
Before the Christmas and New Year celebrations subside come the religious gathering, the Sobhas. The different types (from the smallest to the biggest) of Sobhas or conventions are held in different locations. They keep youngsters busy. They carry on up to the end of January or even beginning of February.
I think it is fair to say that students appearing for examinations are distracted by Christmas, New Year and Sobha festivals. We know that SSLC and HSSLC examinations usually commence in the first week of March. Students have hardly one month to prepare for their respective examinations. While their counterparts in other parts of the state intensively prepare for three to four months, our students are given just a month. How can we expect our wards to perform well? Can religious leaders do something about it?
2. Acute lack of the English language writing skills: One of the reactions to the observations of the Controller of Examinations was by a person who wrote a letter to the editor pointing out that the lack of knowledge of English is the reason for failure and not laziness. This is true to a large extent. For the majority of the students, particularly in the rural areas, their knowledge of English is negligible. They can neither write nor speak simple conversational English. How do we expect them to grasp complex concepts of Science, Mathematics, Economics, Accountancy, and other social subjects? What students do is memorise. This can be done by studious, tutored and monitored kids and not by others.
The lack of knowledge of English language is not only with students. Many teachers too are uncomfortable with the foreign language. Forget about mastering and possessing a command over the lingua franca in many countries, they cannot express themselves sufficiently in the language that is the medium of instruction. I would not be surprised if they themselves don’t understand the subjects they teach. In such a scenario, imparting instruction is handicapped. No one can give what he or she does not have! Could this be one of the reasons for students failing?
3. Institutions and teachers’ faults: It is no secret that poorer results are produced by government and non-missionary run deficit institutions. Classes in these institutions are very irregular and teacher absenteeism is high. Working hours are supposed to be from 10 am to 4 pm. But we often see children returning home by 1 pm. We know that government and deficit school teachers are paid much higher than private teachers. But they produce the least outcome. The institutions in South Garo Hills could not even coach and train three candidates to make them pass. Can we blame the students only? How many teachers are there in that institution? What a waste of funds and resources!
Private institutions and those run by missionaries organise remedial classes and conduct pre-board tests prior to the board examinations. Do government schools/colleges and non-missionary deficit schools do so? Do teachers look only for remuneration and not the welfare of the students?
4. Prestige admission: There are still many parents who insist that their children take up science and commerce just because their wards passed in the first division or scores 50 percent in Mathematics and Science in SSLC. They refuse to see that out of 50, 19 are practical marks generously given by teachers. These parents refuse to listen to teachers who know the children well and understand that they are not cut out for Science or Commerce subjects.
In rural settings students with 30 per cent marks in Mathematics, Science and English are adamant that they be given admission in Science or Commerce streams. Institutions too have to give in for want of candidates in these two streams. They need to sustain themselves. Better students migrate to town and city institutions. It’s a fashion perhaps! In such a scenario poor results are naturally expected.
5. Absence of parental supervision: Students from rural areas rush to towns and cities for admission. They stay in hostels or rented houses away from parents and families. There they are in a new found free environment. They bunk classes, get addicted to social media platforms, get into unwanted friendship and habits. I have enough concrete examples to show that average and above students end up failing for the above reasons. Had they remained in their localities they would have certainly been successful.
6. Non-conducive environment: The bandhs, strikes and agitation culture in our state does not foster a conducive environment for students to excel. Many days are lost due to ‘non-cooperation movements’. If NGOs and underground groups value education and care for the future of the society they should exempt schools and colleges from the purview of bandhs as is being done in Boroland. Waiting for that day!
By the time this write-up appears the SSLC and HSSLC, Arts results would have been declared. Hope Garo Hills salvages some pride by claiming a spot or two in the list of top 10/20. Best of luck boys and girls!