SHILLONG: Beneath the euphoria over top-20 in this year’s SSLC examinations, the overall results make dismal reading with the pass percentage plummeting to the lowest in last five years and, worse, as many as ten schools of the state earned dubious distinction of not a single candidate managing to come out successful!
“It is very sad that the pass percentage in ten schools all across the state was 0% and it is totally unacceptable,” Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said.
The Education Minister said that the matter needs to be inquired as to what went wrong with the performance of these schools, adding that these schools are answerable. “If need be and if there are any lapses, government would withdraw the affiliation of these schools,” he said.
The SSLC 2020 result booklet published by MBoSE lists ten schools with zero pass percentage.
The schools are Batabari Higher Secondary School, Bhaitbari Girls’ Secondary School, Dimapara Secondary School, Monabari Higher Secondary School, New Tura Secondary School, Omed Memorial Secondary School, Rajasimla, Phlo Rosy Dew Secondary School, Mawkyrwat, Pragatipur Secondary School, Selsella Higher Secondary School and Thakimagiri Secondary School, Phulbari.
Expressing concern over the fact that the pass percentage in this year’s SSLC was low, he however added that it is very encouraging to see that schools throughout the state have performed well.
Expressing his happiness that the top-20 list had students from schools all over the state, the minister was impressed with the performance of two districts of East and West Jaintia Hills where the pass percentage was the highest.
Admitting that the performance of Garo Hills based schools is a matter of concern, Rymbui added that a committee was constituted last year to look into the performance of the Garo Hills region based schools.
“They have submitted the report but we could not implement the recommendations of the report this year,” the minister said.
The statement came from the minister as this year’s SSLC pass percentage was very dismal at only 50.31 per cent.
In 2016 the pass percentage was 54.10%, in 2017 it was 54.04%, in 2018 it rose to 56.76% while last year it was 55.72%.
West Jaintia Hills secured the best pass percentage of 69.96, followed by East Jaintia Hills (69%) and East Khasi Hills (68.94%). South Garo Hills had the lowest pass percentage of 26.57.