Y Merina Chishi
Dimapur| May 13
Most times, government schools are seen as schools of last resort. Faced with high school drop-out rate, low pass-percentage, crumbling infrastructure and disadvantaged educational facilities, the performances of government-run schools have been disappointing in Nagaland.
It is observed that children who do survive government schooling often end up lacking even basic knowledge, for instance, proper grammar and arithmetic skills. Notwithstanding these problems, the performance of students in government schools generally is not very impressive. This year too, the NBSE matriculation results of students’ studying in government schools’ in the state have been disappointing.
Out of 2923 students from government schools who appeared the NBSE matric exam this year, only 1345 passed; a pass percentage of 47. As many as 9 schools had 0% pass while only 2 schools managed to secure 100% pass. In majority of the government schools across the state, the pass percentage was less than 50%. It is also disappointing to note that out of the total number of 4,000 plus students enrolled to sit for the matric exam, less than 50% took the exam. There has been little or no improvement in most schools from last year, while schools in the towns secured relatively better results compared to those in the rural areas.
With such dismal performance, there is a general perception among private school administrators that the fault lies with the heads of institutions. Given the reality of the situation that confronts students’ studying in government schools, one cannot expect them to compete with those studying in private schools.
Yet, ironically, it is regarded that government schools have better trained teachers.
Administrator of G Rio School in Kohima, Khrienuo Moa says that government schools don’t have a system of ‘checks and balance,’ perhaps one of its biggest drawbacks. While most private schools keep monitoring the progress of both students and teachers, there is a general lack of accountability in government-run schools. “The focus should be on both students and teachers,” Khrienuo says. She feels that unless there is discipline from both ends, no progress is possible.
Talking about the advantages of private schooling, the administrator says that the ‘sense of duty’ among teachers is high and there is an urge in them to perform better. Likewise, an administrator of a reputed co-education school in Dimapur says that government schools lack competitive spirit and the students’ intellectual growth is often stunted. “Government schools lack incentive motivation. There is no competition among government schools to perform better,” he says. While for private schools, the administrator says “merit is a matter of prestige and that in turn motivates schools to perform better.”
However, some administrators and head of institutions think that teachers, students and society as a whole are to blame for the dismal condition of government schools in the state. One administrator pointed out that the general mindset among the people to take government facilities for granted has brought government schools to the state that they are in today.
“People don’t bother about anything that comes for free,” he says. Administrators feel that each penny is worth in private schools. The case is so in government schools, they say. Reacting to the general perception that private schools tend to admit only the meritorious and “creamy layer” of students leaving the “rejected” ones for government schools, administrators say that by doing so, they would be “doing injustice to the society.” However, they also don’t deny the fact that they opt for “smart, meritorious and disciplined students”; nonetheless reject the view that they are prejudiced in their selection process.
The economic factor that has placed government schools in the awkward situation. As most students studying in government schools are from economically poor backgrounds especially in rural areas, there is little hope or chances of better performance. Lack of infrastructure, proxy and untrained teachers, indiscipline and in some areas, shortage of teachers especially in subjects like math and science, has resulted in poor performance of students in consecutive years.
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