Some Govt schools buck trend, compete equally with private schools
Moa Jamir
Dimapur | June 2
Every year when the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) declares the HSLC and HSSLC examinations results, one of the concerns among the State’s citizens is the performances of Government schools, particularly in the former.
This year was no exception. As per the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination results declared on May 31, Government schools in Nagaland reporting ‘zero/nil result’ increased from 23 in 2021 to 33 in 2022, just one short of the 34 schools reporting similar outcomes in 2020.
Overall, out of 28,938 candidates, a total of 18721 candidates cleared the examination with a qualified percentage of 64.69%. On the other hand, Government schools showing 100% qualified/pass percentage declined from 25 in 2021, to 12 in 2022, indicating a 52% decline.
Again, the pass percentage of the Government schools at 36.62% in 2022 was the worst performance in the past 6 years, beating the previous low record of 40.77% in 2018.
Few exceptions
Despite the fall in overall pass percentage as well as 100% qualification, some Government High Schools (GHS) have been consistently performing exceptionally, beating private schools’ results in the process.
As per the analysis of the HSLC results by The Morung Express during the last five years, three GHSs have secured hat-trick in chucking out 100% pass results in the past three years while one school has been maintaining a cent percent record during the analysed period. Since its first upgradation in 2019, another GHS has also been repeating the impeccable performance.
The three Government schools are GHS Yaongyimsen Compound, GHS Longjang, and GHS Saring, under Mokokchung district, suggesting that it is not a one-off performance but a marked improvement. It is also not the case of one student appearing and getting through, but record showed that at least three candidates appeared from those schools each year.
For instance, the number of candidates from GHS Yaongyimsen Compound in 2020, 2021, and 2022 were 9, 5 and 10 respectively. Incidentally, it also secured 100% in 2018 with 7 students, though it missed the mark in 2019 with 83% pass percentage, way above the state’s average.
The performance of GHS Longjang is more impressive as the school has been reporting 100% pass result since 2018, the only school with the ‘clean 100% sheet’ among the GHSs analysed. Number of students passing out from the GHS Longjang were 2022 (6), 2021 (8), 2020 (7), 2019 (3) and 2018 (4).
GHS Saring is not far behind. Reportedly, students from this school first sat for the HSLC examination in 2019 and since then there is a 100% record.
Student-wise, a total of 6 students appeared from GHS Saring in 2022, while the numbers for previous years are 2021 (6), 2020 (3), and 2019 (3).
Out of four remaining shools from the district - GHS Unger has secured 100% four times during the last five years, except in 2020 when it was 25%.
GHS Khar has also accomplished the feat three times during the same period while GHS Dibuia has achieved the record twice, both maintaining above 50% during other years. Only GHS Phangsang had no previous 100% record during the last five years.
In Tuensang, two schools featured in this year’s list have also been consistent performers. The achievement is more impressive for GHS Chare, given the fact that a total of 35 students cleared the exam from the school in 2022. GHS Chare’s record in four previous years were 2021 (81%), 2020 (68%), 2019 (87%) and 2018 (81%).
The 2022 result was a repeat of 2019 and 2021 for GHS Longthrok -the other government school from Tuensang in the list. The 33% pass percentage achieved in 2020 was the only blemish on its near-perfect record.
Equally remarkable is GHS Kigwema’s record under Kohima, which achieved the 100% pass results twice – in 2022 and 2020, with more students, 34 and 23 respectively. The chances of failure are assumed to be higher with more candidates.
Again, in years when it did not reach the 100% mark, GHS Kigwema’s pass percentages were much higher than most schools – private or public.
In 2021, the school secured 96%, while it was 90% and 72% respectively in 2019 and 2018.
Out of the two other two schools in the 2020 list – GHS Yamhon Old in Wokha and GHS Kilomi in Zunheboto with 1 candidate each, the former had no previous records while it was 0% for the latter.
Regional disparities
The pass percentage of the Government schools at 36.62% in 2022 was the worst performance in the past 6 years, beating the previous low record of 40.77% in 2018.
Analysis of the district wise performance for government schools also showed regional disparities across the State. While the GHS performances overall was low at 36.62%, only four districts were performing above the State’s average in 2020.
The districts were Kohima (57 %), Mokokchung (54%), Peren (52%) and Phek (43%).
During the last three years, (see table), all the remaining districts have performed below the State’s average except Dimapur in 2020 when 49% cleared the exam against the statewide GHS pass percentage of 47.40%.
In 2020, Kiphire district is at the bottom with 7%, followed by Noklak (8%) and Longleng (15%).
Except for Mokokchung district, all the other districts had at least one school with ‘zero’ or 0% pass percentage.
It was highest in Kiphire at 6, followed by 5 in Tuensang and four each in Wokha and Zunheboto.
This is first of a two-part series on 2022 HSLC/HSSLC results
