After receiving flak for record low results in the secondary and the higher secondary state board examinations that led to a series of brainstorming sessions by the education department for a new roadmap, the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) has come out with a solution to avoid a similar situation in the future.
As a token of appreciation to schools scoring 100 per cent results, the GSHSEB has decided to “reward” those with schools scoring below 30 per cent results under its “adoption” policy.
As per the latest decision, a total of 646 schools — both secondary (Class X) and higher secondary (Class XII) with 100 per cent results in the 2015 board examinations — have to adopt the nearest schools up to Class X, having a history of “poor” results (below 30 per cent).
Orders for the implementation of this scheme from the current academic session has been recently passed to all the district education officers by the GSHSEB. This would be applied to the government as well as the grant-in-aid schools.
Though this adoption scheme started at a low-scale in Bhavnagar by its district education officer (DEO) S L Dodiya last year, it was noticed by the GSHSEB after there was a marked improvement in the schools that were adopted. “While discussing various measures to improve the results, somebody informed about this adoption scheme being introduced in Bhavnagar. When details were sought from the DEO on its implementation and the results, it was decided to replicate it on a larger scale across the state. The process of identification of the schools to be adopted and those adopting has been initiated, and it will be implemented during this academic session only,” confirmed deputy chairman of GSHSEB R R Thakkar. As per the 2015 state board results, there were 303 schools registering 100 per cent results in Class X. While 100 per cent students of another 213 and 130 schools were declared pass in Class XII science stream and general stream, respectively. “The scheme was initiated in 2014 with seven schools in the urban areas in Bhavnagar district. Out of seven, within a year results improved in four of them, out of which one was a girls school. All these schools had a result record of below 30 per cent, and they witnessed an improvement from 20 to 30 per cent,” recalled Bhavnagar DEO S L Dodiya. Under the scheme, schools can donate education materials, laboratory items, computers and uniforms to the ones being adopted by them. Also, teachers and students have to make regular visits to the one which has adopted their school. Also, science, maths and English subject teachers have to visit the adopted schools.
[“source – indianexpress.com”]
