The no-fail policy has run into trouble, at least in its present form, according to the government. The law ministry has given the go-ahead to a proposal by the ministry of human resource development to limit the policy to Class V instead of implementing it till Class VIII as is done at present. The proposed amendment to section 16 of the Right to Education Act 2009 is a welcome move.
One of the major concerns that it seeks to address is the lackadaisical attitude towards studies that has been seen in a significant section of students since the implementation of the no-fail policy. The policy also put an end to the practice of some schools screening out academically weak students to be able to proclaim that the institution has done remarkably well in the board examinations.
The policy intended to drive home the thought that along with the school the parents, too, must take responsibility for a student not doing well in studies. A few schools also make it clear to parents that they have a key role to play in the performance of the students. Some schools also provide facilities for additional coaching for students who are particularly weak.
There is, however, a flipside to this policy. Earlier, students used to study hard to ensure that they did well in their examinations as they feared that they would be kept back in the same class if they did not get a certain percentage of marks. The situation has drastically changed.
The anxiety that used to be writ large on the faces of students and parents alike during exam time is not much in evidence. Some students also feel that there is very little need to study when there is no fear of failing. This is where the no-fail exercise has been defeated miserably.
The no-fail policy seeks to ensure compulsory education up to the age of 14 years and to stem the dropout rate in students, which is particularly high in rural areas. However, students pose a problem in higher classes if they are the type who hardly study or are very weak and are promoted to the next class despite not being able to achieve the basic academic standard required.
A large proportion of students are unable to complete even basic academic tasks unless they are given extra coaching. There are reports of Class VI students unable to read texts meant for Class IV or answer basic questions in arithmetic. This cannot be good for any society.
Blind adherence to the no-detention policy will not help either the education system in general or the weak student in particular. Schools must arrange for special classes for those who are unable to keep up with the rest of the class.
These programmes must be long-term in nature as short-term courses will do little to help students who are slower to grasp things taught in class than their classmates. This is easier said than done as schools miserably lack infrastructure as well as trained teachers.
However, schools need to make efforts to get out of the habit of focusing on the brightest students to ensure that the children of the institution bag the top ranks in the board exams once they reach Class X. Proper emphasis must be laid on ensuring that even those who are not brilliant are able to cope.
The parents of weak students must, on their part, ensure that the child takes advantage of the help offered. They must also try to help the student at home. That, of course, is possible only if parents themselves are educated and have the economic resources in terms of free time.
Although everyone says that schools must increase the teacher-student ratio in classrooms as that could allow teachers pay more attention to each student and better identify and help those who are weak, the lack of trained teachers hampers this wish.
The idea that educational institutions should move towards a system of continuous evaluation and not depend on just one or two examinations in a semester is brilliant. Schools could also conduct tests for fewer marks as this puts less stress on the children. Teachers need to figure out the reasons for the poor performance by the children and then find ways to help them do better.
Steps such as these are essential if our children are to match those in other societies. Revamping the complete education system is a costly affair. The government does not seem interested in this field.
While encouraging the rich businesses and industries, we seem to have forgotten the age old adage of ‘Catch ‘em young’. If today we do not bother with the children of the poor and ensure they get proper modern mental and physical health advancements, we shall rue, as a nation, tomorrow.
