CHENNAI: With high absentees in Class XII exam due to the impact of the pandemic, experts and activists have called for a detailed study to ascertain what led these students to drop out of schools. The study should check whether it is because of socio-economic reasons or relevance of Class XI board exams, or their lack of willingness to continue education.
Of 8,51,303 students who registered for Class XII exam, 49,559 (6%) were absent. Among the absentees, more than 40,000 have failed in the Class XI board exams, sources said.
Fear of exams and going for work to support their families were cited as the main reasons for the increase in absentees from 4% last year to 6% this year.
Teachers said the state government should have conducted a detailed study to know the reasons for absentees in Class XII exams last year. Some also questioned the relevance of having Class XI board exams as students were dropping out after failing in those exams.
P B Prince Gajendrababu of State Platform for Common School System said Class XI board exams is one among many factors for high absentees in Class XII exam.
“Class XI board exams are not needed. Higher secondary is a two-year programme. The syllabus from both years should get equal weightage in the exam. The school education department should also look at socio-economic factors that could have forced children to work. They should provide counselling and support to parents to bring children back to schools,” he said.
Former school education director K Devarajan said there has been no proper study on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in school education so far. He said such a study would have helped to take remedial measures.
“The school education department should at least conduct a sample study to know what factors pushed them to take this drastic step of dropping out of schools,” said Aruna Rathnam, former education specialist with Unicef.
She also further called for a detailed discussion at all levels including parents, teachers,district officials and commissioner of school education to come out with measures to prevent dropouts.
Meanwhile, the school education department on Thursday conducted a chief educational officers meeting to analyse the issue of absentees and possible remedial measures.
“We will try to give coaching and bring absentees to write the Class XII supplementary exams,” school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said.
Of 8,51,303 students who registered for Class XII exam, 49,559 (6%) were absent. Among the absentees, more than 40,000 have failed in the Class XI board exams, sources said.
Fear of exams and going for work to support their families were cited as the main reasons for the increase in absentees from 4% last year to 6% this year.
Teachers said the state government should have conducted a detailed study to know the reasons for absentees in Class XII exams last year. Some also questioned the relevance of having Class XI board exams as students were dropping out after failing in those exams.
P B Prince Gajendrababu of State Platform for Common School System said Class XI board exams is one among many factors for high absentees in Class XII exam.
“Class XI board exams are not needed. Higher secondary is a two-year programme. The syllabus from both years should get equal weightage in the exam. The school education department should also look at socio-economic factors that could have forced children to work. They should provide counselling and support to parents to bring children back to schools,” he said.
Former school education director K Devarajan said there has been no proper study on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in school education so far. He said such a study would have helped to take remedial measures.
“The school education department should at least conduct a sample study to know what factors pushed them to take this drastic step of dropping out of schools,” said Aruna Rathnam, former education specialist with Unicef.
She also further called for a detailed discussion at all levels including parents, teachers,district officials and commissioner of school education to come out with measures to prevent dropouts.
Meanwhile, the school education department on Thursday conducted a chief educational officers meeting to analyse the issue of absentees and possible remedial measures.
“We will try to give coaching and bring absentees to write the Class XII supplementary exams,” school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said.
