Let us make schools better : The current initiative

-Yangsorang Rongreisek
At the backdrop of School Fagathansi Mission or Let Us Make Schools Better Mission to be launched by the School Education Dept of Manipur as notified a couple of days ago, what is of utmost importance is first to focus on schooling and learning. In the initiative, sixty govt high schools have been selected for implementation of the mission. It is said that highly qualified teachers will be deployed in these high schools. And in recent times, there has been much emphasis—and rightly so—on the distinction between schooling and learning in education in Manipur. Schooling does not translate into learning. The number of years of schooling, in this case, fails to be an effective indicator of learning. The problem is particularly severe in the state still struggling to get all children enrolled in govt schools. In the bid to get children into govt schools, the school education dept has focused a lot on enrolments and not enough on quality of learning and teaching. Poor learning outcomes have been known for a long time.
The school education dept has been documenting these poor outcomes of students for years. But the state attention on the issue of quality of education and learning has been more recent. There are a number of questions that crop up. As the sixty high schools are going to get ample opportunities to revamp their school structures, cases of the remaining high schools ought to be looked into. Was the High School Leaving Certificate Examination (HSLCE), 2018 result only for a blip, or are we going to see a trend in improved learning outcomes?  What about the sudden rise of some of the govt high schools in the HSLCE, 2019 after school teachers across the length and breadth of the state had been blamed very often for poor performances of govt schools in Manipur? At a time when many a high school in the state has shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff, there has been tremendous improvement of Govt High Schools in the HSLCE conducted in 2019 as forty-five Govt high schools recorded good pass percentage compared to that of 2017 and 2018.
In defence of Govt high schools in Manipur: The data prepared by the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur on the school-wise pass percentage for H.S.L.C.Examination, 2019 shows impressive gains in learning.  Schools which have performed well in the examination are (1) Azad High School, Yairipok that sent up 84 candidates for the HSLCE, 2019. Out of which, 82 candidates passed the examn with 27 first divisioners and 55 Second divisioners. (2) Bishnulal High School, Kangpokpi Dist sent up 50 candidates, out of which 47 passed the examn in the said examn with 8 first divisioners and 37 second divisioners. (3) All the 21 candidates of Chamu High School, Ukhrul cleared the examination in 1st and 2nd divisions. (4) Of the 33 candidates sent up by the Eastern Christian High Schools, Ukhrul dist, 25 of them passed in 1st division with 8 second divisioners. (5) All the candidates sent up by the Eklavya Model Residential Schools under the category of Govt schools in Manipur cleared the HSLCE, 2019 in flying colours. (6) In the case of Eklavya Model Residential School, Gamnom, Kangpokpi dist, all the 22 candidates passed in 1st Division. (7) The performance of Kakching Khunou HS, Kakching dist is not bad. Out of 23 candidates, 21 passed the examn in 1st and 2nd division. (8) Kalhang Kuirei HS, Kuirei, Ukhrul dist also sent up 23 candidates in the examn and 15 of them passed in 1st division with 6 2nd divisioners. (9) For Kamjong High School, Kamjong dist out of 87, 85 passed the said examn with 27 in 1st division and 56 in 2nd division. (10) Kangpokpi Hr.Secondary School’s pass percentage is 50.72. (11) Kasom Khullen HS, Kamjong dist sent up 46 candidates in the examn and 22 of them passed in 1st division with 18 2nd divisioners. (12) Keishamthong High School, IW sent up 37 candidates, 13 of them passed in 1st division with 17 2nd divisioners. (13) Out of 110 candidates of Keithelmanbi HS, Kangpokpi dist, 8 candidates passed in 1st division with 57 in 2nd division. (14) All the 22 candidates of Khamasom HS, Ukhrul dist passed in 1st and 2nd divisions. (15) Khangabok Hr. Secondary School, Thoubal dist sent up 84 candidates and 62 passed in 1st and 2nd divisions. (16) Khurai Popular HS, Imphal East dist sent up 29 candidates and all of them passed in 1st and 2nd divisions. (17) Lairikyengbam Leikai HS, Imphal East dist also did well in the examn when its 27 candidates passed in 1st and 2nd divisions. (18) Langmei Hr.Secondary School, Tamenglong dist recorded pass percentage of 78%. (19) Liwachangning HS, Chandel dist’s pass percentage is 88.89 when its 35 candidates passed in 1st division and 29 in 2nd division. (20) Maha Union HS, Chandel dist’s performance is encouraging when its 11 candidates passed in 1st and 44 in 2nd division. (21) Moijing HS, Thoubal dist sent up 25 candidates and 17 of them passed in 1st and 2nd divisions. (22) What is more encouraging is that Moirangpurel HS, Imphal East dist sent up 74 candidates in the said examination.  73 of them passed in 1st division except 1 passed in 2nd division. (23) New Ideal HS, Thoubal dist also recorded 65.08 %.  (24) The candidates of Ningthoukhong Hr.Sec.School, Bishnupur dist also recorded cent percent pass with 46 1st divisioners and 25 2nd divisioners. (25) The candidates of Nungba HS, Noney dist recorded a pass percentage of 80 when its 29 candidates passed in 1st division and 43 in 2nd division. (26) Out of 32 candidates of Paocham HS, Ukhrul dist, 18 of them passed in 1st division and 9 candidates in 2nd division. (27) 58 candidates of Paoyi HS, Ukhrul dist also passed in 1st division and 30 in 2nd division, pass percentage being 88%. (28) Phadang High School, Ukhrul dist recorded pass percentage of 48.57. (29) Phuba HS, Senapati dist achieved pass percentage of 64.52. (30) Phundrei HS, Thoubal dist recorded pass percentage of 83.08 with 25 1st divisioners and 27 2nd divisioners. (31) Poirou Khongjin HS, Yairipok sent up 37 candidates, out of which 23 candidates passed in 1st division and 11 in 2nd division. (32) Purul Hr.Secondary. School, Senapati dist sent up 32 candidates and 30 of them passed the HSLCE, 2019 with 10 1st divisioners and 20 2nd divisioners. (33) Sanakeithel Chingshang HS, Ukhrul Dist sent up 65 candidates, out of which, 34 candidates passed the examn in 1st division and 26 candidates in 2nd division. (34) 20 candidates of Sagang Hr. Sec. School, Ccpur dist passed the examn in 1st division and 43 candidates in 2nd division. (35) Sawombung HS, Imphal East recorded pass percentage of 73.42 with 28 1st divisioners and 27 2nd divisioners. (36) Senvon HS, Pherzawl dist recorded pass percentage of 79.17 with 2 1st divisioners and 17 2nd divisioners. (37) Lamding Hr.Sec. School, Thoubal dist did well in the said examination when its 18 candidates passed in the examn 1st division and 30 of them in 2nd division. (38) Thoudam Leishangthem HS, Thoubal dist sent up 22 candidates and 10 candidates passed the examn in 1st and 10 in 2nd divisions. (39) Wangkhei Model HS, Imphal East dist sent up 62 candidates and 37 of them passed the examn in 1st divisions and 16 in 2nd divisions. (40) Wangoo HS, Bishnupur dist sent up 111 candidates and 36 of them passed the examn in 1st divisions and 49 in 2nd divisions. (41) Yumnam Huidrom High School, Imphal West-II also recorded pass percentage of 68.57 with 15 1st divisioners and 29 2nd divisioners. (42) Out of 50 candidates of Model HS, Ukhrul, 21 of them passed the examn. (43) All the 15 candidates of Oinam Hill HS, Senapati dist passed the examn, 9 of them in 1st division and 6 in 2nd division. (44) Tongou HS, Ukhrul dist sent up 27 candidates, 17 of them passed the examn in 1st division and 3 in 2nd division. (45) And 6 candidates of Vumhao HS, Ccpur district passed the examn in 1st division with 22 2nd divisioners.
To be contd