In a blow to schools that have scored a duck in the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has threatened to down their shutters. The department has warned parents against admitting their children to such schools and said that recognition to these schools would be withdrawn and the process of their closure would be initiated.
Cracking the whip on unaided schools that have drawn a blank more than once in the last five years, or have had a pass percentage lower than 40 per cent, the department has instructed the deputy directors of public instruction (DDPIs) to issue notices and withdraw recognition where it is deemed necessary. The DDPIs have been asked to submit their recommendations before July 20.
The DPI circular targets not just private school managements, but also teachers in government schools. It has asked the DDPIs to issue notices to the teachers teaching subjects in which the students have fared poorly. Disciplinary action under the Karnataka Civil Service Rules, 1957 has been threatened against the principals and teachers of schools that have posted zero pass percentage thrice in the last three years (including this year).
Yashoda Bopanna, Director, Karnataka Secondary Education and Examination Board, said their job was to identify schools with low percentage and forward the information to the Education Department. “This year, 36 schools have been identified. Of these, two are aided and the rest are unaided; there are no government schools,” she said.
What will PU Dept. do?
The Department of Public Instruction has decided to take action against schools that have been recording poor performance in the SSLC exam, including those that have scored zero pass percentage. But the Department of Pre-University Education is yet to decide on the course of action against the 47 PU colleges that have zero pass percentage. On the day of the announcement of the results, DPUE Director Sushama Godbole had said notices would be issued to such colleges.
