‘Mukulam’ involves no new experimentation in pedagogy. It is a simple methodology of offering special and extra student-centred support mechanism for improving results. And the result is there for all to see “another season of highest SSLC pass percentage for Kannur district.”
The project launched by the district panchayat in 2006 is not meant to be a miracle cure for the low pass percentage registered by the district in SSLC examinations.
Big leapBut ‘Mukulam’ has yielded results one could have hardly imagined eight years ago. When the district topped this year’s SSLC examinations with the highest ever percentage of 98.27, this scheme was pushed to the limelight. Figures speak for themselves. The pass percentage rose to this level from 77.58 per cent in 2005-06.
The project primarily aims at giving special coaching for students in subjects where they generally lag behind. Teachers find extra time for giving this extra coaching. After the project was launched, the pass percentage in 2006-07 reached 90.77 per cent, the highest in the State.
Three on the trotThe district retained that position for the next three successive SSLC examinations, the percentage being 96.41 in 2007-08, 96.83 in 2008-09 and 96.88 in 2009-10. There was a decline in the percentage in 2010-11 when the district was relegated to the second slot with 96.24 per cent. But it recovered in the following year and once again became the State topper with 96.93 per cent. Last year’s pass percentage was a setback as the district was pushed to the sixth slot in the State with 96.22 per cent pass.
Minor setback“Last year’s small setback is due to delay in providing teaching aids and publishing handbooks,” district panchayat president K.A. Sarala said. That glitch helped the panchayat renew its energies to implement the project in right earnest by supplying teaching aids and handbooks in time with the help of sponsorships, she said.
“Our goal is to achieve 100 per cent pass in the coming years,” she said.
Special coachingInitially, the project involved special coaching programmes in English and Mathematics as many students were found to be weak in the two subjects. Later other subjects were also covered. ‘Mukulam’ includes giving special coaching and counselling to students, creating awareness among parents, and helping financially weak students.
“It is a result-oriented project. Orientation camps were conducted for parents and training camps for teachers,” said P. Rosa, chairperson, district panchayat health and education standing committee. “From this year, we are planning to introduce some components of the project for students in Class VIII and IX,” she said.
Aralam school‘Mukulam’ project needs no better laurel than the cent per cent SSLC pass registered by the Aralam Farm Government School in the Aralam Farm Tribal Resettlement Area. All the 18 Adivasi students who appeared for the examinations from the school passed, repeating last year’s record.
The school turned into residential mode some weeks before the examinations began to allow teachers to give focused attention to the students. “In the tribal areas of Aralam, we want the fruits of education to reach Adivasi hamlets through the students who study in the school,” observes Dineshan Madaththil, Deputy Director of Education.
