The declaration of SSLC results was a momentous moment for the Government High School in Aroor. The 140-year-old school has defied several odds to secure cent per cent pass for the first time in recent history.
Similar to several government-run schools across the State, the school has been in a state of neglect for several years, primarily due to the increasing number of better-equipped aided and unaided schools in the region. The school faced an imminent closure with the dwindling number of students – it had just three students for Class 1 in 2011.
In a last-ditch effort, Aroor MLA A.M. Ariff adopted the school in 2013 at the insistence of the Deputy Director of Education. The consequent achievements would testify that the move meant a change in the fortunes of the school.
“The conditions surrounding the school seemed pathetic as it suffered from alarming staff shortage as well as lack of infrastructural facilities. The absence of a headmaster also affected the functioning of the school. However, it was the lack of confidence among the existing teachers, students and their guardians that affected the school’s performance the most,” Mr. Ariff said.
It required great effort to instil confidence among the students, who came from financially-disadvantaged backgrounds and were mostly from the fishing community. Several counselling sessions led by experts, including those from the Department of Psychiatry at the Government T.D. Medical College, were organised for the students and parents.
‘Target 100’
Free coaching sessions and study camps were also arranged with the support of certain voluntary organisations, which provided refreshments and other facilities for the students. The efforts gave way to a movement in the region that was named ‘Target 100’. The school managed to achieve the target by ensuring the pass of all the 27 students who appeared for the SSLC examinations in 2014. The ‘Target 100’ project was soon adopted by several schools in the region.
Bolstered by its performance, the school launched the ‘Maximum A+’ project for ensuring that all of its students achieved A+ in all subjects in the 2015 examinations. However, despite achieving cent per cent pass through its 17 candidates, the school could manage to secure only five A+ grades.
S. Prasannan, who is the project convener, said the school would pursue the programme with renewed vigour to achieve the target. The sanctioning of Rs. 1.18 crore from Mr. Ariff’s local area development fund for constructing an auditorium, a smart classroom and other facilities in the school has also boosted the confidence of the school authorities.
