Tribal schools fare well in The Nilgiris

The overall pass percentage of four government tribal schools in The Nilgiris– including three residential schools – has increased by 13.96 per cent this year to touch 96.77 per cent in the Class X board examination. Of the 62 students of the four schools who wrote the examination, 60 emerged successful.

Two of these schools – one at Kargudi and the other at Kunjapanai where 16 and 27 students respectively wrote the exam – have recorded 100 per cent pass.

The school at Kargudi recorded 100 per cent pass for the third consecutive year. Two other schools at Karikaiyur and Hooker could not record 100 per cent pass as one student each had failed in those schools.

Though number of students who wrote the board exams in these schools is less, they recorded a high pass percentage and good score despite shortage of teaching faculty, poor access to school – as they are located in remote places – and parents who gave very less importance for their children’s education.

The headmistress of the school at Kargudi, G. Ramani, said that they had to motivate students throughout the year and even go to their house on many occasions to get them to school and for examinations.

This year, student Ashokan scored 462 marks and emerged first in the school. His score included 100 marks in science.

Three students had scored 99 in social science though the school does not have a high school teacher for the subject. Tamil teacher N. Marimuthu also handles mathematics.

With this staff strength, the school has helped four students score over 400 and seven students score more than 350 marks.

“Last year a student scored 473 marks,” Ms. Ramani said. She added that consistent performance of the teachers and students has helped increase the school’s strength in the last three years. Only seven students appeared in the class X board exam in 2012-13 and 2013-14, respectively, and recorded 100 per cent pass. While all 16 students who appeared in the exams this year emerged successful, the head mistress said that next year 28 students will appear in the SSLC board exam and that they would strive hard to get 100 per cent result.

Chief Education Officer T. Ganeshamoorthi said that efforts were under way to fill the vacancies in those schools to benefit students from tribal communities.

A school at Kargudi recorded 100 per cent pass for the third consecutive year