The pass percentage of students studying in Adi Dravidar and tribal schools in the State in SSLC examinations has crossed 80 per cent this year and the results are very encouraging, A. Tamilarasi, Minister for Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare said here.
While the pass percentage of schools under the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department was 70 per cent in 2005-06, it has increased to 81 per cent this year in the SSLC results which were declared on May 26.
“It is a good performance by our students and these schools are able to compete with private schools, Government/Corporation schools in scoring marks,” she observed.
Speaking to The Hindu on Saturday, Ms. Tamilarasi informed that 1,187 students of Adi Dravidar Welfare schools in the State had scored over 400 marks while 32 schools achieved cent per cent pass.
She said that a substantial portion of the funds allotted to the department were being spent for educational purposes and that had yielded good results.
Totally 14,404 students (7,212 boys and 7,192 girls) of 159 Adi Dravidar Welfare/Tribal schools in Tamil Nadu had appeared for the SSLC public examinations in March 2010 of which 11,642 students had passed.
State topper
C. Muthulakshmi, a student of Government Adi Dravida Welfare Girls' Higher Secondary School at Nallammalpuram in Tirunelveli district, whose parents are farm workers, had scored 490 marks out of 500 and stood first in the State in this category of schools.
“The Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi is showing lot of interest in the welfare of Adi Dravidar and tribal people. Over 80 per cent funds of the total Rs.860 crore allocated for the department are spent towards education,” Ms. Tamilarasi said.
She complimented the efforts put in by the teachers of Adi Dravidar schools for improving the students' performance in public examinations.
“Our department too is functioning like School Education Department by focusing more on education of people belonging to Adi Dravidar and tribal communities. The performance of Class X students was periodically monitored after quarterly, half-yearly and revision examinations,” the Minster added.
There are totally 159 schools under the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department of which 129 are Adi Dravidar Welfare schools and 30 are schools meant for tribal children.
Ms. Tamilarasi said that the Chief Minister would soon present cash prizes to the students, three boys and three girls, who performed well in both the SSLC and Plus Two examinations.
