These SSLC students burn the midnight oil at school

The exam fever has reached fever pitch with several cases of class 10 students staying back in schools late into the night completing prep work. In some instances, they spend the entire night in schools, even sleeping there so that they don’t lose precious time commuting. SSLC exam is barely two weeks away, and several schools managements — government and private — are leaving no stone unturned to make sure that all their students pass with flying colours. Students are being asked to stay back for at least four hours after their regular classes. In the case of government schools where the pass percentage is low, district officials have reportedly insisted on extra classes. Heads of schools say that the demand for extra classes has come from parents themselves, as some of them are unable to help their children with their academics. Ramesh, secretary and principal of a school in Hebbal, said they conduct revision classes till 8.30 p.m. for 25 students who will appear for the examination. “These students do not do homework or revise when they get back home. We have been conducting these classes for several years,” he said, adding that while school gets over at 3 p.m., class 10 students are asked to come back at 6 p.m. and stay till 8.30 p.m. Three teachers from other schools had been roped in to help them. Some schools are conducting revision classes based on the academic performance of the students in the preparatory examinations. “Some students aim to pass the examination, but others are aiming for a distinction. We need to have different strategies for them,” said Mahesh A.R., a management member of a school in Peenya II stage. However, not all parents are taking to the idea of having their children spend such long hours in school. Sujata S., whose son studies in Class 10 in a private school at Rajajinagar, said he is often in school till 8 p.m. “He is exhausted and comes home by 9 p.m. The school has completed portions and I feel students should be allowed to study subjects of their choice after understanding their weaknesses. Having common classes is of no use,” she said. D. Shashi Kumar, general secretary of the Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka, said that conducting classes for long hours in the name of examination was not the best way to go about it. “This may hamper the learning process and the ability of the child to retain what he/she has learnt. Schools following this practice need to teach students to face the exam by learning concepts of the subjects rather than rote-based learning,” he said. Source: The Hindu