Punjab Congress on Sunday alleged that the Government school education system in the State was being “sabotaged” as a part of the conspiracy by first giving the impression that its heading towards failure.
“This was evident from the results of the entrance test for admission to the meritorious students in which the success rate is just about 50 per cent this year,” said the Congress legislature Party (ClP) leader Charanjit Singh Channi.
Channi pointed out that this had to be seen in the context of the basic qualification to appear for this test that is 80 per cent marks in Class X of the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB). The students were to get just 50 per cent marks to be qualified to get admission in these select meritorious schools, he said.
“It is shocking that 50 per cent students who have cleared PSEB’s Class X exams with 80 per cent marks and appeared for the admission test failed to even qualify leading to 1,500 seats being vacant. This betrays bankruptcy of the system. The Board authorities had shown better pass percentage by awarding 27 grace marks,” he said.
ClP leader alleged that certain forces in the government were working for the total collapse of the government education system that cater mainly to be students from weaker sections in an attempt to encourage further privatization in this sector.
“The private education system has proved to be too exploitative that a student from ordinary family can’t afford. Already, there have been protests against arbitrary fee hikes by the private schools,” he said.
Channi said that the students from Punjab were getting phased out of the highly competitive system as they fail to qualify. “This is adding to the staggering number of unemployed as majority of those being produced by the so-called professional colleges, that in fact are teaching shops, are not being considered to be employable,” he said.
He pointed out that students from even a state like Bihar that was considered backward now dominate in even all India competitive exams including for elite services while Punjab’s performance was the worst. He promised that after coming into power, the Congress would overhaul the school education system to shape up the students for the competitive world.