Teachers disapprove grading of govt schools

Government Model Senior Secondary School,Sector 16,GMSSS-35,GMSSS-33,GMSSS-37,GMSSS- 21 and GMSSS (Girls)-18,are among them. The Administration has roped in National Assessment and Accreditation Council,which would conduct a ‘gap study’ of these schools vis-à-vis syllabi and infrastructure.

While officials feel the study would help identify the shortcomings in schools,principals and teachers feel otherwise.“At the end of the day,there would be good schools and bad schools which would promote feeling of ill will among them. In any case,there is still a monopoly of a few ‘best’ schools. Grading will further encourage it,” said a principal.

Others feel that with the same infrastructure,syllabus and one apex body looking after the functioning of schools,grading is a frivolous move.

“Right from the budget to the infrastructure,there is no difference in government schools. But it seems that the Administration wants to advertise the best while ignoring the rest,” said Vinod Sharma,president,Government Teachers’ Union.

Non-model schools seem to be the most worried lot. “The fact that there is bias is reflected during the time of centralised admission,” said a teacher at Government High School,Sector 40.

Meanwhile,UT Home Secretary Ram Niwas stood his ground saying the grading system is an innovative move by which schools will be able to improve their performance. “Schools will have a sense of good competition if they are graded. Our aim is not to belittle any school but to encourage them,” he said.