Evaluating ‘Parho Punjab’

FULL marks go to Punjab for taking the initiative of ranking government schools. With many government schools putting up a poor show in board examinations year after year, the state Education Department had been facing flak and needed to erase the blot. Various surveys checking the proficiency of schoolchildren in science, mathematics or the English language regularly revealed chinks in the system as the kids failed to score grades expected of their standard. The initiative, the first ever, is indicative of the department’s acknowledgement of the poor state of affairs and its attempt to set things in order in multifarious ways.

Information collected during the evaluation process is essential in identifying particular parameters that need to be dealt with in each school. Without specific statistics, vague reasons are given for lapses and remedial action remains ambiguous. Now, with the details available, the department should be able to not only diagnose the ailment of each school and take corrective measures but also seek accountability. Was it the insufficient number of teachers or inadequate infrastructure such as libraries and laboratories that dealt a blow to the students? Or, did the students lag due to scarce exposure to extra-curricular activities or sports? The competitive spirit of the initiative will motivate toppers to retain their positions and also goad those at the bottom to strive for betterment. And, because education is not just about achieving good marks, the criteria of green and clean campuses will ensure the shaping up of youth who are socially and environmentally aware and sensitive.

Besides, the grading list will also give lessons to policymakers as they take forward their project of Parho Punjab, launched to improve the performance of children. If taken up sincerely and to its logical end, the initiative will go a long way in addressing the many ills plaguing the school sector. Quality education can be imparted if the ecosystem boasts of a good student-teacher ratio, which is intricately connected to fair recruitments and transparent transfers. Political will and bureaucratic uprightness must not waver.