The Hindu 27.11.2010
BBMP’s initiative to boost pass percentage
Staff Reporter
AHA! SO THAT’S HOW IT WORKS:The mobile lab will visit each of the 33
Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike-run high schools in the city.
Bangalore: Huddled together, students of the Malleswaram Corporation
School and a few parents were intently listening to the explanation on
air pressure. A little away was another group trying to understand the
science behind eclipses.
On Friday, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) launched the
initiative where students can learn about scientific concepts hands-on.
The civic authority tied up with Agastya Foundation which has provided
the mobile laboratory. This lab will visit each of the 33 BBMP high
schools in the city.
Thrilled
Shilpa Nayak, a Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) student,
was clearly thrilled at this sort of practical learning. “By looking at
these models, we learn much quicker and understand the concepts better.
This mobile lab will certainly help us score better in our exams,” she
said.
Many BBMP schools don’t have fully-equipped science labs and this
tells on their performance. The pass percentage of BBMP schools in
2009-10 SSLC examinations was just 37. To improve the percentage this
academic year, the BBMP has tied up with Akshaya Patra Foundation to
provide workbooks for all SSLC subjects.
Principals’ retirement
At the launch of these initiatives on Friday, BBMP’s Education
Standing Committee Chairperson B.V. Ganesh said seven high school
principals were due for retirement and urged BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah
to postpone or extend their retirement till the end of the academic
year.
Mr. Siddaiah urged students to keep up their morale. “There are
shortcomings in our schools compared to private schools. However, we’re
making efforts to remove them.” Stating that even he had studied in a
Kannada medium government school, he said that scores of corporation
school students had achieved much.
Students rewarded
On the occasion, seven students who had secured high marks in the
SSLC examination were given Rs. 5,000 each. Malleswaram MLA C.N.
Ashwathnarayana, Leader of Opposition in the BBMP Council M. Nagaraj,
Gayathrinagar councillor Chetana Gowda, vice-president of Akshaya Patra
Foundation Chanchalapati Das, and members of the Standing Committee were
present.