Schools urged to be flexible with seniors

The chief executive of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) advised schools to follow a “flexible timetable” for students preparing for the medical, engineering and other entrance exams, the move aimed at arresting exodus of plus-II students to other boards.

There is no need to keep students in the school till 2, 3 or 4pm, he told school principals on Tuesday.

“Let them go and have their extra-academic support either from your school or where it is available. At least you will be avoiding exodus from the school and dummy admission,” Joseph Emmanuel, the chief executive and secretary of the CISCE, said on Tuesday.

He, however, told the principals not to compromise on the attendance rule while preparing a flexible timetable.

He said that at the ISC (XI and XII) level, schools need to be flexible with the students. “You can’t expect them to be present all the time in your school,” he said.

Without academic support and without attending other classes, these children will not be able to crack entrance exams, he said.

“Why don’t you support the children? Those who want to become doctors, engineers or lawyers... why don’t you support them? What prevents you? It is better to do that than allow them to go out of your school and enrol in some dummy school... help the learners achieve their ambitions in life,” Emmanuel said.

CISCE schools in the past have faced students’ exodus to institutions affiliated to other boards.

Emmanuel urged the school heads to ensure that the institutions provide
good facilities to children at a reasonable price.

“Provide good facilities to the children at a reasonable price. Reasonable price in terms of fee, reasonable price in terms of costs of textbooks, reasonable prices in terms of all other services provided by the school... sometimes this is also a reason why children leave school and go to other institutions,” Emmanuel said.

Several schools in the city insist on “regular attendance” of students on the ground that on-campus experience is not linked to academic learning alone but helps children sharpen their “co-scholastic” skills as well.

“In the face of growing challenges, we have to create opportunities for all kinds of students. We have to think of being more inclusive and include the needs of every kind of student,” said Damayanti Mukherjee, principal, Modern High School for Girls.

Seema Sapru, the principal of The Heritage School, said students who excel in sports are given waivers in attendance. The same relaxation can be extended to others, too. “If there are students who have reached beyond a level, we can consider their aspirations, too,” said Sapru.