COIMBATORE: Government school students await the announcement of bridge course classes. The scheme, introduced by Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) last year for Class 9 students who did not perform well in their quarterly exams, has received a positive response from students, teachers and parents. Announcement regarding the commencement of classes will be made after the RMSA review meeting to be held in Chennai on Wednesday.
In Coimbatore district, bridge course classes were introduced by the RMSA in 491 government and government-aided schools last year.
Under the Right to Education Act it was mandatory for all government schools to promote students irrespective of their performance in the exams till Class 8, and some students struggled in Class 9 exams and SSLC exams held the subsequent year. Therefore, the bridge course scheme was introduced to improve the performance of Class 9 students. According to the scheme, students who did not perform well in the quarterly exams and students with average reading and writing skills are segregated and put in a separate class and exclusive training is provided to these students, said the additional district project coordinator (ADPC) of Coimbatore K Muthu Manickam.
Classes are handled by unemployed graduate teachers or subject teachers. Special training is given on selected portions in the syllabus to ensure that these students clear the Class 9 exams. Basics of the Class 10 syllabus are also introduced to these students.