BENGALURU: The pressure is on for school-going students with parents expecting high scores in exams. Little do they know that there could be a different reason as to why students end up with low scores.
“I received 15 out of 50 in Economics and the teacher had a grudge against me because I used to disturb her in class. After enquiring about several right answers in my paper in class, she kept postponing the meeting. I eventually had to meet her in the staff room and get extra marks,” says Julian R, a Class 10 student.
School rules explain that students receiving under 25 marks will have to attend remedial classes to keep up. “The teacher made sure that I attend remedial classes. I was surprised at how a teacher could blindly give zero for a 10-mark question,” says Julian.
This is apparently a common scenario seen at schools in Bengaluru. “A teacher is someone we look up to and if teachers themselves act like kids, who do we turn to for mature advice,” asks a Class 11 student who did not wish to be named.
“A few months ago, for a mid-term exam, two of my friends and I scored less than 25 in a Mathematics exam. None of us could explain it to our parents because they wouldn’t believe us,” says Prarthana J P, a Class eight student from Vijayanagar.
Students say that these actions have affected them emotionally, causing them to lose interest in the subject. “I stopped writing notes, and sometimes, tend to skip classes because of this, “ says Julian.
Some teachers threaten the students, saying that they will reduce internal marks if a student does not submit an assignment. “There are also cases where when a new teacher has arrived and there is a rivalry between them, a teacher tends to cut marks to students who favour the latter,” says Vijaya James, a high school teacher at Sunshine School, Kalkere.
Clifford Sequiera, principal at St Joseph’s Boys’ High School, Ashok Nagar, says that answer scripts are sent home for the parents to take a look at. “We do this so that there is no room for suspicion,” he says.
However, Clifford states that there is a possibility for such cases to come up as teachers are humans too.
“My door is always open for the student and parent to come and state their grievances. In such cases, we call the teacher and address the issue,” he further adds. Students are also requested to speak to coordinators and counsellors on the issue.