CHENNAI: Districts in the Cauvery delta region have recorded lesser pass percentage than the rest of the state in the Class 12 exams, results of which were announced on Wednesday.
All districts in the delta except Thanjavur have been showing declining pass percentages since 2016. Nature, climate, demographics and lack of administration have all contributed to this decline, suggest officials.Excluding Tiruchy, Thanjavur and Perambalur, the districts in the heart of the delta, the average pass percentage of other districts staggers at 86.41 per cent in contrast to 91.1 per cent at the State level.
Even the three districts that are seemingly doing well have seen a relative decline.
Perambalur, for example, which had the second highest pass percentage with 96.73 in 2016, came down to the 12th position with only 94.10 per cent of students passing. Tiruchy has dropped from 94.65 per cent in 2016 to 92.90 in 2018.K Balashanmugam, coordinator, Nagapattinam Education Empowerment Centre, said, “There are about 180 PG teaching vacancies in Nagapattinam. This is the highest in the State and Ramanad ranks second in this list. Most of the students who failed in the examinations are from commerce, history, economics and other arts groups.
“When we check their potential, we know that they are slow readers and already they have secured very low marks in the SSLC examinations. Due to their poor marks, they are obviously entering arts group in HSC and they are performing in a poor way. The results are hardly a surprise,” he said.
Kasturi Bhai, Chief Education Officer, Nagapattinam district, said that lack of teachers’ strength is the main issue behind this downfall.
Speaking to Express, Kasturi Bhai said, “As of now there are about 448 teachers working in Nagapattinam district. However, 31 per cent of higher secondary teaching positions are vacant now.As Nagapattinam is a backward district, teachers from other southern districts like Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli and Madurai are not interested in working here. That is why were are seeing this soft of a downfall in the pass percentage in this district” Kasturi Bhai said.
“In Tiruvarur and Mannargudi regions, students are getting involved in agriculture work in January and February for samba cultivation and as a result, they are losing their focus on education.“Also, a few students in these regions aspire to go to Singapore and Malaysia for labour work, following in the footsteps of their fathers and forefathers.
So, they are not focussing on education in the right way and it is not surprising that they fall behind,” said S Hariharan, an activist from Mannargudi.Attempts made by Express to contact the Chief Education Officer of Tiruvarur district were not fruitful.