HYDERABAD: A day after the education minister Kadiyam Srihari warned corporate college management of stern action if they continued to exert pressure on the students, special chief secretary Ranjeev Acharya held parents too accountable. Colleges were also instructed to regulate their PR practices, particularly promotion of results.
During a “first in the series of meetings” between the government officials and intermediate college management and parents, on Tuesday, it was unanimously decided that educational institutions need to have more professionally trained full-time counsellors. In girls colleges, only women cousellors would be recruited. Currently, most colleges either have one counsellor for thousands of children or none at all.
Another important takeaway from the meeting was the introduction of a grading system. With corporate colleges holding tests every week, Acharya said, marks bred unhealthy comparison and students felt stressed even if they lagged behind their peers by a few marks.
“Parents too add to this pressure by comparing the marks of their child with his classmates. It is important that they understand the capability and capacity of their child and encourage them accordingly,” the secretary added. As directed by Srihari, director of Board of Intermediate Education, Dr A Ashok, said that a list of guidelines would be issued to all junior colleges. “Increased, continuous and surprise inspection would be conducted to ensure compliance,” he said. The officials, however, added that withdrawing affiliation is neither easy and nor a solution as the fate of thousands of students would be at stake.
Improvement of infrastructure was another area where corporate colleges would require some work. Officials said that congested, cramped up classroom and hostel accommodation, lack of libraries, playgrounds and recreational facilities coupled with heavy syllabus and 14 hours of study, all weigh on the psychological well-being of the students and drive them to take extreme steps like suicides. BIE secretary added that colleges would be made to follow the academic calender with holidays on Sundays and classes would be conducted from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.
Parents, managements welcome guidelines
Sujata Jha, a parent who attended the meeting said she was satisfied with the solutions proposed during the meeting. “It’s is important that parents do not pressurise their children. Children should be told that its alright if they do not top the class. Each one of them will do something to sustain themself,” she said. Thakur Kishan Singh, principal of SR Education Institutions said that college managements are willing to implement the proposed guidelines, including appointment of counsellors.