Wake-up call for AP’S edu institutes
What could possibly make a student aged all of 15 think there is no option other than death? We have seen about 10 students commit suicide in the immediate aftermath of Class X results in Andhra Pradesh. This year, for the first time in two decades, the pass percentage slipped to 67.26%. In other words, over two lakh students failed the Secondary School Certification examination. The reasons are obvious.
No exams were conducted in the last two years due to the pandemic, and online classes meant that poor and lower middle class students, especially in government schools, were bereft of proper teaching. The fact that the pass percentage was well above 90 in the four years preceding Covid-19 shows the kind of impact it has had on education.
Other states such as Assam, too, posted dismal results this time. The Andhra government is conducting the exam again for failed students—this is a relief but something needs to be done to not only improve standards in the post-Covid scenario but also ease pressure on the students. As per the National Crime Records Bureau Report, 469 students ended their lives in 2020 in Andhra compared to 383 the previous year. How long do we turn a blind eye to this silent epidemic? Yes, not all suicides are due to academic pressure, but the fact that the numbers are rising not only in schools but also in higher institutes of learning is a cause of serious concern. Earlier this year, two students committed suicide at IIIT-Nuzvid and we found that not one professional counsellor was available for 9,000 students at the prestigious institution.
Administrators, teachers and parents have an equal responsibility to check on the emotional well-being of children. It is time to make the stakeholders understand the importance of mental health and include it in the curriculum. Recognition of early signs of depression among children is necessary and the role of parents and teachers is crucial. Administrators should ensure active engagement between parents and teachers and use the services of professional counsellors. The Class X results must be a wake-up call. To begin with, the government could seek expert opinion to formulate a way forward on a priority basis.