TURA, MAY 25: They do not fit into the mental landscape of the classical ‘studious & brooding’ school boys and girls who are
expected to be top-rung in every school and board examinations, yet these ordinary looking youths of Garo hills have scaled the heights that nobody would have believed they would have achieved in the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC).
Take for instance Anuj Kundu, the first position holder in the top ten of SSLC, who studied in a remote school in Phulbari, along the Assam – Meghalaya border. Who would have believed that a student of Jawaharlal Nehru Higher Secondary School, Phulbari- where Kundu studied- would occupy the first class first position.
Anuj scripted history for his school by getting the top slot. His achievement is all the more stunning as the school is located in region which has had no educational benchmarks to fall back on.
The success of Anuj reveals that excellence in education is finally
reaching to the remotest corner of Meghalaya. The state capital Shillong, known as the “educational hub” of northeast India, no longer enjoys the coveted slots it use to at one time.
Born in a humble family, Anuj attributes his success to his family, teachers and God. He wishes to take up science as he aspires to become a doctor, tend to the needy and the ailing. Anuj says that his success mantra is hard work.
“I am excited with the outcome. My teachers and parents are stunned”, Anuj added.
Son of a teacher, Shaunak Das from Sherwood School Tura, who bagged second position loves watching lifestyle TV channel and aspires to be an automobile engineer. Fond of all kinds of music, Shaunak feels that regular studies are the only way out to score good marks.
Most toppers from Garo hills have one thing in common; they prefer qualitative use of time rather than long study hours.
“I am not a book worm. I love nature and want to be a botanist”, chips in Malachi R. Marak, a student of St. Xavier’s School Tura, who bagged 9th position.
Gloria B. Sangma from St. Xavier’s School Tura, who bagged 10th position, aspires to become a scientist. She loves Physics and is
focused to pursue her higher studies in the subject.
When asked, if her parents pressurized her to take up medicine or engineering, which is a trend in Meghalaya, where government sponsors quota for different professional courses, Gloria said, “I will follow my heart and am dedicated to pursue my dreams. My parents are cooperative and they will not pressurize me”.
In the past five years, schools from Garo hills have altered the academic skyline in terms of position. However, the irony remains that the pass percentage of the students from Garo hills is still alarmingly low.
Though MBoSE in an effort to increase the percentage offers the student a leverage of passing in five subjects, yet the scenario has not improved.
Of the six subjects, most students either fail in Mathematics or Science.
“It is a setback for education but many weak students have been able to pass under the scheme”, said Sister Remo, headmistress of St. Xavier’s School Tura.
At the moment however, some would prefer to partake of the success that they have achieved.
When quizzed about his school performance for the last five years an elated headmaster of Sherwood School, Tura Tyrone D’Brass said, “We make our students understand concepts clearly and make them curious. We encourage them to question, which stimulates thinking and helps the child do better”.
D’Brass takes pride in stating that his school has smart classroom wherein technology supplements the competence of his teachers.
On the overall pass percentage of his school, he said, “We expect the students to do well. Positions are a bonus”.-From Our Correspondent
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