At a time when the results of two most recognised classes in popular imagination, 10th and 12th, are out, it is time for many to celebrate. It becomes a social occasion of sorts when greetings and congratulations are flying in all directions. The schools also try to make it an opportunity to publicise their achievements. But in this festive time there are some serious questions that go unasked. Amid the jubilations, and the tall claims that our schools make, there are some very serious issues that need urgent attention. Parents also need to reflect on these questions, and contribute to the overall growth of our children. For past some years we have seen most of the students getting marks above 90%. In fact we have a good number of students who get all the 100% marks, and many who miss it by just a percent or two. This has made education look like a game of numbers. The question that we need to ask ourselves, both schools and parents, is this: are we reducing education to a number game. Of course, marks is a functional reference point to assess the capability of a student, but when it becomes the lone measure of a student’s worth, it creates hurdles. It devastates some students, psychologically.
There is a need to educate students and their parents about the limited significance of grading. Similarly, our students, and the parents need to be sensitised that the worth of a student cannot be measured solely by the basis marks he gets in a particular class. Teachers need to play a lead role in this. They can actually figure out the strengths and weaknesses of a student, and accordingly talk to parents about the options ahead. Beyond classroom lectures and exam schedules we need mentoring ans assessing in which parents are duly involved. If the strengths and weaknesses of students are identified at an early stage it can go a long way in making career choices. Besides teachers and parents can together work on building various capacities of the children so that they face the real life situations in future with maturity. We need to develop the capacities and skills of our students rather than just pushing them into this wild number game.