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Punjab education department probing 264 government schools for ‘fake’ enrolments.
A remarkable number of students didn’t appear for the class VIII final exams in March 2016, prompting the education department to launch an inquiry into a possible fake enrolment activity run by schools. Reporting inflated figures helps teachers retain their jobs.
An unusually high absent rate in government schools during the final examination held in March 2016 has raised suspicions of fake admissions in middle schools in the Punjab Education Department. Working on this suspicion, the department has identified 264 government schools where a substantial number of Class VIII students remained absent during the exam.
The permissible threshold has been kept at 8 absentees; schools with a higher absent rate are being looked into. Of the total 264 schools, 144 are in Faridkot (31), Muktsar (28), Bathinda (21), Ferozepur (21), Moga (19), Mansa (16) and Fazilka (8) districts of Malwa.
In Faridkot and Bathinda districts, there are some schools where as many as 30 or more students did not appear in the examination. While there were 15 schools 20 or more students were absent.
The Deputy Director, School Education Department, shot off a letter to the district elementary education officers to furnish details about the schools. Sources said the department wanted these school heads to explain the reason for high absenteeism.
People in the know pointed out that since most of these schools are in urban areas or in villages adjoining towns, the teachers have resorted to fake enrolments to safeguard their jobs. It is also known that higher enrolment creates additional posts of teachers.
However, teachers in some of these schools were quick to point out that the problem lies in examination system itself. Earlier there were no examinations up to Class VIII and many students continue to believe that they need not appear in the exam to get promoted to the next class.
Teachers also pointed out that at the time of distributing free uniforms and bicycles, the attendance remained 100%. The teachers said in urban areas, a large number of students enrolled were of migrant labour families. Their name could not be struck off the roll even if they did not attend the classes or take the exams till Class VIII, they claimed.
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