Mentality to cheat has to go first, says education minister

To improve education system, the first step is to eliminate cheating. For a resultoriented policy, the CM has ordered formation of a core group. OP SONI, school education minister

AMRITSAR : Admitting that this year’s results of Classes 10 and 12 from the Punjab School Education Board were really weak, the minister for school education and environment, OP Soni, said this was part of the reforms that the state government wanted to bring in government school education. The Class-12 overall pass percentage was 66% and for Class-10, this was 59.5%.

“The mentality of cheating in exams to pass has to be changed if we need reforms in our education system. Teachers have to teach, students have to learn and parents have to be cooperative as the government will continue its strictness in coming board exams,” he said, addressing the annual function of Alexandra School, on Saturday.

The comments assume signifiance, coming three days after Class-10 results in which only 29 students from government schools made it to the merit list of 401 students. The PSEB’S crack down on mass copying this year, especially in border districts, is anecdotally being blamed for the poor results here.

“Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and the cabinet have public health and school education on the top of the priority list. To know the strength of the education system, the first step was to eliminate cheating and copying,” Soni said. “The CM has held a detailed meeting on the results. For formulation of a result-oriented policy, he has ordered the formation of a core committee,” he added.

Stating that he was aware that the weakening education system had led parents to send their wards to private schools and convents, he added that the government was committed to bringing the public education system on a par with the private education system.

On a media query on the inclusion of foreign languages in the curriculum, he said, “The inclusion of foreign languages in syllabus is meant to bring the public instruction system on a par with international standards.”

He also attended a prize distribution function at Jagat Jyoti School, Mahan Singh Gate.

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