Teachers, parents of Class 12 students meet ahead of board exam

One problem is that there are no regular teachers for certain science subjects. I worry that this will affect my child’s studies.

NEW DELHI: Parents and teachers got a chance to interact with each other about the upcoming Class 12 board examinations, how to reduce the stress and anxiety associated with it, and other similar concerns on Saturday, during a parent-teacher meeting (PTMs) held at Delhi government schools exclusively for XII graders and their parents.

These PTMs can prove beneficial for schools such as the Government Boys’ Senior Secondary School (GBSSS) in Sangam Vihar, where the school boasts of a 100 % attendance at these meetings for senior secondary classes.

“Last year, after a PTM, some parents approached me and told me that the floors in some classes were falling apart. Based on this feedback, I was able to get those classrooms re-laid,” said Ashok Kumar Tyagi, the principal of the school.

On Saturday too, parents at the PTM were able to voice their appreciation and their concerns.

“One problem is that there are no regular teachers for certain science subjects. I worry that this will affect my child’s studies,” said Radheshyam Thakur, the parent of a XII grader at the school.

Many parents said that they never visited their children’s schools or met with their teachers before. “This is a very good initiative, and I attend this every time. Earlier we relied on our kids telling us how they did in school. Now we get to know about our child’s progress and how he is doing in school, directly from their teachers,” said Rehana, whose daughter Sheikha studies at the Government Sarvodaya Co-Education Vidyalaya in Ambedkar Nagar.

Mythili Bector, the principal of the school, said they make extra efforts to ensure the meeting is a fruitful experience for both teachers and parents.

“At least 85% of our parents turn up for PTMs. One of the major benefits of these meetings have been that absenteeism has reduced significantly over the last two years. Parents have realised that they need to send their kids to school regularly,” Bectorsaid.

The teachers here maintain meticulous records of students in a PTM register, that provides details about the students’ behaviour, discipline, punctuality, attendance and academic records.