Guwahati, May 6: The “alarming” rise in the number of schools in the state switching over to the CBSE has prompted the Board of Secondary Education, Assam, to embark on a “soul searching” to ascertain the reasons for the migration and accordingly take corrective action.
Seba secretary L.N. Sarma told The Telegraph that such a trend was dangerous and threatens the very existence of the state board.
He said it was high time some urgent steps were taken to curb the increasing tendency of schools in the state to seek CBSE affiliation.
Since Sarma took charge in September last year, more than 40 Seba-affiliated schools have applied for no objection certificates (NOCs) to switch over to CBSE and more applications are pouring in.
Over the last five years, nearly 200 Seba-affiliated schools came under the CBSE’s fold.
The current trend has also affected Seba’s earnings, as it is totally dependent on registration and examination fees from affiliated schools for revenue.
“First the board will have to do a soul-search as to why the schools are getting attracted to the CBSE at such an alarming rate. We have to find the shortcomings and weaknesses of Seba because of which the schools are quitting the state board’s affiliation. The board will talk to the schools, students, parents and educationists to chalk out a road map to stop this fast migration of schools to the CBSE,” Sarma said.
The board secretary said Seba would start its initiative soon after the results of High School Leaving Certificate and Assam High Madrassa examinations were declared this month.
On the other hand, many private schools are flouting laws by joining the CBSE without taking an NOC from Seba.
A board official said it would take legal action against such erring schools for blatant violation of law.
The headmaster of a city-based private school, who has applied for an NOC from Seba to migrate to the CBSE, said the central board’s syllabi is competitive and result-oriented, preferred by the new generation of students and their parents.
He said Seba’s syllabi was not result-oriented and updated and does not enable students to successfully compete at national-level examinations.
“My school is a private one and thus has to go by the popular demand,” the headmaster said.
Noted academician and activist Dinesh Baishya said the situation faced by Seba was the result of globalisation and privatisation of education. He said in an age of globalisation everything, including education, was driven by market forces.
“Students and their parents would not mind a syllabus which can fetch them only jobs, even at the cost of quality education. Seba is going to get caught in this trap. I strongly feel that Seba will not follow CBSE’s marking pattern just to enable some schools to secure high percentage to prevent this trend of migration. However, I fear that Seba will have to make a compromise,” Baishya said.