June 13: The boy who stood first in the HS this year had wanted to study the Plus-II science curriculum in English but could not because his school does not have an English medium section. The girl who stood fourth in Madhyamik this year has had to change school because the girls' school where she studied does not have a science section.
The two told the chief minister about their experiences at a programme to felicitate board exam and JEE toppers at the Uttirna auditorium in Alipore today afternoon. Metro found out more about the school-education home truths that the bright youngsters brought to Mamata Banerjee's attention.
Wanted: English medium sections
Archisman Panigrahi, the HS topper from Hooghly Collegiate School, had wanted to study science in English because he believes higher education cannot be pursued without proficiency in the language. That the best science books are in English also influenced his decision.
"I could not study in English because my school did not have the facility. So I bought English science books and wrote school exams in English. But I think my school should have an English medium section," said Archisman.
The school education department had on December 13, 2013, sanctioned four teachers each for physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology for a proposed English medium section of the school. "We got the letter. Four years have passed since then, but the department is yet to recruit even one teacher," said Madhusudan Acharya, the head of the school till recently. He recounted that many students had moved to CBSE and ISC schools because their medium of instruction was English.
Tarun Kumar Goswami, the current headmaster of Archisman's school, who accompanied the student to the felicitation, submitted a letter to the chief minister, seeking recruitment of teachers so that the English medium section can be started. The letter also seeks filling up of vacancies in the Bengali medium section.
The Left Front had greenlighted English medium sections in Bengali medium schools in 2010 following an abortive attempt four years before that but the proposed sections have either not started or are floundering in the absence of teachers.
Science for girls, please
Chandrani Karmakar, who stood fourth in Madhyamik 2017, told the chief minister that she had to switch schools because Kamakhyaguri Girls’ High School in Alipurduar had failed to offer science at the Plus-II level despite being repeatedly petitioned by the guardians.
“The school has produced several rankers in the past but all of them shifted elsewhere because Kamakhyaguri Girls only offers humanities at the HS level,” Chandrani told the chief minister.
Mamata immediately asked school education department officials present at the event to find out whether a science stream could be started at the school from this year. When officials informed her that it would take time, she said: “Please get enrolled in a nearby school. We are taking note of your proposal.”
