Maha State Open School to house dropouts soon

History has proved that being a school dropout does not necessarily mean the end of the road. In a commendable move to provide an alternate platform for school dropouts, the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has planned to come up with a State Open School.

Under the proposed project, which has been designed in the mould of National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), separate learning material would be provided to the students on the basis of their particular needs.

Special focus on vocational training is yet another highlight of this innovative venture, which is headed by former board secretary Vinay Dakshindas. Vocational training is likely to make these students more skilful and thereby more employable when compared with the knowledge oriented traditional learning.

Similarly, the pattern of SSC examination would also be different with the number of subjects taught in these State Open Schools too varying from the normal syllabus. Thus these hapless students, who have been away from school for about six years, would no longer have to compete with the regular students.

It is indeed unfortunate that the dropouts, with a minimum qualification of Class IV pass, are destined to face the board examination question papers that are based on the syllabus prescribed for ordinary students.

By all means, the proposed open school project will have Std VIII pass as the minimum qualification for appearing for the SSC exam. This move has been forwarded in the backdrop of education till Std VIII being made free and compulsory according to the Right to Education bill.

Similarly, student-friendly steps that have been activated as part of this project are likely to enhance the pass percentage of the private students appearing for the SSC examinations. This together with vocational training is sure to give them an upper hand while applying for admissions at the next level of education such as Industrial Training Institutes.

Despite the fact that, as many as 65,000 private students appear for the SSC examinations every year, the pass percentage remain dismal at around 25-27 per cent. With out securing the required pass mark; their scope for higher education remains stagnant.

Presently, the National Institute of Open Schooling provides Open Basic Education that is considered as equivalent to the regular elementary education. Open Basic Education consists of three levels that are equivalent up to Std VIII. NIOS also offers a secondary course that is considered as equal to Std X exam.
 
The syllabus followed by NIOS is developed in such a way that it suits the national needs. This pattern has given rise to the complaint that those students in the state find subjects like science and maths hard to be comprehended.

The state board is optimistic that through the effective functioning of its committees, which have been assigned with the task of developing on the project report, the concept of State Institute of Open Schooling would be realised in a couple of years.