Delhi boys, girls perform better when they study together

Mon, May 5 01:00 AM

AN EXPERIMENT by the Delhi government to merge girls and boys schools into co-educational institutions has yielded excellent results. Moreover, double shifts were combined into one, helping Delhi clinch the number one position among CBSE-affiliated government schools.

Merged in 2005, the schools have posted a pass percentage of 77.02 per cent in 2007, up from 50.94 per cent in 2006 and 27.65 per cent the previous year. "When the results of Class X board exams were analysed a few years back we found that co-ed schools performed better than girls schools, which in turn were better than boys schools," said Sandeep Kumar, Delhi Education Director.

"We also found students in the morning shift performed better than those in afternoon shift." After the government carried out a detailed analysis it reached the conclusion that schools should be merged.

"It was a politically-difficult situation. Many politicians were not in favour of having joint classes for boys and girls in one shift," said Kumar.

"But we have shortage of buildings and this has only helped utilise our resources in an efficient way," he said. Seventy double-shift schools were merged in 2005 to have 35 single-shift morning co-educational schools with enrollment of 1,000 to 1,500 students.

With the highest pass percentage in 2006-07, Delhi government schools are already basking in the glory of being the best amongst the CBSE government schools in the country. There are over 900 such schools in the national capital.

"Students in as many as 233 schools secured 90 per cent and above in Class X examination in 2006-07 as against 49 schools in the previous year," said Kumar, adding that the better performance was due to innovative and scientific initiatives introduced in schools. The gap between the pass percentage of private schools and government schools in Delhi has been substantially reduced.

Claiming that e-initiatives have paid off well, Kumar said computerisation has increased efficiency. "Online admission helped in increasing enrollment in Class VI by almost 14 per cent in its first year of implementation," Kumar said.

Technological aid was also taken to develop a transparent system of transferring teachers and school employees, which ensured their satisfaction, he said. "A transparent and well-defined transfer policy has been initiated keeping in mind the genuine needs of the teachers," Kumar added.

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