Number of High School Students Decreases In Chin State
A total of 8,897 high school students comprising 70 per cent of day schools and 25 per cent of boarding schools got registered this year in Chin State to take matriculation exam, which kicked off today at 23 examination centres, according to Chin State Education Department.
The number of students sitting for matriculation exam has gradually fallen, hitting the lowest record in a decade. Sources revealed that a dramatic decrease in the number of students passing the exam and getting distinctions in Chin State has been seen after the SPDC imposed new policies in 2004 that require full attendance of State School from private-run Boarding School students, who were exempted from attendance previously.
“Our students have now got to go to school every day until the end of February. Year by year, we have seen our final results going down. We think this happens because the students have got less time for studying at their Boarding Schools and because they have been distracted from studying by an increasing number of young people trying to go abroad,” said Hakha-based Principal of one of the Boarding Schools, whose name is kept anonymous for security reasons.
Last year, more than 10,000 students sat for the matriculation exam in Chin State and only 13 per cent passed, according to a report by State Education Department.
One of the Boarding School teachers based in Falam said: “Since 2004, we have not got any students passing the exams with more than two distinctions and qualifying for medical colleges any more. The main reason behind this is that our students have not got enough time for studying as they have to go to school.”
As of today, there are in Chin State a total of 64 Boarding Schools with more than 6,000 students and the annual fees for Boarding School range from 200,000 to 300,000 Kyats.
