Most schools do not tap potentials of students

Updated on: Thursday, August 20, 2009

Chennai: Most of the schools on occasions like annual day and other important events select only particular set students to display skills, leaving out others for various reasons.

When Bhaskar, a student of class VI, raised up his hand, showing interest to participate in an oratorical contest, his teacher turned him down, 'Next time, Bhaskar, let Sunil go this time.'

This happens in all the schools and this is not the first time he got this reply. 'My teacher always sends Sunil because he keeps winning. Many of us never get a chance,' the boy expresses. Like this, several school students are continuously deprived of opportunity to participate in competitions, annual day programmes and other important school events.

Many consider this practice 'unfair,' and stress the need for a comprehensive participation of the school in such events.

According to a parent of a primary school student, it is because some students conquer stage fear that they end up bagging prizes. 'If other children do not get to participate in events, when will they get similar exposure to conquer stage fear?' she asks.

In the present scenario very few schools stand out on this issue, making it a point to have as many students as possible to participate in their functions.
A retired teacher from a city school, said, 'In the school I worked for, there were all kinds of favoritisms. On an occasion, when the students had to enact an adaptation of the musical â€˜Sound of Music,â€™ they asked interested students to volunteer.'
Finally, after the auditions, a separate group of students were selected. ' One teacher even remarked that we had to choose children who were fair. I lost my cool,' she recalled.

However, teachers of some schools maintain that it was only a few students who volunteered often and training a new set of batches every time is an arduous process within the framework of time. Above all while sending for external competitions, what is fun in sending a team that would lose.

The Principal of city school said, 'In our school, we do not pick and choose students. We ask students to volunteer and then conduct auditions. But we also make sure students who do not get selected take back some lessons and get a chance the next time,' she says, adding that schools should stop being obsessed with prizes and encourage more students to participate.

'With practice and confidence, all the children can do well. The most important of all is to give the same exposure to all the students,' the Principal said.

Most schools do not tap potentials of students

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