Teachers in Ramanagara district burnt the midnight oil, literally, to better the performance of their district in the SSLC exams this year. The result: The district jumped from position 17 to two.

Teachers charted a plan, which they followed to precision. Performance of individual students was assessed and they were put into various categories to provide additional training to those who had not performed well in class IX.

In the select 40 government schools, the boys were asked to attend night classes.

Gangamare Gowda, DDPI, Ramanagara district, told DH that teachers in these schools took turns to stay back overnight and help students prepare. They prepared a time table. After school hours, students would study upto 10.30 pm. The teachers, who would stay in the school along with students, would wake them up at 5 am and make them study.

“We know that most students in government schools come from agriculture backgrounds or their parents are labourers. It is not possible for them to make their wards study at night. They come home tired and go to sleep, forcing the children also to bed. In schools, teachers ensure that the children revise enough,” said Gowda, giving credit to the deputy commissioner and the chief executive officer of the Zilla Panchayat, for planning the measures.

Subject-wise brochures with questions and answers were handed out to all students as they would not be able to afford to buy question banks available in the market.

In addition to this, the ZP CEO also identified district-level officers from across departments and got them to adopt individual schools.

“They were to become role models for students and give them motivating talks,” he said.

In Bengaluru Rural, where the rank slipped from 14 last year to three this time, emphasis on three subjects that students had difficulties with helped.

Krishnamurthy, DDPI, Bengaluru Rural, said that the ZP CEO Latha designed a strategic approach to work it out.

“We identified 1,850 students as slow learners. They had difficulties in English, mathematics and science. These children were classified into groups and were sent to training centres close to their schools,” he said.

“Each Saturday, they would have additional classes at these centres. A teacher from the school would accompany them here. Seventy resource persons were identified and their help was sought to train these students,” he said. Students had to be provided with transport to the centres and an additional meal. Corporate social responsibility funds were utilised for the same.