School results

For the past few weeks, the newspapers have been flooded with exam results for PUC, SSLC, CBSE, 10th class and 12th class. The topper's names, pictures, life stories are printed in the papers. There are inspirational stories of children from underprivileged families that topped the exams. There was one about a young boy from a tent dweller nomadic family with no address, no electricity who topped the PUC exams, he is the first child in his family who will attend university and he's planning on getting an engineering degree. There was one about a girl whose father said there was only enough money to send her brother to school and she would have to drop out of school in the 9th grade. She found a job as a nanny but only on the condition that they teach her English. Three years later, she wrote the 10th exams, passed, her English marks were 80%, ironically her brother failed the exams.

As in the US, school rankings are very important. Schools with excellent exam results are known to drop children with lower marks in the higher grades so they can keep their numbers up. Even the new age international schools add extra classes during the summers so their children do well in the 10th and 12th grades. Ultimately, enrollment numbers will reflect the exam results.

Prasad's aunt teaches at a government school in Hyderabad. She was telling us that the entry salary is Rs1500 per month! Our maid makes more money than that! After 4 years, they start earning government salaries which is about Rs10K/month. They are grossly underpaid, unfortunately, it's the same in most parts of the world. They definitely deserve our respect and kudos, teaching is a tough but rewarding profession to be in.