PREVIOUS records have been broken by this year's HSC results -- hands-down. The seven education boards have yielded a pass percentage of 74.85, a clear 10 percent increase over previous year's level with almost a doubling of the figure of GPA-5 achievers.
Our wholehearted congratulations to the successful candidates, their parents and guardians and the teachers. Noticeably, the nine boards worked hard to publish the results in 60 days as promised by the education ministry. Thus credit is due to the education ministry and the board employees for constant monitoring of the examination, tabulation and publication processes culminating in such a fantastic outcome.
An analysis of the factors behind such extra-ordinary results makes a revealing study. Serious pursuit of studies without distraction, competitive flair among students spurning the ways of cheating, better educational administration, improved classroom instructions including infusion of effective preparatory skill through model tests -- all contributed to the overall enhancement of performance. Crucially, the reduction in the rate of failure in English language test has had a concomitant effect in improving the pass rate across the board. Significantly, the stern approach taken to colleges with bad results by way of cancelling Monthly Payment Order (MPO) prompted them to roll up their sleeves to do better to survive.
The overarching feeling is, but for the long absence of political unrest and peace on the campus, such a cumulative improvement in the performance cards would not have been possible. Persistent doses of political turmoil, topped by strikes and academic closures and internal conflicts within institutions exacted a heavy price in terms of functioning and performance of the vital institutions. Left to themselves, the boards, educational institutions, teachers and students can do better. This is the dividend of peace that must be allowed to flourish by the political parties after the elections in the greater interest of the country.