CISCE high-performing schools set to offer a helping hand

 CISCE high-performing schools set to offer a helping hand 

Local schools will get support in integrating skill education, implementing innovative assessment practices and fostering holistic student development

Priyadarshini.Gupta@timesofindia.com 

TIMES OF INDIA BHOPAL 21.10.2024

In a move to enhance school performance across the country, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) is planning to roll out a school improvement plan. The pilot initiative is planned for the 2025-26 academic year; the CISCE aims to establish robust standardsetting mechanisms and modern testing practices which will help schools align with contemporary educational demands and global standards. Once the affiliated schools have empowered themselves, they will be encouraged to share their best practices with neighbouring government schools.

In a chat with Education Times, Joseph Emmanuel, chief executive, and secretary, CISCE highlighted the plans to connect high-performing schools and state government schools to boost quality and bridge educational disparities. “The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 also emphasises creating clusters of schools which aim to promote cooperation and knowledgesharing across institutions. This concept has been reflected in several previous government policies,” says Emmanuel. The focus will be on teaching, learning, and assessment. “For example, if a school from India visits top schools in countries like Finland, the UK, or the US, they gain insights into innovative teaching methods, skill education, and holistic student development. Similarly, CISCE schools can showcase globally recognised best practices and allow neighbouring schools to visit and learn from them.

A few CISCE schools are already equipped with resources and infrastructure, and seeing these environ ments first-hand can be a valuable learning experience for other schools. Collaboration can include integrating academic and skill education, implementing innovative assessment practices, and fostering holistic student development through various extracurricular activities,” he adds. Recognising the diversity in educational resources and performance across schools, even within the CISCE network, the importance of handholding goes a long way in schools. High-performing schools that have successfully implemented innovative educational practices and supporting other schools will help them adopt these approaches.

 “This is in the initial stage; however, we will motivate our schools to reach out to local government institutions or exemplary schools across India. The idea is to have CISCE-affiliated schools collaborate with state education departments and standard-setting authorities to uplift and support other schools in meeting global benchmarks,” says Emmanuel. Quality assurance To identify high-performing schools, the CISCE will introduce a quality assurance mechanism that will assess schools based not only on board exam results but their overall contribution to society. This will involve multiple factors, such as how well schools are preparing students to engage with and contribute to their communities. 

Being receptive The willingness of schools to seek help from high performing schools is the biggest concern for CISCE. “One hurdle is fostering openness and a willingness to collaborate among schools. While financial constraints are not a significant issue, the real challenge lies in developing a sense of cooperation. There must be receptiveness on both sides for collaboration to be effective,” says Emmanuel.