According to a recent letter, the DM’s regular inspection and monitoring, which began in July, revealed that a significant number of government schools have academically weak students. In light of this, the Bihar government has announced the launch of ‘Mission Daksh’ in December, aimed at helping around 25 lakh children who are falling behind their peers in school. Some of these students are struggling to read basic Hindi words, despite being in upper primary classes. The state education department has instructed teachers to provide intensive guidance to these students in groups of more than five, with a warning that any negligence will result in disciplinary action.
On November 21, KK Pathak, the additional chief secretary of the education department, penned a letter to all district magistrates (DMs), urging them to closely monitor the progress of the program in their respective areas on a daily basis starting from December 1. The letter emphasized the formation of district-wise monitoring committees, chaired by the DM, to ensure the effective implementation of ‘Mission Daksh’. It highlighted that the DM’s regular inspections and monitoring, initiated in July, revealed a significant number of academically weak students in nearly all government schools. In light of this, the department has made the decision to launch ‘Mission Daksh’ on December 1 in all government schools across the state, with the aim of enhancing the academic performance of these students. The letter further stated, “Academically weaker students significantly lag behind their peers in schools… some of them struggle to properly read basic Hindi words even after reaching upper primary classes.”
Pathak has instructed that priority should be given to identifying students who require individual attention to fully understand difficult concepts and bridge learning gaps. Following this, the principal will request teachers to conduct additional classes with no more than five students at a time after lunch. This targeted approach will enable teachers to personalize their teaching methods to suit the specific needs of each vulnerable student. In his letter, he stated that all academically weak students, approximately 25 lakh, will take their final exams in April 2024. If they fail, the Education Department will take strict departmental action against their Headmasters/Principals and teachers. The Nitish Kumar government has been taking several stringent measures to improve the quality of education in the state over the last year. In September, Pathak directed district education officers (DEOs) to interact with parents of students who have poor attendance and take improvement measures if their attendance is below 50 percent.