100% results once again in std XII and the formula remains the same 100% donor support +100% hard work against odds + 100% dedicated efforts of teachers .
For the seventh time, Sevalaya’s Mahakavi Bharathiyar Higher Secondary School for the rural poor children has secured 100% pass results in the XII Std Board Examination held in March 2016.
All the 143 students who appeared for the exams were successful. 12 students who scored above 1000 are among the 55 students who have secured distinction while 69 have secured first division marks. 19 students have secured a little less than 60%. The unprecedented floods had resulted in the loss of nearly 60 days of regular school. Many villages had been inundated and children had to leave their homes and stay elsewhere till floods receded. Most of these students study only during school hours as the home atmosphere is usually not very conducive for learning. Losing class hours definitely had an impact but after school resumed classes were held from 7.30am till 7.30pm, all 7 days of the week, with teachers personally supervising the students and this to a great extent helped students catch up with their work. 100% results assume more significance in the context that many of the reputed matriculation schools in the area have not been able to achieve this distinction.
“This school has been functioning for the last 28 years without any government grant. The school admits only orphan, destitute and poor children and gives them completely free education. Currently 2000 children are studying here. The school has been functioning with the support of public and corporate for the past 28 years. I dedicate this success to all donors who have been supporting us year after year” says V Muralidharan, founder of Sevalaya.
The first three rank holders in the school are girls from Commerce stream and are first generation learners. This is all the more special as many of these girls might not have continued after passing X. The local rural culture is in favour of marrying off girls at a young age. Parents would like to complete this duty and be relieved of their responsibility. As Sevalaya provides free quality education with a lot of other activities they send their girls here and when these girls scale great heights the parents slowly relent and start supporting their daughters who wish to go to college.
S Poornima, the first ranker with a total of 1128, is the daughter of a construction labourer. Her mother who works in a private company has been a pillar of support in encouraging her to study in spite of severe financial difficulties as a result of which she is the first girl child in her family to complete XII. This is the scenario in most homes as a major part of the earnings of the family gets squandered in drinks and the lady of the house does odd jobs to support the family and her children’s education. Poornima attributes her success to the
support and the steady encouragement of her teachers who were always motivating her at every step spending extra hours clearing her doubts and correcting the smallest of mistakes in each test paper. She dreams of becoming a chartered accountant.
M Nandini, daughter of a milk vendor, stood second scoring 1117 followed by R Ishwariya, daughter of a village tailor, who stood third with a total of 1093.
The second ranker Nandhini who scored centum in commerce is a sincere, dedicated student and a silent worker. Very attentive in class she would spend extra time clearing her doubts and credits her success to her teachers who spared no efforts in coaching her.
Ishwariya overcame several odds as she was suddenly afflicted by health problems and could not even hold a pen during the revision tests and board exams. However constant encouragement of her teachers and parents helped her surmount all obstacles and stand 3rd in the school. She burst into tears on hearing the news.
However the stories don’t end here. The school topper in Chemistry,the only son of his widowed mother, suddenly faced a predicament . His mother fell ill and had to be hospitalized. There was no one else to help her and he had to miss classes .During the board practicals he would rush to school after doing the needful for her at the hospital. She has recovered now but what an agony the boy must have gone through. The teachers at school stood by him helping in whatever way they could. As soon as board exams got over he has taken up odd jobs to fund his future studies. But his is not an isolated story. Many boys have taken up small jobs to put aside some money which will help them when they start applying in various colleges.
Yet another student who got very poor marks in SSLC and could not get admission for XII anywhere came to Sevalaya and willingly joined the Agriculture group. Constant mentoring and coaching have seen a transformation in this boy who has secured first division marks and is now confidently planning to go to college. Behind each of these 143 students probably lie many such challenges which get revealed only during some exigency and so the victory of each is a celebration along with a prayer that they may choose and join the right courses that will take them on the path towards progress in their life.
Sevalaya, gratefully acknowledges the dedicated efforts of the teachers, who work with missionary Zeal and fervor to serve the poor and needy, and not merely for the salary they earn. Sevalaya also acknowledges with gratitude the consistent and generous contributions of our donors, without whose support, we could not have achieved this result.
