CBSE School Performance Report: An Incomplete Step Toward Transparency

Undoubtedly, the School Academic Performance Report published by CBSE is a major step toward bringing transparency into India's education system; however, restricting its access only to the heads and principals of the schools is a violation of parents' fundamental right to information.

The School Academic Performance Report is a historical and highly commendable step taken by the Central Board of Secondary Education. But restricting this report only to the school administration and not making it public goes against the very spirit of transparency and works contrary to the Right to Information act of the citizens.

Right to Know: A Parent's Perspective

Every parent has a right to know how his or her child's school stands as compared to state and national standards. Whether the average performance of a school in Class 10 and 12 examinations is above or below the state and national average is a piece of critical information required by every parent.

But many times, some schools perform far above, or below, the average figures. Public dissemination of such information would help parents and the community establish a school's true academic standing.

Why Performance Reports Matter

Experience has shown that many schools do wonderfully up to Class 10, but their quality deteriorates at the senior secondary level because of a lack of qualified teachers. Some shine in commerce, but lag behind in science or the arts. If such comparisons are publicly available, parents can indeed make an informed choice about which schools have stronger faculties and better outcomes.

Transparency and Fee Rationalization

Once the comparative data on the schools' academic performance and facilities becomes public, schools will no longer be able to arbitrarily decide on the fees. Fees would become performance-based: schools offering better education and infrastructure would have the ethical justification for charging higher fees. This would automatically introduce a fair and competitive system where only quality ensures survival.

Empowering Girls through Education and Gender Equality

Parents are more cautious about their daughters' education; therefore, knowing the enrolment rate and academic progress of girls in each school would help parents decide more aptly. This transparency would ensure that the school administrations take the girls' education more seriously.

Beyond Academics: Recognizing Sports and Talent

The report goes beyond academics because it covers the comparative analysis of students' participation and achievements in sports both at state and national levels. This helps parents identify schools that have performed well in various disciplines of athletics, swimming, or shooting and thereby guide students interested in sports to the right institutions.

What the Report Covers

The CBSE's School Academic Performance Report Card analyzes Class 10 and 12 data across these key categories:

• Comparison of average marks with state and national averages.
• Gender-based performance analysis (boys vs. girls).
• Comparing the Subject-wise Average Marks across Regions:
• Participation and achievements in sports relative to national standards.

A Call for Public Access

While this is a very positive step towards accountability in education, if the report cards are not made public, very little change will result. Parents, students, and the public have a right to this information to help create a shared culture of accountability and improvement. Transparency is only worth something when it is accessible to all-because in education, accountability is the foundation of real reform.