Mercy Education Center - An overview of its academic performance
Introduction
Mercy Education Campus is a private educational and training institute striving to produce a young generation of leaders who are dynamic, competent, patriotic and capable of leading the nation towards prosperity.
Mercy Education Campus (MEC), which was constructed in a land area of 23 acres with 50 classrooms of 20 x 25’ dimension with necessary hostel facilities to accommodate all students from Grade 6 to 13 and nearly 100 trainees who are following five NVQ 4 vocational training courses approved by Tertiary Vocational Education Commission, is located in Madurankuliys, a town close to Puttalam in the North Western Province. Further it was established with the financial contribution of Mercy Lanka started its educational and training services with 185 students from Grade One to Grade Four in 2010. Within a short period of nine (9) years it has surpassed several milestones. It has been rendering a noble and timely needed educational and training services through which students and youths are empowered to be self-dependent and loyal citizens of the country. Now, it has been expanding its services from Preschool to Post-secondary education including vocational and professional education and training having enrolling more than 1000 students with 165 employees from minor staff, teachers to managerial level executives.
MEC introduced Technology stream for A/L students in 2017 and enrolled 24 boys and 12 girls respectively for Engineering Technology and Bio-system Technology and in 2018, bio-science and physical science streams were started with 32 students. At present, there are more than 300 students following their advanced level education at this college. This rapid increase in student population enrolled for A/ L is a consequent result of excellent performance displayed by students of 1st batch in technology and science streams. In 2019, the first batch of technology stream produced a result of 90% pass rate and 47% state university entrance with the best result of 3A which was ranked FIRST in Engineering Technology in Kurunegala district. Similarly, the first batch of science stream produced a student for medical faculty and another one for Engineering faculty along with other students who were selected for other faculties. Therefore, this education institute has become a center for Advanced Level studies.
The management of Mercy Education Campus decided to start the above courses for A/L students after its outstanding achievement in O/L exams in 2016 and 2017. The first batch O/L students of Mercy Education Campus marked a remarkable pass rate of 90% at their first appearance in a public examination in 2016 and then the second batch made an extra-ordinary performance of 96.4% pass rate in the following year 2017. The trend of this tremendous performance of students in GCE O/L exam has been maintained for last five years. The qualifying rate of O/L students has been recorded as 93.6%, 96.8% and 97.4% in years 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Impact of Mercy Education Campus on Social Development
Mercy Education Campus has proved that the personality development of students could be realized only through quality education, religious values and social norms. This operation needs an environment where quality education is provided in student friendly atmosphere, various needs of students are fulfilled, students’ health and safety are ensured, religious obligations are properly practiced and norms and values of social integration and co-existence are inculcated. MEC has succeeded in creating such an environment which is evident through parents’ insisting demand to enter their children to this institute.
Further, vocational wing of Mercy Education Campus has succeeded in producing a set of more than 700 youths technically skilled in plumbing, electrical, welding and air conditioning and refrigerating. The most of them are engaged in their field of expertise in the island and abroad leading a decent life and contributing to well-being of their family and the country as a whole. This area of expertise is a value addition to the output of Mercy Education Campus and expected to have a good impact on social and economic development of the relevant families in particular and to the nation in general. Moreover, Automobile section was introduced in 2017 giving a further boost to the vocational training unit of Mercy Vocational Training Center (MVTC) and necessary arrangements have already been taken to develop the section establishing a fully-fledged industrial level auto mechanic workshop within the premises. It is expected that this step will open the venue to produce skilled youths to highly demanding local and foreign labor market in this field.
Mercy Education Campus intends while producing such technical personalities, to produce professionals and experts who are capable of providing leadership to the society and the country in all spheres of the life. Introduction of courses for A/L students and vocational trainees aims to achieve this objective. Accordingly, it could be proudly and loudly mentioned that a number of skilled technicians of this institute have already been serving in Tri-forces.
The overall objective of education is to produce a successful good citizen. This objective cannot be realized unless the education system embedded with value-based teaching and learning practice and approach. When people used to engage actively with values and norms, they start to understand their implications for making choices about their attitudes and responses. A Values-based approach encourages reflective and aspirational attributes and attitudes among students and teachers as well. This can be nurtured to help people discover the very best of themselves, which enables them to be good citizens and prepare them for the life of work contributing towards their personal growth and nation building at large.
Value based education creates a better learning environment, in which students are able to attain better academic results. It creates a better teaching environment, in which staff feel relatively satisfied and significantly less stressed. It equips students with social capacities that help them work with, and relate to others effectively. It provides them with the self-esteem and confidence to explore and develop their full potential. It leaves no student behind, irrespective of their background.
Mercy Education Campus provide its students moral values and religious norms through a comprehensive “Ahadhiya” syllabus introduced by Department of Muslim Cultural and Religious Affairs recognized by the Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka. Our students sit for Ahadhiya examination conducted by the department of Examination each year and they have been showing remarkable performance in exams held in past years.
Educational Performance of Mercy Education Center
Five batches of students have sat in General Certificate in Education (G.C.E) Ordinary Level exam since 2016 till 2020 and we have been able to maintain an average pass rate of more 95% which is significant compared to national level pass rate and performance of other famous schools in the country. The following tables and graphs illustrate a comparative view of this fact.
The above table shows that pass rate was 90.1, 96.4, 93.6, 96.8 and 97.4 respectively in years 2016, 2017, 2018,2019 and 2020 and overall pass rate in last five years has been maintained at 94.86. at the same time, the data reveal that the percentage of pass grade over the last five years has been recorded at an average of 94% while the percentage of weak passes was marked at an average of 6%. Another significant indicator shown in the table is that overall pass rate in core subjects is 96% which is evidence for overall contribution of factors leading to educational excellence.
The table below shows data related numbers of students sat for GCE (O/L) exam each year from 2016 to 2020, students’ performance in each subject and the percentage of grades attained by students in each pass grades and weak grade.
The above table indicates progressive trend of student enrollment and their academic performance over the past years. As this is a bi-lingual school students are taught English and Tamil languages while Sinhala and Arabic languages are given to their choice. Another positive feature noticeable here is that students are given plenty of choice in bucker subjects according to their diverse abilities, skills and interests.
The following two graphs show the summery of the data given in the above table in terms of overall average pass and weak grades;
The above graph shows the average percentage of pass and fail grades attained by students GEC (O/L) exams over the last five years. Overall average of “A” grade is shown as high as the average of “C” grade with marginal difference at 27% and 28% respectively. According to data in the table, “A”, “B” and “C” grades are the highest proportionate passes of the results achieved by students. This is a good indication to the quality of teaching and learning process.
The above graph indicates the difference between pass level and failure level of students in O/L exams in years from 2016 to 2020 whereas overall pass rate is shown as high as of 94% and weak pass rate is as low as of 6%.
Comparative Analysis of Result Obtained by MEC Students with National and District Level Achievements
National and District level performance in G.C.E. O/L exam in 2016 was 69.68% and 64.68% qualified rate for A/L respectively while school level performance in MEC was 90.76% at its first appearance in such public exam. In 2017, the national level performance has been recorded as 70% of qualified rate for A/L while Mercy Education Campus has recorded 96.4% of qualified rate for A/L which is relatively a higher performance than any school in the country. At the same time, district level in Puttalam in 2017 was 69.60% which is fairly lower than national level achievement last year.
The table below shows a summary of comparative analysis of O/L results achieved in national and district level in addition to the achievement marked by MEC students in respective years of 2016 and 2017. The table displays the number of students who sat for O/L exam in 2016 and 2017 while presenting the number and percentage of students who got through for A/L studies. Accordingly, the information with regard to the number and percentage of students who performed excellently attaining “A” pass in all 9 subjects has been given in the table which includes also the information regarding students who failed to attain even a single pass in any subject.
In the following pages, the performance of students in said three levels is demonstrated with little more details.
The following graph demonstrates the result comparison in three levels; National Level, District Level – Puttalam and MEC as school level in 2017.
It is noteworthy that Puttalam district is relatively a low performing district where Mercy Education Campus is situated, nevertheless MEC has achieved the highest posible in the year. In 2017, MEC students have performed their maximum best which is illustrated in the following garaph.
The performance at national level is relatively higher than the performance level in Puttalam District. However, MEC has marked the highest performance in 2017 as well. 82 students out of 85 have been qualified for A/L thus indicating the highest qualified rate of 96.4% in 2017.
The following gragh indicates extent of variation of the results produced by students in national and school level at Mercy Education Center over the last five years.
The following graph shows the percentage of unsuccessful candidates in all 9 subjects in O/L examination failing to attain even a simple pass in any subject.
The national level failure rate of candidates in all 9 subjects in O/L exam held in 2017 is rather higher than the failure rate of students in Puttalam district. However, none of MEC students found unsuccessful in O/L examination held in 2017.
The graph given below is self-explanatory of the fact that students of Mercy Education Center are highly capable of achieving their academic target in the examination.
All the above information including tables and graphs are evident that educational performance of Mercy Education Campus as far as O/L result is conerned is at a better position. A number of factors have contributed to this great success. However, collective efforts and team work of all stakeholders of Mercy Education Campus are undoubtedly behind the success.
Conclusion
This report is self-explanatory that Mercy Education Campus has been contributing to the national development directly and indirectly first by producing good citizens and then empowering youths with basic education, vocational and professional trainngs and inclucating moral and social values. The main focus was given on students’ performance in GCE (O/L) exam since good performance at the Ordinary Level is a pre-requisite for further education including the A-Levels—which also serves as the university entrance examination—and many vocational training programs (ASHANI ABAYASEKARA AND NISHA ARUNATILAKE, 2017 - Better Schools for Better O-Level Results in Sri Lanka) -
Dr. A. Fawzul Rahman - PhD
Director
Mercy Education Center
12th March 2022.