Rate of enrolment in government-run schools has steadily gone down over the last five years

Updated on: Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Tamil Nadu may have close to 100% enrolment in schools. But despite having access to public-funded education, close to half the student population is joining private schools. The rate of enrolment in government-run schools has steadily gone down over the last five years in government and- aided schools, while there is a corresponding increase in private schools.

Enrolment levels in government schools have dropped from 43.6% in 2008-09 to 36.5% in 2012-13 . The picture becomes bleaker when you take into account the drop in enrolment in government-aided schools from 21.8% to 17.9% over the last five years. On the other hand, enrolment has increased from 34.5% to 45.4% in private schools in the same period . The writing on the wall is clear: those who once patronized public schools are moving to private ones, in search of greener pastures.

"It is of concern to the government that there is a decrease in enrolment in government schools and the shift is in favour of private schools," school education minister Vaigaichelvan told the state assembly recently.

Free notebooks, uniforms, footwear, schoolbags, crayons, atlases and geometry boxes — that's what the state government provided last year to stem the exodus of students from government schools. But, the offering doesn't seem to have had much of an effect. Enrolment in government schools has dropped from 43.6% in 2008-09 to 36.5% in 2012-13 . On the other hand, it has increased from 34.5% to 45.4% in private schools. A study, conducted by the outreach department of Loyola College, among parents and teachers of corporation schools found that parents considered it a matter of prestige to put children in private English-medium schools. More than half wanted extra-curricular activities and innovation in education, while 87% wanted better infrastructure.

In 2012, the state tested the waters by introducing English medium sections in 10 government schools in each district. It has got teachers in government and aided schools to visit colonies in the neighbourhood asking parents to send their child to school.

Despite the freebies, enrolment continued to drop. It went from 37.7% in 2011-12 to 36.5% in 2011-12 in government schools, and from 19.8% to 17.9% in aided schools, while jumping from 42.9% to 45.4% in private schools. Now, the state is trying to push the numbers up by introducing an English medium section in all government schools.

Educationists are not convinced. Many see it as an unimaginative way of solving the lack of communication skills among students. "This will be a costly mistake, and will not help in the long run," said P B Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary, State Platform for Common School System, which has been calling for education in the mother tongue. "Studies have shown that education should be in one's mother tongue for conceptual understanding. The state is ignoring the recommendations of the National Curriculum Framework 2005, which call for education in one's mother tongue," he said.

A senior official in the department said the state is looking to corner students from unrecognized private schools. "We are working with the social welfare department and approaching anganwadis to create awareness about the benefits of enrolling in a government school," said the official.

Educationist S S Rajagopalan said, "The government only introduces social welfare schemes for votes. Only if education is part of the political agenda will free and quality education be ensured."

Rate of enrolment in government-run schools has steadily gone down over the last five years

More Education news