RTE foils state’s attempt to woo students for LKG, UKG admissions in govt schools

Though the decision to introduce kindergarten classes was aimed at increasing the admission figures in government schools and retain them till higher secondary, it failed to attract parents. The plan, which has cost the government Rs 7 crore, includes LKG and UKG classes in 2,381 Anganwadi centers. They will have the capacity to take in more than 50,000 students across the state.

With teachers already selected to take kindergarten classes, the admissions seem to be poor with some schools failing to get even ten students. A senior official from School Education Department told DT Next that at present pre-KG students, who were admitted in the Anganwadi centres, will be shifted to LKG directly. “But, the number of admissions is not as we had expected,” he added. According to him, only about 1,000 students sought new admissions against the government’s target of 50,000 additional to the existing pre-KG students.

While each Anganwadi centre were allocated Rs 5,000, which will be used to procure educational kits, the official pointed out that the target was set to get at least 50 students. “An Anganwadi centre in Thiruvallur recorded only five admissions,” he added.

Meanwhile, teachers have turned into marketing agents who have been going from door-to-door, trying to convince parents to admit their children in government schools.

Tamil Nadu Teachers Association President P K Illamaran pointed out the purpose of increase admissions in government schools has not served since the School Education Department is concentrating and encouraging RTE admissions. “How will students’ admission numbers increase if government obsessed with RTE,” he said.

A senior official from the directorate of school education said that the students’ enrolment from the academic year 2014-15 to the current year in Tamil Nadu government schools, has reduced by more than 17 per cent. In 2014-15 the enrolment of the students in government schools was 56,55,628 compared to 2018-19 figure of 46,60,965, registering a decrease of 9.9 lakh students.