Admissions to TN govt schools down by 4 lakh

Academicians say certain authorities are responsible for getting more than a lakh students getting admitted to private schools through RTE.

In contrast to School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan’s recent claim that there was an increase of one lakh admissions in government schools, statistics reveal that in 2017-18, admissions in 37,358 government schools stood at 46,60,965. However, in 2018-19, only 44,13,336 studentsgot admitted in 37,459 government schools, thus reducing numbers by 2,47,629.

Admissions in 8,357 government-aided schools in 2018-19 was 22,31,088 as against previous year’s figure of 22,99,017, a reduction of 1,67,929, according to performance and statistical data from the School Education Department.

Meanwhile, there is a significant rise in number of admissions to private schools, the data said. In 2017-18, 52,71,543 students were studying in self-financing schools. Admissions increased to 64,81,598 in 2018-19, an increase of over 12 lakh students. The statistics further revealed that the number of teachers in such schools has also reduced.

In 2017-18, teachers working in government schools was 2,32,466 as against 2,25,990 teaching staff in 2018-19. Likewise, in government aided schools, teachers in 2017-18 were 80,217 as against the 2018-19 figures of 36,361. However, in private schools, the number of teachers has increased by 1,500.

Also in 2017-18, number of teachers working in private schools was 2.64 lakh compared to 2018-19 count of 2.62 lakh teachers.