School admissions day 1: Pandemic-hit parents choose govt schools over private institutions

As per the usual schedule, admission process commences from June. However, it was postponed indefinitely this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown that was imposed.

As per the revised schedule, admissions to classes 1, 6 and 9 started at all schools, including government and aided schools, and also private institutions, from Monday. But admissions to Class 11 would start only from August 24.

A senior official from the School Education Department told DT Next that admissions to government schools are expected to increase by about 10 per cent this year, as many parents, who had to face pay cuts due to the total lockdown and could not afford to get their children admitted to private institutions that charge a hefty amount fee, have approached State-run schools.

Tamil Nadu Teachers Association president PK Ilamaran said many government and aided schools received more applications – especially for Class 9 – than seats on offer. Admissions have started on a bright note even at many government schools in the city, he said. “A government high school in Kodungaiyur received 50 applications on day one itself,” he added.

J Senthilnathan, a senior teacher at a government middle school in Ervadi taluk in Ramanathapuram, said his school admitted 20 students in classes 6 and 9. He added that the school has already admitted about 50 students online during the lockdown period.

DC Elangovan, secretary of the Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu, said as per the information they collected from across the State, admissions to private schools did not take off well on day one. “It is basically due to parents’ inability to afford the fees,” he said, adding that they expected admissions to be very less this year.