Chennai Schools are on a drive to admit students. Since June 1, teachers of the schools have been going in pairs to neighbouring localities and explaining the benefits of studying in the institutions run by Chennai Corporation.
Apart from the free and quality education, the children also stood to benefit from the various schemes of the civic body for the students, the teachers explain to the parents.
Till Thursday, a total of 4,776 students had enrolled in Chennai Schools. The Corporation has a total of 281 schools. “The numbers [of new admissions] will go up on June 15 when the schools reopen. Our results have been encouraging this year,” said an official of the civic body.
More students are joining in class 1, 6, 9 and 11. In class 1, a total of 544 students have been admitted in Tamil medium and 140 in English and other medium sections. In class 6, since the opening of admissions, a total of 853 students had been admitted in Tamil medium and 263 in English and other medium sections.
Attractive incentives
For high and higher secondary students, the incentives like cash prizes and laptops are among the attractions. In class 9, a total of 771 students have joined in Tamil sections and in 211 in English sections.
“Many families are yet to return from vacation. We will be approaching more parents in a couple of days. Also students who cannot afford to pay private school fees would be coming to us. Only by this month end would we know the total number of admissions,” said a teacher of a Chennai School.
The civic body runs a total of 32 higher secondary and 36 high schools. Many of these schools are sought after by parents and students due to their past performance. The demand for admission in some schools is high and parents also get recommendations letters from politicians and officials.
Mayor M.Subramanian said school admissions are going on well this year. “We will continue the schemes like free uniform and shoes that we had announced in the budget.”
Corporation Commissioner D.Karthikeyan said that every year during admissions, the teachers concentrate on school dropouts. “We pay more attention to the poor and downtrodden.”
