A fresh academic year is around the corner and mobilising admissions to their schools is a major challenge for the municipal authorities. Private school managements, known for their aggressive publicity campaign to grab a major part of the admissions pie, are difficult to match with, but the authorities are doing their best.
To counter competition from private institutions, municipal teachers and staff are being prepared for a matching campaign.
The department has released a list of new facilities added to municipal schools and has urged the staff to publicise them extensively and persuade parents to admit their children in these schools.
With regard to the fee, the officials boast of free education in addition to provision of free meal against thousands of rupees demanded by the private schools. The teachers in municipal schools are top rankers in the DSC competitive exams, the classrooms are spacious and well ventilated, reasonable strength of students in each classroom, sprawling playgrounds, permanent teachers, education without pressure, free textbooks, food and two pairs of uniform resulting in all-round development of students.
“The teachers have been asked to talk about the English medium introduced in the municipal schools, the digital classrooms and the math, science and language laboratories set up,” said S. Ramakrishna, State president of the Municipal Teachers’ Federation of Andhra Pradesh.
Separate directorate
The federation, meanwhile, has urged the Government to set up a Municipal Educational Directorate.
The strength of children in municipal schools has increased after introduction of English medium. “Teachers have been doing their best to rise to the occasion and train students in the best possible way, but the several issues that have been adversely affecting the smooth functioning of these schools remain unsolved,” said Mr. Ramakrishna.
He also urged the government to release the schedule of the transfers and promotions of teachers by April 23 and convert Zilla Parishad schools under purview of municipalities and municipal corporations into municipal schools.
