To attract more students to government-run schools, the Akhilesh Yadav government has decided to open English-medium schools in Uttar Pradesh. To begin with, one such school will be opened in each district on an experimental basis, which will on a par with convent and public schools.
According to government sources, the Chief Minister is concerned over the growing tendency among parents not to send their children to government schools where the medium of education is Hindi. Only those parents who cannot afford education in English-medium schools send their children to government schools.
A senior official involved in the project said a special recruitment drive would be conducted where convent-educated qualified teachers would be hired. Soon a survey would be conducted for the project and a feasibility report prepared so that schools can be opened from the next academic session. As the government already has the infrastructure, implementing the project would not be a problem, he added.
As in other government schools, no fees are likely to be charged in the English-medium schools. Moreover, students will get free uniform and study material, he said.
“Mr. Yadav wants to change the way how people think about the government schools. Every year, we see children from State-run schools excelling not only in academics but also in other spheres of education. Still we see a declining trend in enrolment of students in our schools. This trend is now spreading from urban areas to semi-urban and rural areas…This is a matter of concern and we want to address it on urgent basis,” the official added.
