The number of students in East Delhi Municipal Corporation’s primary schools saw the biggest drop in the last five years, with 38,424 fewer students in its schools this year, data from the Plan Branch of its Education Department shows.
Enrolment numbers in schools run by all three municipal corporations have seen a drop of about 10,000 students every year. However, a nearly 20% decline in enrolment figures at EDMC-run schools is the largest dip in the last five years.
In 2017, EDMC schools saw a drop of 7%. In 2016, the number of students reduced by 3% and by 5% in 2015. This is also the largest drop in enrolment numbers compared to schools run by the other municipal corporations in the last five years.
A 2016 report by Praja Foundation on the status of government schools in the city stated that EDMC schools also witnessed higher dropout rates — close to 15% — than other corporations schools over the last few years.
While EDMC’s Education Department refused to comment on the matter, sources in the corporation said one of the reasons for the drop in numbers was linking of applications to corporation schools with Aadhaar numbers. The names of some students enrolled in more than one school were removed as a result, thus eliminating duplication. Linking of Aadhaar also took place in schools run by the North Corporation, which saw a drop of only 13,000 students this year.
‘Not at fault’
EDMC Education Committee chairperson Raj Kumar Ballan said the corporation was “not at fault”. He said enrolment numbers in corporation schools have been dropping since the Delhi government opened primary sections in its schools.
“In every other State, the municipal corporations run primary schools. Parents opt for these schools because they want to keep their children in the same institution throughout their schooling,” Mr. Ballan said.
Blaming the sealing drive for the drop in numbers, he said children of factory workers who attended EDMC schools moved away after the units were sealed. To a question on the drop in numbers this year, he said it was possible that long-term absentees may have been left out of the data. “About 20% of our students have not attended schools in a long time. However, we cannot strike off their names from the attendance rolls because of the Right to Education Act,” he said, adding that up to 11 schools under the EDMC’s jurisdiction will soon be merged due to a drop in numbers.
‘Poor condition’
Kuldeep Kumar, the Leader of the Opposition in the EDMC and an Aam Aadmi Party member, said the poor condition of corporation schools was to blame for the drop in enrolment figures.
“For the 12 years that the BJP has been in power, it has not paid any attention to its schools. And it is not due to lack of funds. The rest of the [departments] in the corporations may face cuts but the Education Department is well-funded.”
Highlighting the corporation’s apathy towards education, Mr. Kumar pointed to two recent cases — one where an EDMC schoolteacher who was caught on film while getting head massages from his students and another instance of segregation of students at another school.
‘Years of neglect’
Attributing the drop in numbers to “years of neglect”, education activist and lawyer Ashok Agarwal said, “People have realised over the years how terrible these schools are. Forget quality, there is no education taking place because there are no teachers. The enrolment data [obtained from the civic bodies] has just confirmed what the public always knew about these these schools.”
He also rejected the idea that the numbers had dropped because students had shifted to Delhi government schools. “They [the Delhi government] put up a few buildings and claimed to have transformed education. It is just propaganda. People are sending their children to mushrooming private schools. They see their children’s notebooks filled up and feel they are learning something,” Mr. Agarwal said.
Delay in salary
Rajindra Swami, the vice-president of the Delhi Adhyapak Parishad and principal at an EDMC school, claimed that delay in payment of salaries had played a role too.
“Since the Arvind Kejriwal government came to power, salaries have been regularly late by two to three months. In such a situation, what can you expect from teachers,” he asked.
A teacher at an EDMC school said, “Most children enrolled belong to migrants who come to Delhi for temporary stays. Most of them leave after a while due to the high cost of living, resulting in sudden dropouts. Children enrolled by NGOs are also not regular. The mentality of parents who belong mostly to the working class or the urban poor is rarely encouraging for a child’s education. There are also instances where parents who are daily-wage workers put their kids in school just because they have nowhere to leave them when they go to work and the school serves as a crèche. They, of course, withdraw them without any valid reason.”
(With inputs from
Kasturi Swain)
