There seems to be a competition among government and government-aided schools in stepping up enrolment of students, with the main intent of retaining the sanctioned strength of teachers.
There have been instances of School Education Department curtailing sanctioned strength of teachers in schools, both government and government-aided schools, where enrolment was on the decline.
The general inclination of parents in rural parts to shift their children from government to government-aided schools, in the wake of the State government making it clear that only those who had studied in government schools from levels VI to XII were eligible for the 7.5% reservation in admissions to medical programmes defies logic, according to a senior headmaster of a government school.
The migration of students from government schools happens mainly for the English medium sections in the government-aided schools where the student strength is maintained at 40 per section.
But, parents seem to be unaware of the norm that students of government-aided school do not qualify for the 7.5% reservation for medical admissions, a senior official said.
Shifting of students from government to government-aided schools entails payment of a considerable extent of fee also. For, the government does not fund the salary expenditure of teachers appointed in English-medium sections.
According to teachers in government schools, government-aided schools are no more able to fudge attendance figures of enrolment after EMIS (Education Management Information System) that requires merging of the Aadhaar number of the students was put into implementation.
The prospects for government schools to reclaim their prime of place vis-a-vis government-aided schools is bright in the coming years, since the harsh reality is bound to set in among parents that privileges meant for government schools are too precious to be missed, the official said.
