The apparent surge in enrolment in government schools in the district over the last two years has also meant tackling manpower and infrastructure shortage for the authorities.
In several schools across the district, the demand for entry-level seats and also for higher sections has been prevalent due to the COVID factor — since parents affected by the pandemic could not afford high fee structure in private schools.
For instance, the demand for admission in the Panchayat Union Schools at Edamalaipattipudur and Pirattiyur and at the Corporation school in Bheemanagar and Rajan School at Srirangam was quite apparent for the current academic session.
The same was also the case at the panchayat union schools at Kattuputhur and Balasamudram in Thottiyam Panchayat Union, according to a representative of a government school teachers' association.
For addressing the manpower shortage, the School Education Department in the district identified surplus teachers in government-aided schools and posted them in the panchayat union schools on deputation.
In very many cases, the heads of schools with higher enrolment are learnt to have approached the MLA or MP with requests for construction of new buildings out of constituency development fund, according to an official source.
Work on construction of new buildings is said to be in progress at the Panchayat Union Schools in Pirattiyur and Edamalaipattipudur.
As for the other schools with constraints of building infrastructure, funds are being sought by the parents under the new Perasiriyar Anbazhagan School Development Programme for which the Government has allocated Rs.7000 crore for utilisation over the next five years.
Though the Government had made a budgetary provision of ₹18,251.53 crore for Elementary and ₹17,743.53 crore for Secondary and Higher Secondary Education for the financial year 2022-23, most of the money is spent on meeting salary expenditure and funding of freebies.
The State's 2022-23 policy note for school education acknowledges infrastructure development in schools as a critical factor to provide a conducive environment for teaching and learning activities.
The government has plans to achieve this goal by providing smart class rooms, Hi-Tech computer labs in all middle, high and higher secondary schools.
During 2021-22, civil works such as new high and higher secondary school buildings, additional classrooms, computer rooms, library buildings, laboratories, toilets, drinking water facilities, ramps with hand rails, repair works, furniture and Science Lab equipment were undertaken at a cost of ₹59.63 crore.
