Trend of low student strength continues

At a Government Urdu Higher Primary School in Vasanthnagar, there are 12 students. Just one page in the attendance register is enough to write the details of all the children from nursery to Class 7.

The school, which is run in one classroom, has a colourful wall with a fresh coat of paint.

Numbers and alphabets are written all over the wall. In spite of the good infrastructure and two teachers, it has not been able to attract students.

There are two students in nursery, one in Class 1, two in Class 3, four in Class 4, one in Class 5 and two students in Class 7. There are no students in classes two and six. The school has two teachers and each one runs four classes.

The school does not have a timetable and the teachers say they ‘adjust’ and take classes.

Nilofer, a Class 7 student, had to study alone on Monday as her only other classmate was on leave.

Ask the students why there are no students in the school, Mehek Quereshi, a student, says all her friends from the locality study in private schools in the city.

This is one of the 9,503 government schools that have very few students. The trend of zero or low student enrolment is not new and has been there for several years, Education Department officials point out.

So the question is often raised on whether these schools are simply a drain on funds, or should they be made more attractive to challenge private schools.

While the number of schools with zero-student strength has decreased in government and aided schools compared to the previous academic year, it has increased in unaided schools.

However, the number of schools (in all school managements) with less than 20 students has increased compared to the previous academic year (see graphic) .

Teachers and officials also point out that the reasons for low enrolment in government schools can be attributed to demand for English-medium education, which is not provided in government schools and also attributed it to the RTE quota in private unaided schools.