Low enrolment in Govt schools What is expected from schools
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For reasons which must be obvious to all, Government schools do not attract large number of students, except for some few and that too those located in Imphal. However the report that nearly 55 percent of Government schools recorded extremely low enrolment of students is a story that takes the understanding of Government schools to a new low, especially when viewed against the backdrop of the School Fagathansi Mission. A new low story that came out after The Sangai Express took a look at the recently announced result of HSLC examination from a new perspective. This was the first in recent times that The Sangai Express decided to take a look at the number of students enrolled in Government schools and who went on to appear for the HSLC examination. The number does not speak well at all. At least 55 percent of Government schools recorded extremely low enrolment of students and topping this off is the report that at least 19 such schools come under the School Fagathansi Mission. As per the records available with The Sangai Express, 308 Government schools, with 19 of them being covered by the School Fagathansi Mission, were listed under BOSEM from where a total of 8126 students appeared for the Class X examinations. Out of the 308 Government schools, 170 schools had students ranging from one to 20 each enrolled for the matric examination. To put it in simple language at least 170 Government schools had only between 1 and 20 students enrolled for the matric examination this year. This is not all for out of the 308 schools another 105 schools had the number of students ranging between 1 and 10 registered for the Class X examinations while 65 schools had students ranging from 11 to 20 students each. And out of 308 Government schools, 19 of them come under the School Fagathansi Mission. The numbers speak for themselves and this more than say that something is terribly wrong with Government schools unable to attract adequate number of students. The focus of the Education Department, the man heading the Education portfolio as the Minister, the officials concerned should shift from the number of students who passed the recently conducted HSLC examination to why so many Government schools have such poor enrolment. Why aren’t parents, guardians and the students themselves reluctant to get enrolled in Government schools ? The answer should be obvious to everyone, and this does not say anything good about how Government schools have been reaching out to the people with the type of education they impart to the young students. And everyone knows who is the most impacted by such a trend. Every now and then, The Sangai Express has covered and told the stories of Government schools being left in the limbo, particularly in the hill areas of the State and such stories should have ideally served as the eye opener to the policy framers of the land.
It is doubtful if the report of the extremely low enrolment in Government schools would have stirred the conscience of the policy framers and officers of the land, but questions ought to be raised on why so many Govt schools find no takers amongst the parents, guardians and even the students themselves. It is natural for parents and guardians to expect something from the school in which their children and wards study and how much have Govt schools been able to address what the parents desire for their children and wards ? No one expects air conditioned facility in Government schools, but the basics. What parents, guardians and students expect from schools is the presence of teachers who will be there to teach and guide the young students. Schools are also expected to at least provide the right ambience for the young students to study but are the Govt schools able to provide this ? Desks and benches, classrooms, toilets, a black board, and doors and windows that can be opened and closed, a roof that does not leak are basics expected. Has the Government ever bothered to look into this ? The extremely low enrolment in Government schools reflects where education figures in the list of priorities and this is disturbing.
It is doubtful if the report of the extremely low enrolment in Government schools would have stirred the conscience of the policy framers and officers of the land, but questions ought to be raised on why so many Govt schools find no takers amongst the parents, guardians and even the students themselves. It is natural for parents and guardians to expect something from the school in which their children and wards study and how much have Govt schools been able to address what the parents desire for their children and wards ? No one expects air conditioned facility in Government schools, but the basics. What parents, guardians and students expect from schools is the presence of teachers who will be there to teach and guide the young students. Schools are also expected to at least provide the right ambience for the young students to study but are the Govt schools able to provide this ? Desks and benches, classrooms, toilets, a black board, and doors and windows that can be opened and closed, a roof that does not leak are basics expected. Has the Government ever bothered to look into this ? The extremely low enrolment in Government schools reflects where education figures in the list of priorities and this is disturbing.