CHENNAI: It was not just reopening day for all. Some schools were still busy with the admission process taking place simultaneously.
At the Nehru Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Nanganallur, Headmaster Subramaniam admitted that his school has seen a marked rise in parents seeking new admissions. “The primary reason is the fee. We charge none. Private schools charge ransoms,” he says candidly. He also states that better performances by students in the recent board examinations have helped improve parent’s opinion of State-run schools.
However for S Venkatesan, seeking out a government school was more like a last resort. “Schools kept turning us down because my son is physically disabled,” he said. “I am left with no choice but to enrol him in a government school.” The father went on to bemoan the lack of wheel-chair friendly ramps in private the infrastructure of private schools, making his son’s admission, an extremely tedious process.