COIMBATORE: The headmaster of the government higher secondary school at Kannampalayam has resorted to a novel way to enrol students. An advertisement for school admission for the 2024-2025 academic year appears on the rear of a government bus that connects Coimbatore city to rural hinterlands. The bus runs on route 65A from Sulur to Gandhipuram. More buses will feature this ad soon.
The advertisement states that admissions are now open for classes from VI to XII at the school for the next academic year. Additionally, the group code for higher secondary education (XI and XII classes) is displayed on the board. It also highlights a 7.5% reservation and free education.
Headmaster G Senthooran told TNIE, “I have been working as a headmaster for the last four years. So far, we promoted student admission by issuing pamphlets and placing the flex board in front of the school. After the admission campaign, the student count which was below 500 reached above 600.”
“In 2022-2023 academic year, the Arts group was newly introduced in the school. This group is available in both Tamil and English mediums, aiming to enhance students’ career prospects and job opportunities. This group is not offered at any nearby government schools,” he said.
“To promote the Arts group among students in villages located near Kannampalayam and to increase the student enrollment in our school, I decided to advertise on the government bus. I hope that school advertisements would reach in rural areas. So, I have made a school advertisement on government bus 65A that operates via Kannamapalayam, by paying Rs 4,000 per month. School advertisements would effectively target students in rural areas. Advertisement board would be on the bus till June. With such an ad students from villages of Bharathipuram, Pallapalayam, Sulur, etc would join our school,” he said.