KOCHI: The long queue that formed in front of Cherthala Govt Town LPS and the huge number of students admitted to Class I point towards the rising popularity of general education. The feat is being repeated in nearly all schools in the state and the Education Department is expecting to double the numbers from last year’s 1.8 lakh admissions.
According to Jessy Joseph, DPI in-charge, an official report is yet to prepared. “We have to receive the complete statistics from the districts. But reports are coming about the huge new admissions besides those to LP, UP and senior classes,” she said. “Recently, Govt Town LPS received more than 200 applications for admission to Class I in a single day,” she added.
Jessy is very positive about improving last year’s numbers. According to her, the metamorphosis of the government and aided schools into centres of excellence has happened due to the programmes implemented under the general education protection mission. “And this is what that is leading the parents to make a beeline to these educational institutions,” she said.
The applications for admissions are also pouring in due to the programmes launched by the schools individually. “The programmes vary from school to school. If it is street plays and door-to-door campaigns carried out in the rural areas, the schools in the urban areas organised workshops and used the PTA to spread the good word,” said K J Harikumar, president, KSTA.
As to the reason why this is happening, Dr Rajan Gurukkal, Vice-Chairman (Appellate Authority), Kerala State Higher Education Council, said, “The most important reasons is the financial strain parents face. The schools in the unaided sector wring out huge sums as fees,” he said.