Despite the teachers efforts to lure students, offering books, bags and shoes, the student strength in government schools recorded a sharp decline this year. The trend of parents refusing to admit their children in the Government schools was not just confined to the city, even in rural areas they are not showing interest to enroll their wards in panchayat union schools.
This was witnessed in Virudhunagar district where a panchayat union school at Nakamangalampatti in Srivilliputhur education district was closed temporary due to lack of strength. Education department officials have also short listed more than 20 panchayat union schools in Virudhunagar district alone, where the student strength was found to be less than 20 per school.
When the AEEO arrived for an inspection at the PU School at Nakamangalampatti, they were shocked to find that the school had only only five students. When the AEEO enquired with the headmistress of the school she expressed her helplessness The parents of two students have been demanding Transfer Certificates for last few months to shift them to private schools.