Primary school near Mettupalayam offers silver coin to boost Class 1 enrolment
COIMBATORE: A two-gram silver coin will be gifted to students who join Class 1 at the Valluvar Municipal Primary School near Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district.
The school administration has decided on the novel measure to boost student enrolment in the upcoming academic year, 2026-27.
This admission campaign is being held in the area, with the school placing flex banners proclaiming the offer at public places and on autorickshaws.
School headmistress M Baby Esther told TNIE they discussed ways to increase student strength as soon as the School Education Department allowed commencement of Class 1 admissions from March.
"Usually, we give small gifts to students who join Class 1 at the school every year, and the last being toys. This time, school teachers and the head of the School Management Committee (SMC) decided to give a two-gram silver coin to students who will join Class 1. We bought 50 silver coins with contributions from teachers, SMC heads and its members. The aim is to increase student strength here," she said.
Five students have already joined Class 1, and the coins will be given to their parents at a function at the school on the reopening day in June.
A teacher at the school told TNIE that around 70 students enrolled here this academic year after an admission campaign explaining the school infrastructure, government schemes and benefits.
He recalled that after their campaign, around 30 parents who had initially decided to send their children to matriculation schools admitted them here instead.
He said they are now conducting an admission campaign. Apart from advertisements, teachers and SMC heads have started door-to-door campaigns in their areas.
A parent, S Fazil Ahamed, told TNIE that this school's infrastructure, teaching methods, and other activities are also good/ He noted that the school received the state government's Pudhumai Palli award.
He also said he admitted his son to this school, which is located 3 km from his residence, even though there are a few other schools nearby.
On the coin offer, he said it is a good initiative to boost student admissions and that it would help school development.