The percentage of children enrolling in unaided English medium schools has increased to 25 per cent from 10 per cent over a decade in the State.

In other words, non teaching of English as a subject and lack of infrastructure facilities have resulted in decline in enrollment to government and aided schools.

The statistics of the education department shows that there has been fluctuation in students enrolled for Class I.  There is a drastic decline in the students enrolled from Class I to 5 and Class I to 7. In aided schools too, there has been a fluctuation in enrollment in all the categories, ie., Class I, Class I to 5 and Class I to 7 (see box).
But the private unaided schools have been lucky as the enrollment of students in all categories are looking up. In fact, in last two years - 2005-06 and 2006-07, there has been a steep increase in enrollment in Class I to 5 and Class I to 7. In 2005-06, the intake for Class I to 5 was 11.22 lakh and the it went up by 2.72 lakh students in the next year.

“Last year for Class I we had 150 students and this year it is 200. This increase is after we distributed pamphlets about our schools with the help of the teachers and also assured parents that coaching classes will be conducted for students,” Radhakrishna, Principal, RBANMS said.

Dr M Basavarajaiah, Principal, Amar Jyothi Public School, said that there was a 30 per cent increase in admission for Class I in his school this year. The quality of teaching and other facilities make even the below middle-class families to send children to private schools, he pointed out.

So, what Primary and Secondary Education Minister Basavaraj Horatti has got to say about the decline in enrollment to government and aided schools?

He said that granting more funds for improving infrastructure facility in schools, recruiting more teachers for both primary and high schools besides teaching English from Class I would help in improve image of government schools.

In the current academic year, the enrollment has improved as Rs 500 crore has been allotted to improve facilities besides increasing teaching staff strength.

Mr Vijay Bhaskar, Secretary, Primary & Secondary Education, said that the percentage of enrollment has increased to 25 per cent from 10 per cent over the last 10 years. He too said that inadequate infrastructure facility has made government schools losing out students.

“In most of the government schools, students squat on the floor. The facilities in unaided schools are better compared to  government schools in terms of library, lab etc”, he added.