State board schools in Bengaluru North, South struggle to enrol students

Schools in Bengaluru South and North districts are struggling to cross 75% enrolment even as admissions to the state board schools are rapidly drawing to a close.

Data from the Department of Public Instruction puts Bengaluru South at 73% and North at 74% school enrolment as on Saturday, while all other educational districts have crossed 90% admissions.

Private school management representatives call this the pandemic effect.

“The lockdown has forced several people to return home (from Bengaluru) and even after the restrictions were lifted, many did not return, which resulted in low admissions,” said a representative of a North Bengaluru private unaided school.

A principal of another private school said they tried contacting parents who did not renew admissions, but many replied saying they have enroled their children at schools closer to the place they have relocated to due to lockdown.

Fee dispute

Department officials also attributed the drop in enrolment to the fee dispute between parents and school managements.

“Some parents haven’t renewed admissions due to the ongoing fee dispute,” an official from the department added.

DPI data

With a goal to admit 1.05 crore children this year, the Department of Public Instruction has achieved 91.95% by admitting 96.91 lakh children.

Data available from the department shows 96,91,946 children got admitted from class 1 to 10 in all management schools.

Admissions at government schools have crossed 96%, while the number is 109% at aided schools and 82% at unaided private schools.

With August 30 being the last date for admission, the department expects a little increase in enrolment.

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