Increasing enrolment in Government High Schools

This discussion topic will have discussions on how to increase Government School enrolment, both elementary and secondary.

Request teachers to share ideas, experiences for others

Guru

IT for Change

 
Jun 11 2015 : The Times of India (Bangalore)
 
Not a single student joined Class I in 534 govt schools
Bengaluru
 

 

 
 
For English Medium And RTE To Blame
The education department is worried. Last year, 534 government schools locked up rooms meant for Class 1 because there were no admissions. In 9,503 schools, there were less than 20 students in classes 1 to 7. The situation this year could be worse, though the statistics are yet to be collated.

Officials are coming round to the view that if this trend continues, then the government may have to shut down its schools. In fact, 146 schools have been closed or merged in the past year, taking down the number of schools to 48,909 in 2014-15.

The reasons are not far to seek: Urbanization, the state's mother-tongue policy, and implementation of the RTE Act.“Most parents prefer living in urban areas and want their children to study in English medium schools. Besides, government schools have a poor image,“ Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) officials admitted.

Data with the department of public instruction (DPI) confirms the steady decrease in government school admissions. This is corroborated by the SSA numbers showing an uptick in enrolments in aided and unaided private schools.In 2013-14, the number of zero admission schools stood at 517; in 2012-13, it was 508.

“Parents prefer private schools. They turn to government schools if they fail to get an RTE seat in a private school, despite schemes for children, including the midday meal,“ DPI director (primary education) K Anand said. A concerned depart ment is now floating many ideas, one of which is to change RTE rules.“Some states first ensure children are admitted to government schools. Only when this is not possible, the state sets aside seats in private schools under the RTE Act. We should, perhaps, implement something like this here,“ an official said.

With over 12 years of working with state-run schools in rural areas, ES Ramamurthy of Shikshana Trust believes the government is perpetuating the myth that private schools are better than government ones, especially through the RTE scheme.

“By saying 25% is reserved for you in private schools, they are telling parents this is what you should aspire for and we will help you get it,“ he said.

“Instead, the government should work to improve the image of their schools. We need to bring the quality of education on par with that in Finland and Belgium, where the concept of private schools does not exist for a child under 15 years. To do so, we need to decentralize schools and set correct goals. Officials in Vidhana Soudha set goals for teachers -they decide what chapter should be taught on what day and when the syllabus should be completed,“ Ramamurthy said.

Educationists pointed out that the teachers' goal is to complete the syllabus, not to ensure the child acquires a certain level of understand ing, can comprehend concepts or is able to speak a language fluently . “Set different goals for teachers and ensure the community is closely involved in what is happening in the school. Only then teachers are held accountable, and everyone participates in ensuring the child's growth. That is the way forward for improving standards in government schools,“ he said.




 

 



--
Gurumurthy Kasinathan
Director, IT for Change
In Special Consultative Status with the United Nations ECOSOC
www.ITforChange.Net| Cell:91 9845437730 | Tel:91 80 26654134, 26536890
http://karnatakaeducation.org.in/KOER/en/index.php/Subject_Teacher_Forum

Excellent banner for GHS enrolment, Shyla Madam,
 
Government Schools must also publicise the work being done in the school + the infrastructure being provided + teachers qualification and experience, so that the parents have information and can decide to enrol their children in Government Schools
 
Else often they enrol in poor quality unaided schools with little infrastructure, unqualified and untrained teachers and get fooled.
 
I am sharing banners made by 3 GHS in Bengaluru South 3 Block (where ITfC is working with all the 16 GHS in this block for academic improvement through the 'Teachers Community of Learning" (TCOL) project - see http://karnatakaeducation.org.in/schoolwiki/index.php/Bangalore_South3
 
I think all HMs in GHS should seriously consider making similar banners / posters for admissions to encourage enrolment in the GHS (similarly for GLPS and GUPS)
 
For GHS, other important steps that may be considered is the opening of English Medium sections (most Bengaluru GHS now have this).
 
The banners are also of course accountability methods - the schools need to ensure that the promises made in these banners are kept! so that by word of mouth more students will come.Increasing enrolment in GHS is an important step in strengthening the public school system.
 
I am also sharing message below from Prof Niranjan Aradhya, Centre for Child and Law, National Law School, Bengaluru.

ಆತ್ಮೀಯರೆ,

ತಮಗೆ ತಿಳಿದಿರುವಂತೆ  ಭಾರತ ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯದ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಕಾನೂನು ಶಾಲೆಯ ಮಗು ಮತ್ತು ಕಾನೂನು ಕೇಂದ್ರವು ಸರ್ಕಾರಿ ಶಾಲೆಗಳನ್ನು ಉಳಿಸಿ -ಬೆಳೆಸಿ  ನೆರೆಹೊರೆಯ ಸಮಾನ ಶಾಲೆಗಳನ್ನಾಗಿ ಪರಿವರ್ತಿಸಲು ಕಳೆದ  ಸುಮಾರು ಎರಡು ದಶಕಗಳಿಂದ ಕೆಲ ನಿರ್ವಹಿಸುತ್ತಿದೆ . ಪ್ರತೀ ವರ್ಷ ಸರ್ಕಾರಿ ಶಾಲೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ  ದಾಖಲಾತಿಯನ್ನು ಉತ್ತಮ ಪಡಿಸಲು ದಾಖಲಾತಿ ಪ್ರಚಾರ ಆಂದೋಲನವನ್ನು ಮೇ ತಿಂಗಳಿನಲ್ಲಿ 
ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಶಾಲಾಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಮತ್ತು ಮೇಲುಸ್ತುವಾರಿ ಸಮಿತಿಗಳ ಸಮನ್ವಯ ವೇದಿಕೆ ,ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಪ್ರಾಥಮಿಕ ಶಾಲಾ ಶಿಕ್ಷಕರ ಸಂಘ, ಬಿಸಿಯೂಟ  ನೌಕರರ ಸಂಘ ಮತ್ತು  ಸರ್ಕಾರೇತರ ಸಂಗಘಟನೆಗಳ ಜೊತೆಗೂಡಿ ನಡೆಸುತ್ತಿದೆ.
ಈ ಬಾರಿಯ ವಿಶೇಷವೆಂದರೆ , ಎಲ್ಲ ಕನ್ನಡ ಪರ ಸಂಘಟನೆಗಳು  ಮತ್ತು ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಚಳುವಳಿಗಳನ್ನು ಒಗ್ಗೂಡಿಸಿರುವುದು. ಈ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನದಿಂದಾಗಿ , ಈ ಬಾರಿ ಸರ್ಕಾರಿ ಶಾಲೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ  ಮಕ್ಕಳ ದಾಖಲಾತಿಯನ್ನು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿಸುವ ಆಶಯವನ್ನು ಹೊಂದಿದ್ದೇವೆ

ಈ  ಸಂಬಂಧ  ಸರ್ಕಾರಿ ಶಾಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ದೊರೆಯುವ  ಎಲ್ಲ  ಸೌಲಭ್ಯಗಳ ಪಟ್ಟಿಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮನವಿ ಪತ್ರವನ್ನು ಬೆಂಬಲಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಸಂಘಟನೆಗಳ ಹೆಸರಿನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮುದ್ರಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಅದರ ಪ್ರತಿಯನ್ನು ಈ ಮೈಲ್ ನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಲಗತ್ತಿಸಿರುತ್ತೇನೆ.

ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು ತಾವು
ದಾಖಲಾತಿ ಪ್ರಚಾರ ಆಂದೋಲನದಲ್ಲಿ  ಕೈ ಜೋಡಿಸಿ ಈ ಮಾಹಿತಿಯನ್ನು ವ್ಯಾಪಕವಾಗಿ ಹರಡಬೇಕೆಂದು  ಮತ್ತು ಇತರರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಹಂಚಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕೆಂದು ವಿನಂತಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತೇನೆ

ವಂದನೆಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ,


ನಿರಂಜನಾರಾಧ್ಯ.ವಿ.ಪಿ
ಫೆಲೋ ಹಾಗು ಕಾಯಕ್ರಮದ ಮುಖ್ಯಸ್ಥರು
ಸಮಾನ ಗುಣಮಟ್ಟದ ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ಸಾರ್ವತ್ರೀಕರಣ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮ
 
Suggestions, comments welcome.
 
regards
Guru

Director, IT for Change, Bengaluru

Dear Sir,

Good ideas by you to publicising about school, activities and qualifications of teachers and putting banners. But these days people are attracting towards school infrastructues where Govt. & Aided school are not having it and Govt. cannt provide. If we can prove that Govt. & Aided school can do better than private school then we can . Few points in the mind just i would like to share with you-

1. We should see that all teachers work properly like private schools,

2. We should make strict on school rules for teachers and students in discipline.

3. Introducing e-Tech. education into the school.

4. Last but not least. Marketing the school by social welfare activities.

5. School building with attractive colors can attract people.

I think by above points we can divert the people from private schools to Govt. & Aided schools. Also we need support from Govt. of Edu. Dept .

It is just opinion.

Thanking you,

regards,

P Bhanu Kiran,

 

 

 

ಆತ್ಮೀಯರೆ,

       ನಾನೊಬ್ಬ ಸರಕಾರಿ ಪ್ರೌಢಶಾಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾರ್ಯನಿರ್ವಹಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಸಹಶಿಕ್ಷಕ.ನಮ್ಮ ಶಾಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕಳೆದ ನಾಲ್ಕು ವರುಷಗಳಿಂದ ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿಗಳ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆ ಗಣನೀಯವಾಗಿ ಇಳಿಮುಖವಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ.ಈ ಬಾರಿ ಪಕ್ಕದ ಪ್ರಾಥಮಿಕ ಶಾಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ೩೨ ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿಗಳಿದ್ದರೂ ಸಹ ನಮ್ಮ ಶಾಲೆಗೆ ದಾಖಲಾದ ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿಗಳು ಕೇವಲ ೧೬.ನಾವು ಪೋಷಕರನ್ನು ಈ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಸಂಪರ್ಕಿಸಿದಾಗ ಅವರು ಕೊಟ್ಟ ಉತ್ತರ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಶಾಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಗಣಿತ ಶಿಕ್ಷಕರು ಇಲ್ಲ ಎಂದು.ಹೌದು ನಮ್ಮ ಶಾಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕಳೆದ ನಾಲ್ಕು ವರ್ಷಗಳಿಂದ ಖಾಯಂ ಗಣಿತ ಶಿಕ್ಷಕರು ಇಲ್ಲ.೨೦೧೧ರಲ್ಲಿ ಖಾಲಿಯಾದ ಗಣಿತ ಶಿಕ್ಷಕರ ಹುದ್ದೆ ಇನ್ನೂ ಭರ್ತಿಯಾಗಿಲ್ಲ.ಹಾಗೆಂದು ನಮ್ಮ ಶಾಲೆಯ ೧೦ನೇ ತರಗತಿ ಫಲಿತಾಂಶ ಕಳಪೆಯೇನಿಲ್ಲ.ಶೇ ೮೦ಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಫಲಿತಾಂಶವನ್ನು ನೀಡುತ್ತಾ ಬಂದಿದ್ದೇವೆ. ಯಾರನ್ನು ಹೊಣೆಗಾರರನ್ನಾಗಿಸೋಣ ? ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ಇಲಾಖೆಯನ್ನೇ ? ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ಸಚಿವರನ್ನೇ ? ಸರಕಾರವನ್ನೇ ?

 

 

ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ

ಪ್ರವೀಣ ಕಾಮತ್ ಕೆ

ಸಹ ಶಿಕ್ಷಕ

ಸರಕಾರಿ ಪ್ರೌಢಶಾಲೆ

Sir,

Whatever may be our argument but the ground reality is that students coming for high school after the completion of primary education in most of the Govt. Schools lag in basic minimum learning outcomes. This is the main reason for govt school enrollment getting decreased.

Few among many reasons for this poor academic achievement, in my view, are :

1. Govt Schools mostly don’t have clerks and peons. In the absence of a clerk the staff engages itself most of the time with office paper work. You visit any govt school at any time, always at least two of the staff members will be busy preparing official letters for all the statistics to be supplied to either CRP or BRP. Private schools avoid it by hiring office assistants on contract bases. Similarly in the absence of peon, its again the responsibility of teaching staff to take care of peon job also. This way over a period of several years, not all but, many teachers develop an inclination towards office work and campus maintenance avoiding teaching responsibilities.

Suggestion for this : Govt. Schools should be supplied computer literate office assistants. If financial constraints don’t permit then encourage NGOs to supply non teaching staff. You visit any private school, none of the staff will be utilized for office work and campus maintenance.

2. When we have decided not to fail any student unto to the age of 14 then there should not be any fear for having board exams at 5th and 8th standard. For 5th standard there should be Examination Board at Taluka level and for 8th standard at District level. 5Th standard Summative examination be administered and evaluated by Higher Primary staff and 8th standard Summative examination be administerd and evaluated by High School staff. Even if a student does a very poor performance still we can lift him to next class but at least with proper grades mentioned on his progress report. Now what is happening, in the hurry of lifting the pupils to next class, we in a very clever manner, are avoiding his true progress index to be mentioned on progress report. This is all about having very few number of gradations namely A+, A, B+, B. We don’t have problem with carryover pattern but without evaluating and recording ones true outcomes is really nothing but an administrative trick.

3. Many teachers have too much of fear about document maintenance. Higher authorities please be considerate regarding it and encourage teachers make them understand that CCE is for giving you AUTONOMY WITH RESPONSIBILITY towards the betterment of education.

With Regards,

Ravikumar

kk