According to the records from School Education Department, Coimbatore has recorded an increase in number for student enrollment. This is for the academic year 2023-24 in comparison with the previous academic year. Given that, private schools still overtake the admission numbers shared by the department.
The Data Shows:
Since July 13, the Coimbatore district saw 6,17,466 students enrolled in all schools for the new academic year. Compared to 2022-23, it was 6,21,537, i.e. 4,071 more than the current year. Of the 2,047 schools in the district, 658 private institutions admitted 3,60,690 students, and last year it was 3,66,342, says data.
According to the department, 2,56,776 students were admitted to State government, fully aided, partially aided and Central government-run schools as on July 13, 2023, which is 1,581 more than the same period last year.
The Officials Say:
Chief Education Officer L. Sumanthi said that the overall number of drop-outs will be evaluated. "We have been monitoring out-of-school students through the Educational Management Information System (EMIS) and the overall number of drop-outs will be evaluated. Moreover, many have shifted their wards from private institutions to government and corporation schools, which increased the numbers,” she said.
Prabhakaran (38), an autorickshaw driver, said that he shifted his son studying in Class V from the Government Higher Secondary School to a private school in the same area. “I want my son’s English and Hindi proficiency to be excellent, so he can get better opportunities across the nation,” he said.
Following that, K. Gotha Hari Priya, managing trustee of Coimbatore Parenting Network, a peer support group on social media, said, “Language is the prime reason for which parents admit children to private schools. If the exposure, teaching level and infrastructure are improved, the numbers are sure to rise in government schools.”
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