Enrollment crisis hits Telangana public schools

The enrollment drop is attributed to growing dissatisfaction with quality of education and infrastructure extended in government-run schools, forcing parents to enroll their wards in private schools where admissions have gone up

Hyderabad: The Telangana government-run schools are facing an enrollment crisis with over three lakh slump in admissions during the academic year 2024-25. The huge drop in admissions is attributed to growing dissatisfaction with quality of education and infrastructure extended in government run schools, forcing parents to enroll their wards in private schools.

The official statistics indicate that enrollment of students in government-run schools has been consistently decreasing. While it was 28,80,09 in the academic year 2022-23, it dropped to 26,36,630 in 2023-24 and 25,13,435 in the current academic year, which is 3,67,374 less admissions when compared to 2022-23.

On the other hand, the private schools’ admissions went up from 30,17,877 in 2022-23 to 34,05,430 in 2023-24 to 37,01,814 in 2024-25. This enrollment drop in Telangana public schools and increase in private schools’ reflect a clear sign of faith by parents in private institutions.

Lack of one teacher for one class, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient resources and absence of supervision on teachers and schools are among other key factors that are driving parents to enroll their wards in private schools. One of the major factors is the absence of one teacher for one class. In several government primary schools, one and two teachers are deputed for a strength of 30 and 60 students, while private schools ensure one teacher for one class.

“We have been asking the government to merge schools with less enrollment and allot one teacher for one class. The State does not require 18,000 primary schools but 10,000 will suffice. Pre-primary sections must be started in government primary schools, which will help increase enrollment,” says Chava Ravi, president, Telangana State United Teachers Federation.

Further, the academics in the government-run schools are taking a beating due to deviation from the academic calendar and additional responsibilities handed over to the teachers, which is not the case with the private schools. “There is a need to increase actual teaching days. The formative assessment examinations have to be reduced, as they take the majority of the working days. This will enhance classroom teaching and thereby learning among students, creating confidence among parents,” said P Raja Bhanu Chandra Prakash, headmaster ZPHS Pachunur.

Absence of supervision on the schools has also contributed to decline admissions. Except for five districts, the remaining districts do not have a regular District Education Officer (DEO), while the deputy DEO and Mandal Educational Officer (MEO) posts have not been filled up for the last several years. “The government must fill up the vacancies to MEO, Deputy DEO and DEO posts to improve monitoring schools and strengthen the public education system,” Ravi said.

As for the infrastructure, the past BRS government had initiated the ‘Mana Ooru-Mana Badi’, a flagship programme to strengthen and create facilities in 26,072 government and local body schools under 12 components in a phased manner. However, the programme was shelved by the present administration. Though the government had constituted the Amma Adarsha Patashala Committee to improve infrastructure in the schools, the works do not show much positive signs.

Government-run schools:

– Academic year 2022-23: 30,178

– Academic year 2023-24: 30,143

– Academic year 2024-25: 30,137

Enrollment

-Academic year 2022-23: 28,80,809

-Academic year 2023-24: 26,36,630

-Academic year 2024-25: 25,13,435

Private schools:

– Academic year 2022-23: 10,478

– Academic year 2023-24: 10,832

– Academic year 2024-25: 11,217

Enrollment

Academic year 2022-23: 30,17,877

Academic year 2023-24: 34,05,430

Academic year 2024-25: 37,01,814