The agency hired by the State Government to study the causes of the dwindling enrolment of students in Government primary schools has cited drop in birth rate in the State as one of the reasons.
It has also found out that migration of people to other States in search of jobs along with their families is another reason for the drop in enrolment.
The State Government is alarmed that despite several programmes launched by it to allure students to Government-run schools, the students’ number is declining every year while private schools maintain a steady rise in enrolling students.
The Government initiatives include free textbooks, uniforms, midday meals, cycles and scholarships along with appointment of Shiksha Sahayak teachers in the primary schools to attract large numbers of students, but the schemes have failed to achieve the purpose.
Neither in the State’s coastal belt districts nor in the tribal districts there is any hike in student enrolment at the schools. On the other hand, the number is rising in private schools due to their improved infrastructure and facilities.
While 43.41 lakh students were enrolled at the Government-run primary schools in the year 2012-13, the number has come down to 42.23 lakh in 2014-15.
Although the OPEPA has been focusing on quality education through the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the shortage of teachers poses hindrance to education.
According to experts, several reasons including non-availability of textbooks along with lack of standard education are the reasons for which parents and guardians do not prefer to send their kids to the Government schools.
Meanwhile, the Government is taking several steps to increase student enrolment at its primary and UP schools by reviewing the situation through a committee, said official sources.