Govt teachers asked to meet enrolment target in schools

The Education Department launched its annual enrolment campaign in the district in line with the state policy under the slogan, “Better Experience, Quality Education, Pride of Punjab’s Government School”, from Nursery to Class XII with much fanfare. While the enrolment drive culminated a few days ago, overshadowed by the Sikhiya Kranti inaugurations, the enrolment targets are yet to be met. Keeping this in mind, teachers are being forced to meet the targets given for enrolment even if it meets going door to door.

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According to the official website of the Education Department, Amritsar has a total of 2,03,550 students enrolled in government/aided schools from primary sections to Class 12. While efforts were made to achieve an increase of 10 per cent in enrolments from previous years, the Sikhiya Kranti inaugurations overshadowed the enrolment drive as teachers were busy organising inaugural functions and hosting Cabinet ministers and AAP leaders. While the enrolments for 2024-25 session had seen a slight increase, especially in senior secondary classes, this year the teachers are still working to get the maximum enrolments. On ground of anonymity, a teacher working in a government primary school, said, “The teachers have been reaching out to parents for enrolments, going door-to door and even hosting meetings with parents in schools. We have been asked to prepare a campaign to highlight the upgrade of schools, including the School of Happiness project.”

Meanwhile, some feel that the Sikhiya Kranti exercise is an attempt to increase the enrolment in government schools by highlighting the infrastructural achievements. Despite the efforts, a report released by Union Ministry of Education early this year stated that for the academic session 2023-24, in Punjab, out of the total enrolment of 59.88 lakh students (pre-primary to Class XII), 29.81 lakh students are enrolled in private schools as against 28.23 students in government schools. The state government has been making efforts to close the gap in enrolments with initiatives like Schools of Eminence and Schools of Happiness.