Student Enrolment Drops By Over 12 Lakh In Private Schools Here

Chandigarh: Three months after the academic session began in Haryana, a startling fact came to the fore. Almost 12.5 lakh students have not enrolled for the session, in comparison with the last session, prompting the Directorate of School Education to send out directives with “apprehensions” that they might have dropped out.

According to data submitted to the Haryana Education Department by the private schools, 17.31 lakh students had registered for the 2021-22 academic session as of June 28. The last year’s figure was 29.83 lakh. Currently, there are 14,500 government and 8,900 private schools in Haryana.

“(The details) of as many as 12.51 lakh students, who used to study in private schools, has not been updated on MIS (management information system). You are directed to hold meetings with heads/managements of private schools to get updated the data of these 12.51 lakh students so that the apprehensions of their dropping out can be minimised,” The Directorate of School Education’s directive was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

The officials say the schools might not have enrolled these children over fee issues, and some could have switched to government schools. There will also be others who have dropped out for having no access to the online mode during the lockdown.

“Students, especially from rural areas, might have found it difficult to continue their studies. Further, a large number of people have lost their jobs during the pandemic,” an official was quoted as saying by the national daily.

Haryana Education Minister Kanwar Pal Gurjar was surprised by the “huge gap” in the number. “We will get the issue examined,” he told TIE.

However, a Fatehabad village-based private school’s management member Ram Mehar said, “The general belief is that schools won’t open this year also. Under these circumstances, some private school students, mainly from junior classes, have not joined any school for the ongoing session.”

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