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Ludhiana: Govt schools push enrolment while teachers juggle targets
The district had set a target of enrolling 1,84,548 students, of which 46,428 in pre-primary and 1,38,120 in primary classes; so far, 1,76,152 students have been enrolled, leaving 8,396 students
The second phase of the district-wide enrolment drive for elementary government schools is being carried out with full force. After the first phase wrapped up on July 15, this leg is targeting the remaining admissions to ensure that every eligible child secures a seat in school.
The district had set a target of enrolling 1,84,548 students, of which 46,428 in pre-primary and 1,38,120 in primary classes. So far, 1,76,152 students have been enrolled, leaving 8,396 students. This means nearly 4.59% of the target is yet to be achieved, with the gap being wider in pre-primary classes (9.6%) compared to primary (2.85%).
Despite the progress, pressure is mounting on teachers. While officials maintain that the mission is to ensure no child is left behind, ground-level educators say they are being burdened with unrealistic expectations.
“We are under constant pressure to admit more students,” said a primary teacher on condition of anonymity. “Most of the students we admit are migrants. Local parents still prefer sending their children to small private schools, believing government schools are mostly for migrants. Every other day, we are asked to increase numbers, but how can we admit students when there are none left in the area?”
Echoing this sentiment, Jagjit Singh Mann, district president of the Government Teachers’ Union, said, “All the responsibility is dumped on teachers. We are expected to admit four to five students in a single day, but most nearby children are already enrolled. And when migrant students leave midway, their enrolment is termed ‘fake,’ and teachers are blamed.”
Responding to these concerns, district education officer (elementary) Ravinder Kaur clarified, “The aim of these drives is to make sure that no child in the district is left out of the education system. Teachers are not being forced, they are being encouraged to admit children who are still out of school.”
