Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation fails to curb dropout rate in schools

Instead of improving the dropout rate, the KDMC is focussing on earning revenue from this situation by mulling to rent out the school premises to private bodies

The schools run by the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) have been witnessing a sharp dropout rate.

Around 1,000 students dropped out of these schools last year, show KDMC records.

Instead of improving the dropout rate, the KDMC is focussing on earning revenue from this situation by mulling to rent out the school premises to private bodies during the schools’ non-working hours.

“After school hours, we are planning to give the school premises on rent. With very few students in each school, it is becoming difficult for us to run it. The added revenue will be helpful. The premises can be given on rent only with permission from the education committee,” said JJ Tadvi, education officer, KDMC.

This has invited criticism from experts.

“This cannot be a solution to curb dropouts. There are many children deprived of education and it is the responsibility of the local body to take enough measures to ensure everyone is in school,” said Yogesh Maskare, former principal of a KDMC school.

Academicians said that the steep dropout rate can also be attributed to the fact that many students from poor families are getting admission in private schools under the Right to Education (RTE) quota. Fewer students are taking admissions in civic schools.

Teachers said that many students for English-medium schools. The KDMC has only one English-medium school which has 200 students.

The civic authorities are contemplating to include semi English medium schools to improve admissions.

“Semi English medium schools will help to retain students but the need of the hour is to get more students in schools,” added Maskare.

There are 8,500 students studying in 60 KDMC schools. Some schools hardly have a handful of students and this has upset the student-teacher ratio.

“As per the state government directive, there is only one teacher for every 30 students. There are schools with 20 students but they are all in different classes, making it difficult for one teacher to handle them,” said Tadvi.

Even as KDMC schools are struggling to gain popularity, the Urdu-medium schools are doing well with around 1,300 students in a school at Baneli.

“The maximum population of students is from the village situated near Titwala on the Ambivli road. The students’ attendance is good throughout the year,” added Tadvi.