Infra boosts admissions in corporation schools

Tirupati: It is interesting to note that the corporation schools here registered an overall 10 percent increase in their strength this year despite stiff competition from the private players in the pilgrim city. There are 44 schools including 30 primary, 5 upper primary and 9 high schools run by the municipal corporation in the city. The total strength of the schools this year increased to 6,868 against 6,246 last year with 628 new admissions.

This was largely due to the added infrastructure facilities in a big way coupled with the efforts of the teachers, who saw the performance of the schools improved significantly resulting in the increase. 

While the introduction of English medium in select primary and most of high schools, career foundation course in all the high schools ultimately proving helpful to the schools to retain and or increase the strength with the parents from middle and poor class are now inclined to admit their children in the state run corporation schools.

Sivaranjani, a parent and also vice chairman of School Management Committee (SMC) of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishna High School said ‘My three children are studying in the school for which I am not paying a single rupee but if it is private I have to spend a minimum of Rs one lakh per year for their education which my family cannot afford. She and her husband working as construction workers.

The parents, who are keen on getting English medium education, are now turning towards corporation schools where the education is totally free against abnormal fees being collected in the private schools. Municipal Corporation Primary School (MCPS) in Singlagunta a notified slum area saw 60 new admission taking its strength to 182 against 122 last year while Dr Daggubati Rama Naidu MCPS in Bairagipatteda in a well-developed Bairagipattedda too increased from 328 to 382 and Nehru Nagar Urdu school saw 20 per cent increase. In essence, 24 primary schools, all the five upper primary and seven high schools strength increased this year.

Enquiries with teachers and corporation officials revealed that the school teachers in the schools work with zeal and dedication providing special classes to the children and also in touch with the parents. Majority of the school have a corporate touch with English medium, digital classrooms and virtual classrooms and changed the functioning akin to the private schools.

Speaking to The Hans 
India, KHL Varaprasada Reddy Headmaster of Korlagunta MCPS said the school is offering English medium education and able to double its strength in three years. “The school is offering all the facilities required for the children to have a good education. We have sufficient well qualified teachers, classrooms and one digital and soon going to have a virtual classroom which even most of the private schools may not have.

Government is providing uniform, text books and also mid-day meal while we teachers on our part taking care of other requirements including study materials like note books, pen and pencils, diaries etc provided by Samaritans. The only thing left to the parents is sending their wards to our school and rest we will take care,” he said with a tone of dedication.

Corporation Deputy Educational Officer K Anand Kumar and Schools Supervisor K Muniratnam said silent revolutionary changes taking place in the corporation schools with the government focusing on their betterment and exuded hope that in the coming days these schools will further improve their strength.